I’m always gauging agreement. What I mean is this:
‘How willing are people to agree with me in spirit?’
The path to freedom in Christ is not a difficult one, if we can agree. As a prayer minister I usher and declare freedom from personal strongholds, generational sins, and curses from people. It is my job.
Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead establishing the authority of this earth back where it belonged. In the hands of men and women and by the power of the name and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Some months back I was working with a client who was hesitant to release and allow gone a substantial stronghold. I cannot even remember what it was exactly, but what I do remember is her asking me how much time it would take to ‘work’ through it.
My reply, “About 30 seconds.”
Praying deliverance and healing and freedom is easy. It takes no longer than it takes to speak a few sentences. The hard part… agreeing.
As a prayer minister I never lead anyone, or pray over anyone anything, that they have not agreed to and are welcoming and wanting.
The principle of agreement is strong the entire way through scripture. Jesus himself said, “Wherever two of you agree in my name whatever you ask it will be done.”
Simple as that, and as difficult as that.
It’s why I am always gauging the extent to which someone is willing to work with me.
And when I travel and minister in villages and towns to pastors, leadership teams, and congregations, the thing I am always watching for is this ability to agree in the spirit.
Not because I need people to agree with me, but because agreement marks how much work can be done in a place.
In the spring of 2012 I was in Uganda visiting many churches. Each church carried a different focus and expression of God, and each church had its own challenges.
Partway through the trip I was at a church up on a hill overlooking lake Victoria. It was a beautiful location with soft breezes blowing.
The church was primarily children (this was the same in a number of other churches as well – 49% of Ugandans are under the age of 15), with a small smattering of adults.
I was sitting in my usual place at the head of the room, surrounded by about ten other visiting leaders. One of the gentleman I was with suggested that we pray for the sick that afternoon, for we had just the day prior to this one been at a church where various illness’ were healed.
I took the suggestion before the Lord, waiting on the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. But what came to me, what slowly dawned during the morning and the worship, was that something was very wrong in that church.
The worship seemed evil, even though it was the same words and songs as many other places I had been. The children were ‘stupefied’, nearly asleep as I told them a story that morning. I couldn’t get it out of my mind that something was really wrong here.
When we broke for lunch I stepped aside for a bit to inquire of the Lord, to sort out the conflicting messages I was receiving, and to settle on what I was going to do that afternoon.
I really don’t enjoy bringing hard words. And when I am a visiting guest I really don’t like this part of my job. But I knew that we had no freedom for praying healing, for there was, from what I could tell, hidden sin in that church.
The afternoon session began and I, with my translator at my side, simply shared what I was sensing.
“We had been thinking to maybe pray healing this afternoon, but I don’t think we can do that today. Now I am new here, and what I am sensing could be completely wrong, you tell me (as I took in the leadership behind me, asking their input) but it seems that there is hidden sin here.”
A few of the key leaders shook their heads ‘yes’.
I went on to explain the dangers of deception over our hearts and in our journey with the Lord. Much as in a one-on-one prayer ministry session I’ll give some context about what seems to be at hand, always seeking to see if we can enter into agreement.
The people, listening to me, had gone quiet. No one was responding, and I couldn’t quite tell if they were ready to follow my discernment, to enter into confession, and to find healing and freedom.
But, like with any group, we ask for agreement through a physical action. Sometimes we stand, sometimes we kneel, sometimes we raise a hand. It is a simple way for people to say, “Yes what you are saying I agree to and enter into.”
That day, no one was moving. So I just led the way. I explained that for anyone who wanted to join me in prayer confessing this hidden sin, bringing it to the cross, could kneel along with me and my translator.
And because of the severity of the matter, I requested from the leadership at the front of the church that they join the congregation rather than staying at the front. I said, “This is not about leaders and followers today, this is about us all doing business before the Lord.”
There was still no movement from anyone, so I simply turned my back to the congregation and went down on my knees with my eyes closed. My translator did the same.
I couldn’t see what was happening, and I was already beginning to pray, but I heard the whoosh of many people moving and kneeling.
I’m not sure how long I prayed, maybe five minutes at the most. Leading by example and in modelling the process of confession, repentance, renouncing, breaking, cancelling, receiving and sealing that I use with every process of deliverance.
Nearing the end of my prayer I stood and turned back to the crowd and opened my eyes, and every single person, every child, every leader was on their knees. The people had come from the back, the leaders had come from the front.
This agreement allowed a great work of the Lord that day for those people. There was tangible deliverance and new freedoms given in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Agreement determines the amount of work that can be done in any one life, in any one place.
So I am always gauging levels of agreement. For those unable or unwilling to enter into and receive how the Lord works through me, little happens.
For those who enter into agreement, we just keep doing business and getting stuff right with the Lord. This is the work of inner healing and deliverance.
It began with the love of the Father, was established by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, is empowered by the Holy Spirit and is carried on as we agree.
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:19
