Bible Questions Answered:
Because of Christ's words of Matthew 18, do we not have the power to bind the very powers of darkness?
Bible Answer:
Matthew 18:15-19 KJV
15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:15-19 NLT
15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.
16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, My Father in heaven will do it for you.
20 For where two or three gather together as My followers, I am there among them.”
Jesus was here speaking concerning, correcting a fellow believer, not the binding of evil spirits.
But the principle holds, as long as we understand what Jesus was saying.
First of all Jesus is saying this to “all” His disciples, what he had mentioned before to Peter in...
Matthew 16:19 KJV
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.
Bind-Greek-Deo (Deh-o): To bind, be in bonds, knit, tie, wind.
Bound-Greek-Same as above.
Loose-Luo (Loo-o): To loosen, break up, destroy, dissolve, loose, put off.
What binding and what loosing is He referring to?
Whether it be, forgiveness of sins, restoring a brother or dealing with evil spirits, all must be done within the parameter of the “Word of God.”
When our Lord spoke to His disciples concerning binding and loosing, it was in the ministration of giving out and using His “Word.”
John 14:23,24 KJV
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth Me not keepeth not My sayings: and the word which ye hear is not Mine, but the Father's which sent Me.
Psalm 119:89 KJV
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Man may not arbitrarily of his on volition bind or loose anything that God has not seen fit to have already bound or loosed.
A servant of the Lord, speaks forgiveness of sins, restoring a brother, binding or loosing through the word of God! The word of God is powerful!
Hebrews 4:12 KJV
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
When the tempter came to Christ, His answer to him was...
Matthew 4:4 KJV
But He answered and said, It is written...
And what does the word of the Lord tell us?
John 14:12-14 KJV
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.
Psalm 44:5 KJV
Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.
Isaiah 42:7 KJV
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
Isaiah 58:6 KJV
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Isaiah 61:1 KJV (Luke 4:18 Prophecy concerning Christ.)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Luke 10:19 KJV
Behold, I give unto you power...over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
II Corinthians 3:17 KJV
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
John 13:15 KJV
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Matthew 18:18 KJV
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Repentant brothers, are to be loosed, that is restored, while those who Satan hath bound are to be set at free, and those who go on in their sins, without repentance are to be bound according to the word.
