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My Dear Friend,

I have two simple questions for you: First, do you have spiritual treading power? Second, are you using it? These prompt two more questions.

First, how can we use spiritual power if we don’t have it? Second, what good is having it if we don’t use it? Now let me explain my thoughts.

In Psalm 91:13, God promises the closely abiding believer, “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder (“cobras,” NLT); the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet.” Here lions and snakes represent demonic personalities fighting against us as we share God’s Word, do His will, and build His kingdom. God reveals that we, not He, will “tread” or “trample” these demonic personalities. And there’s more.

In Luke 10:19, Jesus promised committed disciples, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions.” And to be sure we understood, He added, “and over all the power of the enemy.” Again, serpents and scorpions represent demonic forces (fallen angels; see Rev. 9:3, 5). And, again, Jesus reveals that we, not He, will “tread” on these demonic personalities. Thus, they will be under our feet, to demonstrate that we have a complete victory and sustained authority over them. But He had even more to say on this subject.

In Mark 11:23 and Matthew 17:20, Jesus promised we could move “mountains” with as little as a “mustard seed” of genuine faith - if we didn’t doubt! “Verily (truly) I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatever he saith” (Mark 11:23). Again, Jesus clearly taught that we, not He, must “say” to the “mountain.”

Here “mountain” represents, not a physical hill, or kingdom, but an imposing obstacle to God’s will, any seemingly immovable hindrance that blocks our way in carrying out His plan. Sometimes “mountains” are mere unfavorable people and circumstances which, with prayer and faith, will soon move aside so we can fulfill God’s will.

At other times, however, they don’t move easily. Or quickly. Rather, they grow larger, stronger, more unreasonable, and more impassable. Why? These blockages are inspired and sustained by demons - the “adders,” “serpents,” and “scorpions” mentioned above. And almost always, the more important the kingdom purpose, the more fierce the demonic resistance. So, what do we do? Three options are available.

First, we may just tire and quit. Steadfastly resisting stubborn demons is not child’s play and it is easy to become discouraged when we see no visible results to prayer after many days. Or months. Or years. But in matters of God’s will, overcomers don’t quit.

Second, we may decide to simply persist in prayer only because that’s all we know to do. We’ve been taught about the prayer of faith, but not the command of faith. Many godly believers fall into this snare, not realizing they already have treading power.

Third, we may remember Jesus' teaching on this subject and decide to use our “treading power.” While diligently continuing praying, we will now add “saying” to our spiritual arsenal. We will ask our Father’s help, but also command Satan’s agents to stand down. Not in our name, but in Jesus' name - or, as the biblically authorized, Spirit-empowered, duly appointed, earthly agents of our heavenly Lord.

Some may say, “You’re out of your place to do this. Only Christ commands demons!” But the text above shows that, even before Pentecost, Christ fully authorized His disciples with treading power and both the twelve and the seventy used it successfully: “Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy name” (Luke 10:17).

This continued after Pentecost. Philip, the evangelist, for instance, trod upon demons in Samaria (Acts 8:7). But one example stands out from the rest.

In Philippi, Paul was busily founding and nursing a fledgling church when an unconverted, demonic fortune teller tried to identify publicly with the gospel he preached (Acts 16:16-18). Satan hoped this would confuse the locals so they would believe Christianity and fortune telling were compatible. Paul no doubt prayed about her. But she persisted, not a few but “many days.” Finally, Paul had had enough. It was treading time.

“Grieved, [Paul] turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her” (Acts 16:18). The result? The “mountain” moved! “And he came out the same hour” (16:18). Now, the way was opened for God’s will in Philippi - and a powerful church formed there.

“Yes, but that was Paul, not me!” you may think. Yet wasn’t Paul made of the same dust, sin nature, and human frailties as you and I? He succeeded, not because he was a unique human being but because he (1) took Jesus at His Word, (2) chose to use the treading power Jesus authorized, and (3) prepared himself to use it. How?

He was spiritually minded (Romans 8:6); he realized his enemy was an invisible demon, not the person visibly resisting him. He walked in holiness; in the fear of God, Paul did not let sin rest in his heart or life. He walked under God’s protective covering; Paul put on the same spiritual armor he taught us to “put on” daily (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Paul fed his faith with God’s Word; he realized weak faith, or any persisting doubt, renders treading power inoperable. He sought Jesus' presence, knowing He was the only Source of spiritual power: every day he drew near and dwelt in the secret place of prayer and worship at Jesus' feet.

He prayed “in the Spirit” always, as he instructed us (Ephesians 6:18); he knew if he prayed in the Spirit, the Spirit’s superior holy power would back his commands and overrule any demonic spirit. And Paul persisted; he kept on commanding the demons until they left. Until the mountain moved. Until God’s way opened before him.

Thus, Paul was determined; he set his heart with conviction, “I will not lose this battle! I will not yield this captive person or hindering situation to the enemy! I will not concede defeat when victory is still within my reach!” Thus, Paul’s treading power became triumphing power. A power that delighted Christ. A power that delights us. A power that challenges us. A power we should believe in and use.

Are you discouraged? Weary? Ready to give up? Feel the demons have been treading you down? Why let them win when Jesus put victory in your hands? He gave you “power to tread” on your invisible, spiritual enemies - and take the evil wind out of the sails of your visible, human enemies. And see all kinds of mountains move!

For example, you will see children freed; addicts loosed; rebels subdued; callous parents caring for their children again; closed doors fling open; bitter resentment turned into sweet kindness; hardened atheism transformed into soft-hearted, childlike faith; heretics returned to sound orthodoxy; unreasonable opponents become fast friends; unfaithful Christians becoming faithful again; evil race and gender theories lose their influence; and many more! Why?

You got your fighting spirit back again and decided to use the treading power Jesus died to put into your hands.

Treading…