Dick Leggatt, President of Derek Prince Ministries – USA and this comprises his September 9, 2016 Newsletter. Click here to receive the Derek Prince Ministries emailed E-devotional.

 

Are you worried about your personal safety? Do you fear that you or your family members will be hurt in some way? Even more, as a believer in Jesus Christ, is there a nagging fear that the devil may be out to get you? A constant dread that right around the corner, the enemy is laying a trap to bring harm or injury to you?

These are understandable concerns for us. It only takes a quick glance at the headlines in any newspaper to realize that the world around us is a hostile place. Added to this fact of life is the spiritual side. Jesus warned that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy — and that sometimes makes believers feel like we have a special target on our backs.

On the positive side, Jesus also gave us some great and precious promises which run counter to the threat of potential violence or harm. One of those wonderful promises — “Nothing will harm you” — is the topic of this month’s letter.

A Forthcoming Book

Just recently, I finished the final editing work on a forthcoming book by Derek Prince which will be available in autumn, 2017. The working title will be “How to Overcome Evil” and its theme is the spiritual warfare Christians will engage in at the close of the age. (You may be wondering how DPM is able to continue producing new books by Derek. These new works are drawn from the rich archives of teaching material available to us — carefully compiled for the topic selected, then painstakingly prepared and edited by our present staff. Once we have completed our preparation of the manuscript, the book is either published directly by DPM or sent to one of the publishers handling Derek’s books.)

As the last step in the editorial process before the manuscript is sent to the publisher, I have the unique privilege of finalizing the remarkable teaching of my friend and mentor, Derek Prince. My greatest hope is that many will benefit from our work. Actually, those of us who prepare it feel like we benefit far more than anyone else. We get to learn while we work.

An Amazing Promise

Every time I edit one of Derek’s manuscripts, I learn something new. Some aspect of biblical truth — often one I had been aware of which needed to be refreshed in my understanding — will come to light . This time, the truth that stuck with me was the promise Jesus stated in Luke 10:19: “Nothing will harm you” — the theme of this letter.

This amazing response was given to the disciples of Jesus after they returned from a time of ministry. They were marveling to Jesus at the fact that “even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” The LORD’s initial reply was profound and somewhat mysterious: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”

Then came some phenomenal statements: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

As with all of Jesus’ promises, though given to the disciples of His time, they are equally applicable to us as His disciples in the present day. So, are you ready to proclaim them on behalf of yourself and your family? Let’s personalize them right now: “We have the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt us or harm us.” It will take some determination and faith to walk this out, won’t it?

Avoiding Presumption

Does this mean we ought to test it out by finding the nearest nest of rattlesnakes, and stomping on it? Of course not. Rather, it means that for active believers in Jesus Christ, as we embrace opportunities to follow His leading to minister for Him, we can trust the LORD to protect us and our families — no matter where we go or what we face.

A good example is the Apostle Paul when he was shipwrecked on Malta on his journey to Rome. He was helping his shipmates build a warming fire. “But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand,” (Acts 28:3). Instead of swelling up and keeling over dead because of the snake’s venom, Paul remained healthy. No presumption there — just pure protection.

This promise of protection is not an invitation for us to start carelessly running red lights or to take up skydiving. (I recently saw a tee-shirt that said: “If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving may not be for you.”) Rather, it is an assurance that as we follow Jesus in faith, ministering in His name, engaging in spiritual battles we encounter, we can trust His promise to us: “Nothing will harm you.”

Added Insight

At this point, I thought it might be good to give you a little preview from the forthcoming book I mentioned. Here is a sample of what Derek said about the promise Jesus has given to all of us who are called to work, serve and battle in His name.

“Once we have been delivered from this dominion of darkness, and once we’ve become citizens of the Kingdom of God, then God sends us forth as His representatives — as His army — to administer the victory of Jesus over Satan. Jesus won the victory, but God leaves it to us, through faith, to understand the victory that Jesus has won and then to administer it, to exercise authority over Satan. We have been translated, delivered from the dominion of darkness. We’re in the Kingdom of God. We have the authority of God’s Kingdom vested in us.

Listen to something that happened while Jesus was still on earth in His earthly ministry and then we’ll see the application. In Luke, chapter 10, we read the account of the seventy returning with their reports of success.

