with regards to the above and your post 75
I also believe that many are taught improperly that believers have authority to bind the devil and therefore have power over him
at one time, I did because I was taught this in a Pentecostal church even though I am not Pentecostal but was attending because my friends invited me along and I went with them for about a year or so
how can we bind a spirit that is called the god of this world and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians)
how can we bind something even an archangel had difficulty with? (Daniel)
there is absolutely no teaching in scripture about binding in the sense some take liberty and declare 'bind the devil'...Jesus never said 'I bind you satan'. He rebuked the devil by His own power, cast out demons (who knew who He was if no one else did) and said 'it is written' people use Matthew 18 as some sort of 'holy writ' giving THEM power when no such thing is occuring
the disciples also cast out demons but did not bind the devil nor did they bind demons. they cast them out.
without going into all the detail (you already have somewhat), a better understanding of what Jesus was saying would be to acknowledge that the authority was coming from heaven and meant that the disciples and believers after them, were actually acting in obedience to the Holy Spirit and not commanding or binding anything of their own accord
Jesus was not giving them power to enact in their own authority and heaven would follow suit. the opposite is actually occurring
so Ephesians 6: 10-18
there has been so much false information regarding how to deal with spiritual warfare ie. oppression etc...that actually resolves nothing IMO and probably confuses many
I am also persuaded that those who believe they are binding something will continue to believe they are binding something without acknowledging that for all their efforts, the devil is still, at this time, the prince of the power of the air
The devil is only the prince of this world and of the power of the air. We who believe, have the KING of this world and the KING of the power of the air, abiding is us.
You people seem to be going further and further from scripture or the truth.
"there is absolutely no teaching in scripture about binding in the sense some take liberty and declare 'bind the devil'...Jesus never said 'I bind you satan'." Your words.
I will answer scripture with scripture.
Mat 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
Mat 12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
Mat 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Mat 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods,
except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Mar 3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
Mar 3:23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
Mar 3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
Mar 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mar 3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
Mar 3:27
No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
Luk 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord,
even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this
rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Is the devil a spirit?
Then the thing is subject to us as well.
As I said before, I say again, we are the initiators of the act, irrespective of the will of God, just like you act on sicknesses by going to a doctor or seeking out medication, irrespective of God's will.
God said bind before you spoil the strong man's house, so anyone who does and teaches otherwise, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, as Jesus said.
Death and life is in the power of the believer's tongue, as it is written.
And Matthew 18:18 is as it is written, whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and so on.
Just as the word says.
That is however, only for those who believe. Not to those who don't, which includes the doubting Christians.