Walking in the Realm of Authority

A prophetic dream about Ivanka Trump.

A couple nights ago, I had an unusual dream in which I seemed to play dual roles. It was as though I was Ivanka Trump. I saw myself walking closely by my father, being drawn into his confidence and a part of his decision making process concerning significant high level security matters.

In many ways, Ivanka is a picture of the bride of Christ. She has been groomed for many years in preparation for this particular time in her life. Although she may have not understood that one day she would walk alongside her father in the White House and be involved in certain aspects of helping to make weighty decisions concerning the future of our nation, everything in her life has been to prepare her for what she is doing now. Her name, by the way, means "God is gracious."

In a similar fashion, we, as the bride of Christ, learn to listen to our Father, to learn of God’s ways, and to walk closely with Him. He, in turn, allows us to be intricately involved in the matters concerning the citizens of the earth. The bride of Christ is entrusted with a great deal of authority and high-level security clearance, to not only hear what the Spirit is saying, but also to make important decisions that will affect millions of people world-wide. Ivanka, like the bride of Christ, has been given authority to exercise her decision making capabilities necessary for carrying out ‘the family business.’ She began years ago, helping to run her father’s company. Now, for such a time as this, she has been prepared to work with him and be about ‘her father’s business.’ This is a prophetic picture that allows us to see ourselves in light of who we are in Christ.

In another aspect of the dream, I also played a role of someone that had the responsibility of choosing wedding rings for Ivanka and her soon to be groom. Now, in the natural we all know that Ivanka is already married, so I knew that God was speaking prophetically about who she is and what she represents. It’s interesting in the fact that she is married to Jared Kushner, yet her identity is more widely known, and I think perhaps always will be known more so as who she is in relationship to her father. Ivanka’s identity is tied into her relationship with her father, just as we receive our true identity from our heavenly father.

I picked out an elegant yet simply set of rings. When I presented the ring boxes to Ivanka, her ring had golden initials carved into it, and I instantly recognized it as some sort of a signet ring. That was the end of the dream.

Signet rings have been used for thousands of years. They have played an important role in business and politics, as well as meaningful family matters. They were created for the purpose of acting as a signature or seal of authenticity. Historically, a gentleman wore a signet ring that had some unique identifying mark, such as his initials or the family crest, that identified the person wearing it. When dipped in hot wax, the signet ring would be applied to important documents as a seal of authenticity. In Medieval times, signet rings became a sign of nobility, class and wealth. They were was used to sign and seal important papers and formal documents. The King’s signet ring became the most prized in all the world.

I believe the dream represents God’s affirmation of His transfer of authority. He wants His children to walk confidently, knowing that as we walk closely with Him, we are no longer slaves, but heirs to the kingdom. 

"Now you are no longer slaves, but God's own child. And since you are His child, God has made you His heir." (Galatians 4:7)

We must be about our Father’s business, and He has empowered us to execute justice and judgments that will bring the authority of God's kingdom into the earth. 

In Genesis 41:42, Pharaoh took off his signet ring and gave it to Joseph. This indicated a transfer of authority. Pharaoh empowered Joseph to be in charge and carry out his God-given assignment. Joseph was promoted to the highest office in the land, second only to Pharaoh. Joseph was given a great deal of authority that enabled him to save many lives and provide for others during a lengthy famine. Although Joseph went through a long period of preparation and testing, the day finally arrived where he was taken out of a place of obscurity and confinement, to a place where he was catapulted into a position of prominence. The very quality that others lacked was what was needed in a time of national crisis. God placed His wisdom and ability to interpret dreams in a man that others, including his own family, rejected. The wisdom of God would become the most sought after commodity by the world’s most important person at that time (Pharaoh).

Another illustration that seems to be more fitting with the context of the dream is when King Ahasuerus gave his signet ring to Queen Esther and advised her to write a new decree, protecting the Jews from an evil plot conspired for their imminent destruction.

"For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?" So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and him they have hanged on the gallows because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews. "Now you write to the Jews as you see fit, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's signet ring may not be revoked." (Esther 8:7,8 NASB)

The king’s signet ring carried such authority that whatever received the royal stamp of his approval became ‘law.’ It could not be reversed or broken except by writing a new decree. The enemy, Haman, had tricked the king into passing a law that was very destructive in nature towards a certain class of people – the Jews. What Haman didn’t know at the time is that the King’s wife had been secretly hiding her identity as a Jew! When Esther revealed her secret to the king and exposed the plot orchestrated by Haman, the king was outraged. King Ahaseurus was delighted to accommodate Esther’s request to help her people, but he surprised her by telling her that he was giving her the authority to act, on her own. Whatever decree she wrote would essentially be signed and approved in his name. As the king’s royal bride, Esther shared as an equal partner in His authority. She was empowered to change unjust laws, and there was no one in the kingdom that could nullify the decree that she wrote. It carried the word of the king and the weight of his authority. No one could break the power of the law written in his name.