Then, we see the reply of Jesus: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” I understand this as perhaps the first time on a major scale that the victory of Jesus was administered by His followers. It was like Satan falling from heaven like lightning.

Then Jesus goes on to say something of vital importance: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (NIV).

Grasp those words. When we become the representatives of God’s Kingdom, God, through Jesus, gives us authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, the representatives of Satan’s evil kingdom, and to overcome all the power of the enemy. Notice, we have total authority. The total victory of Jesus and the total authority of Jesus is now vested in us as His followers, His disciples, and the representatives of His kingdom.

Then, lest we should be afraid — and I’m sure fear could often enter our hearts as we view this conflict — Jesus closes with those words, “Nothing will harm you.”

Now, that was not just said for the benefit of those disciples. It is a pattern for each subsequent generation of believers. We go forth in the name of Jesus to administer Jesus’ victory and Jesus’ authority over all the representatives of Satan’s kingdom.”

Steady Resolve

I don’t know about you, but I struggle to hang on tightly to this promise for myself and my family. I guess the trouble and loss I have seen in the lives of fellow Christians might cause me to waver. But I don’t want to waver.

Everything within me wants to shout out Jesus’ promise — not in some naïve outburst of emotion, but with steady resolve to walk courageously in it as I serve the LORD in these hostile days.

Would you join me in a prayer and proclamation to that end?

LORD Jesus, I hear and receive the promise You made to Your disciples — that You have given us the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt us.

I take You at Your word when You say “by any means.” Your promise of protection is both definitive and comprehensive, ruling out every avenue of attack the enemy would use to hurt me or my family as we serve You. I gladly receive that promise from You.

To be honest, LORD, I feel like the person who said to You, “LORD, I believe. Help my unbelief.” Strengthen me, Jesus, to stand in this promise. Help me to apply it in my life, reinforcing my faith in what You have said with regular proclamations from Your Word. Truths like Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon formed against me shall prosper…. this is my heritage as a servant of the LORD.” Truths like Psalm 91:10: “No evil shall befall me, nor shall any plague come near my dwelling.”

This day, I declare my trust in the promise of Your protection, LORD Jesus. I make my proclamation in faith: “Nothing shall by any means hurt me.” Amen.

A New Era

Thank you for standing with me in the proclamation we have just made together. In many ways, I believe what we have declared signals a new season in our lives. It represents a dimension of real-life protection that will be a necessity for us in these modern times.

The LORD has called us to serve Him in challenging days — an era which may actually usher in the end of the age. We know from reading the Word of God that these will be perilous times — literally, “harsh, fierce, savage” times. We will need all the courage and protection the LORD can give us in these days of intensified spiritual warfare.

You may, like me, need increased faith and added encouragement from brothers and sisters in the LORD to stand in Jesus’ promise: “Nothing will harm you.” That’s why we are so grateful to be connected with you through the work of Derek Prince Ministries. It is our great joy to help you in any way we can, and that includes the rock-solid teaching materials we provide. Please make sure to download the audio message from which Derek’s quote was taken: “How to Overcome Evil, Part 1.” Just use this link.

Walking Together

Through our friendship and partnership in the work of the LORD, you and I will move forward together into the victory He has provided for us. We want to encourage you in any way we can. You have certainly encouraged all of us here at DPM through your faithful prayers and financial support. We simply can’t thank you enough for standing with us.

Now, as we obey God’s calling upon our lives in the days ahead, we will stand together in every challenge and every battle. Like the disciples who reported their amazing accomplishments to Jesus, we will see many victories and much success. We will celebrate the impact of the Word and power of God upon the lives of the people we encounter.

As we go forward, let us stand boldly in the commission Jesus has issued to us: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.” But in addition, in the face of intensified spiritual battles, let us also stand confidently in His trustworthy promise of protection: “Nothing will harm you.”

 

All the best,
Dick Leggatt
President, DPM–USA

P.S. We are so grateful to encourage you in these significant days. Thank you again for standing with us through your prayers and contributions. Please allow us to reciprocate by providing Derek’s message: “How to Overcome Evil, Part 1.”

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Materials used by kind permission of Derek Prince Ministries.

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