We had all kinds of accidents started to happen; the occult group made connection with her again. It was quite a messy thing, for quite a while, and so I was puzzled as how to deal with it, and the Lord spoke to me. He said: I want you to stand as the Pastor, and I want you to speak and take authority in the spirit world, and totally forbid the operation of this occult group against this woman. He said: I want you to bring judgement against it. So I said oh okay, how do I do that? So I just rose up and prayed and decreed that no weapon formed against us would prosper, that every tongue that rose against us speaking judgement and curses, we totally cancel it's power, and defeat it in Jesus' name. I asked the Lord, called on the Lord, to act on our behalf and to deal with it.
Now what happened was within the space of a week, two people in that covenant had motor accidents and died, just like that, and all contact with that coven and this woman stopped just like that. Now we still had the problem within her, so we began to pray, and I tried to get her delivered. It was very hard, very difficult to get her delivered, and then the Lord spoke to me. He said: I want you to get the husband involved, and she was a little reluctant about that because of issues in her heart about men, so what I did was, I said to her husband: I wonder if you just pray in the other room, and I'll call you in. When I call you in, when the demon's in full manifestation, I want you to do - and I described to him what I wanted him to do. So anyway we prayed. Now what happened was the woman had fallen down on the floor. Her feet were facing the door so there's no way she could see anything that was happening, she was face down. Another woman was with her, praying for her, and I just left the room quickly, went in and her husband came in, and together we laid hands.
He put his hand on his wife's head, I put my hand on his, and he spoke these words. He said as her lawful husband, I break all covenants formed with this spirit, and command you to go now. Now as he walked in - now she can't see him - she yells out: what's he doing here? The demon recognised the authority the husband carried, and that he was determined to assert it in the spirit. He put his hand on and prayed as the husband, I put my hand on him and prayed as the Pastor, and immediately the spirit was gone, just like that. That was one of the most vivid examples I ever had in all my ministry life, of how the spirit world recognises the authority that's delegated to the people of God, and specifically in the situation of marriage; if God has called the husband the head, he is what God calls him. Now he may not be doing a good job at it, but it doesn't change who he is. The spirit world recognises it.
So when a husband stands up as the head of the home in the role he's got, and addresses the spirit world, it will respond to him, because he is the legal representative of God, authorised to speak on behalf of his family. Now it doesn't minimise in any way the prayers of his wife. What I'm trying to establish here is the recognition the spirit world has on lawful authority. Now just take it another step further. You and I are children of God. We've been raised into a realm where we are positioned, we are seated with Him, far above every principality and power. Now you as a child of God also are authorised, if you will arise and stand within that role. Father, I come before you today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I arise and I come boldly to the throne of Your grace. The Bible tells us to do that. So you see yourself, there you are standing, you're worshipping God. Now you can speak from that position of victory and authority; as a representative of Jesus Christ I speak now to that demonic spirit. I forbid your operation. I break your assignment.
Now demons will respond to that, because they recognise you are lawfully and rightfully delegated that kind of authority, but it's all to do with your positioning in your heart and faith. You've got to believe what God says about you. Ooh, you're getting quiet now. [Laughter] So authority means it's the legal right delegated to you, to speak and act on behalf of Jesus Christ, and we'll show you exactly what you're authorised to do. I've given you hints on it already right now - so you have the right to speak and to act. Now because you've been given that right, it is a responsibility to dismiss demons, and to speak and ordain and speak the word of God. You've actually got a responsibility to do this, so we may neglect our responsibility. If we neglect our responsibility, then as we saw, the territory becomes invaded, problems start to come relationally and oppression-wise and all sorts of things.