Recently I ministered inside the local county detention center alongside a prison ministry team. Prior to entering the facility, the detention center chaplain went through the list facility rules—no cell phones, no hugging, women not to pray alone with the men (the team included men and women and we ministered on the men’s side of the jail), and such.
But then the one last instruction the chaplain gave before entering really struck me. He said, “You are here as ambassadors for Christ. When you pray with these inmates today, don’t pray wimpy prayers such as ‘Will you please Lord?’ and ‘If it be your will to heal…’. You know it is God’s will to save, heal, and deliver. Use the authority given to you in Christ and pray it into existence.”
Then the chaplain explained how he has witnessed miracles behind the detention center walls due to the mighty hand of God moving through His faithful ambassadors.
Let me share with you Scriptures to back up what the chaplain emphasized to us.
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV).
To be an ambassador means we are “a trusted, respected ambassador who is authorized to speak as God’s emissary (represent His kingdom).”*
When Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He gave us authority to represent Him on earth.
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV).
Our authority is in the name of Jesus and with that signs and wonders follow.
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; the will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover’” (Mark 16:15-18 NKJV).
We must remember, our authority is not over people, but over the principalities and dark spirits of this world.
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
You see my friend, the enemy is the dark spirits, not people. Plus, the enemy wants us to doubt and to forget about our identity in Christ and the authority we have in Him. For when we slip out of functioning in our authority, it gives room for the enemy to slide in and rule in that area of our lives.
I admit that lately my prayers had become more of the pleading and begging prayers and not praying from a position of authority.
Trauma and stressful situations make us weary and forgetful about what we have in Christ. After my son was convicted, I remember the overwhelming feeling of how it felt that life will never be joyful again.
The enemy will tell us that life will not ever get better—whether we’re dealing with an incarcerated loved one, financial issues, health issues, or relationship issues.
We must not come into agreement with that negative self-talk or words from the nay-sayers. The Bible says we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus! (See Romans 8:37.)
To faithfully serve as ambassadors for Christ, we MUST SAY what the Word of God says. We MUST BELIEVE the Word of God over the talk and chatter of the world.
We have authority as ambassadors for Christ to change the spiritual atmosphere around us, in our homes and in the lives of our loved ones.
By the grace of God and our authoritative prayers as ambassadors, we will witness miracles by the mighty hand of God. Amen!
“‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,’ Says the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)
Let’s pray:
Lord, we thank You today that You gave us authority to serve as ambassadors on earth. Today we come before You to pray Your word that no weapon formed against us and our loved one’s will prosper. That You will condemn every tongue that rises up against me and my loved ones. You will silence every lie from the accuser. This is a benefit You give to us—your servants and we thank You. This we pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.
*Copyright © 1987, 2011 by Helps Ministries, Inc.