Let’s look at Nadab and Abihu’s sin. They were God’s servants. They had the right censor and the right incense and were in the Lord’s sanctuary, but the fire was strange. It was an abomination before God and the entire congregation felt the impact. They were using fire of the flesh instead of the fire of the Lord and it turned on their soul. The Scripture says, “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.” “And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.” (Leviticus 1-2,6)

The human spirit is a powerful force in every life and to everyone with which we have close communion. A gossiping spirit will spread like wildfire. A person that becomes bitter in his spirit will create bitterness in many others. Roots of bitterness are identified in the Holy Scripture as the source of defilement to large numbers of souls. Unclean parents with unclean spirits raise unclean children. No one can lose his children to the world and Satan but you, their parents.

When you set yourself to prayer, the human spirit becomes an intimate force of your prayer experience. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” (Romans 8:16) There is no communication with God without the spirit of man in him having fellowship by the Holy Ghost with God. Be careful not to ever pray without being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and without a pure spirit that is broken before your Heavenly Father. If you have unforgiveness in your spirit, and that to the worst possible enemy, even to whom you have done no harm, you are wasting your time praying. Listen to the Word. “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” (Luke 6:27-28) He adds to this great truth a promise, “...and ye shall be the children of the Highest...” (Luke 6:35)

Apostle Paul dealt with prayer and the possibility of it becoming a human weapon against others. Listen carefully: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:3-5) Praying after the flesh with anger, hatred, unforgiveness, etc. is the turning of the spiritual life into a carnal warfare. True prayer flowing from a perfect heart is the opposite. It is casting down of imaginations (human designs or human control directed over others) and bringing every thought unto the “obedience of Christ.” We must learn that prayer moves God and God moves men. Any prayer that is directed at an individual for good or bad is a form of religious voodoo.

The church family must identify their battles and learn how to bind the enemy when he arises in our midst. Someone the church perceives as spiritual will often instigate the false prayer because they have been wounded. When the enemy uses a deeply religious person, it usually creates the worst possible situation. First, learn that spiritual battles cannot be won in the flesh. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) The last words in that Scripture were “spiritual wickedness in high places.” I remember many years ago when a minister that was preaching for me became violently angry and set himself to destroy me. It was only when the Spirit revealed to me this man’s spiritual attack by using prayer as a weapon that his effort was stopped cold in its track. Every time that prayer becomes a weapon, it is only defeated by the pure authority of prayer that is offered by a godly saint or saints. Many churches and saints have been destroyed because no one knew the victory that is ours the moment the saints take hold of God and bind the evil spirits. It can be a battle royal of fasting and prayer, but it will break unless you break first. Be tender, stay humble, be pure by His blood and remember, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19) Jesus said it and hell cannot change it!

Joseph R. Chambers