This is the message God wants us to understand. Like Esther, we have been empowered to act. Our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, has transferred His authority to us, the church. There are many unjust laws that have been written under the cloak of deception, intended by the enemy to bring people into captivity. Some have been written in order to remove certain civil liberties. Others have an assignment of death attached to them. These things should cause a response of righteous indignation in us and compel us to take action! God is raising up a new generation of Esthers. A new generation of Josephs. A new generation of people who are coming into their God ordained authority, position and influence for such a time as this. In the natural, it may seem like some of the battles we face seem impossible. Who ever thought that trying to overturn government laws would be something God called them to do? Contending with the government appears to be an impossible task, yet God’s word tells us,

“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to them that believe.” (Mark 9:23)

“Therefore I say to you, what things so ever you desire, when you pray, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

God’s word has spiritual laws encoded into the scriptures. God’s word, His law, is more powerful than earthly laws. He is more powerful than mere men that pass ungodly laws. God’s word trumps everything man has done! He is reminding each of us today that He loves us and trusts us to do what is called for in this hour – to write a new decree – and it will carry the weight of His authority. He has given us His signet ring. We have His stamp of approval. We are empowered to act, to change the laws of the land by declaring the laws encoded in His scripture. Rise up, man of God! Rise up, woman of God! Write a new decree! Overturn injustice. Rewrite the future of your people. Rewrite the outcome of the story for the citizens of this earth. The King has given you His authority to release change in the earth!

How to Write an Effective Prayer Declaration

The first thing one needs to understand about writing a decree is the importance of truly understanding the Father’s heart. God’s heart is full of longsuffering and lovingkindness, but it is balanced with judgment against the works of darkness and evil. Justice cannot exist unless judgment is executed against acts of injustice, treachery and oppression. Jesus came to set the captives free! His mercy and perfect loving nature insures that He is the final determining factor in how His word is fulfilled. It is our responsibility to declare His will in the earth. It’s not enough to declare His word without passion. We must speak in such a way that it reflects His heart and the qualities of His character towards others.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not the one who is wise and skillful boast in his insight; let not the one who is mighty and powerful boast in his strength; let not the one who is rich boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] abundance; but let the one who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me [and acknowledges Me and honors Me as God and recognizes without any doubt], that I am the Lord who practices lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for in these things I delight,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23,24 AMP)

A word of caution before I go any further: Intent is everything when it comes to prayer. Every person must be able to assess the motive behind their own words. There are many intercessors that bring their own personal judgments into their prayers and they pray out of a soulish level. This is very dangerous. The spirit realm knows and understands when a person is operating out of a soulish level and their words are energized by negative emotions such as offense, anger, a desire for judgment, vengeance or an unloving spirit. It is very important for the individual to realize if their heart is in need of healing because it’s very possible to release a spirit of witchcraft. The very basis of witchcraft is that a person’s will and emotion are the driving force behind their words. They speak with the intent to will certain things to come to pass. They may or may not realize they are doing it, but they are trying to force their will to come to pass, rather than yielding to Holy Spirit and praying His will into a situation. Operating in a spirit of witchcraft opens the door for witchcraft attacks to boomerang back into the life of the one that sends out those words. It is also important to take precautions such as deep cleansing prayer prior to engaging in spiritual warfare. Many, many people go into spiritual warfare ill prepared. They have unbroken generational curses or other open doors that the enemy will use to exploit an area of weakness or a spiritual blind spot. It is wisdom to make sure that one doesn’t engage the enemy when they could have open doors that grant him access to their lives. These type of precautions limits the enemy’s ability to retaliate and protect those that are attempting to enforce kingdom laws.

Decrees are written to execute judgment against the works of evil, release people from bondage, overturn injustice, tear down ungodly authority structures, tear up faulty foundations and evict the enemy. Decrees also help plant new ministries, lay the correct foundation, re-align, restructure, revive and restore. They bring forth justice for the oppressed, route the enemy, establish boundaries, and open the heavens so that kingdom plans and purposes can move forward. They make room for the ground troops to advance. Decrees propel and establish kingdom authority.

The first thing I do when writing a new decree is to consider what sort of hindrances need to be dealt with. Identify and address particular obstacles, then I sit down and pray, asking Holy Spirit to help guide me as I write. Effectively enforcing the law of God means that we need to be confident in knowing His will for the situation. His will always reflects a balance of justice with mercy.

A decree or prayer declaration serves several purposes. The first is to state a problematic situation that recognizes the current condition requires necessary action to remedy it. The second is to serve as an indictment that brings lawful charges against the enemy, and the third is to declare what the law states.

Scripture is used to support and declare God’s word (the law) that we choose to enforce. I often use the internet to search a key phrase or a thought to bring up a variety of scriptures that will be useful. I also look for various translations that reflect the heart and intent of what I feel needs to be incorporated into the decree. When I first started writing decrees, it took a bit longer to figure out what I wanted them to say, but with practice anyone can write them like a pro. You can too!

What situation do you have in your life or in the life of a family member that needs to be reversed? What injustice needs to overturned? What enemy needs to be captured and hauled into court? Write a new decree. Don’t allow the enemy’s plots and schemes to stand unchallenged. Decrees engrave the words of God into the situation in the Spirit. Declare His will over your life, family, and your future. Write a new decree over your city, your state and your nation. Overturn injustice! Overthrow corruption! Route the enemy and force him to go where he can be captured and contained. Enforce justice and righteousness by declaring what God has said in His word! The Spirit of the living God resides within you to create, enforce, and establish God’s will on earth. We are not victims, we are victorious!

Declaring God’s law is to remind Him (and the court of heaven) that action is necessary in order to correct the situation. Therefore, we are calling upon the One who gave us His law and asking that He help us enforce it in the earthly realm. The enemy is a legalist, a thief, the fraudulent witness, the prosecuting attorney (the accuser of the brethren) and a murderer. He is well acquainted with the court of heaven, and he knows how to work the system. He looks for loopholes. It’s our job, through our prayers and declarations, to sew up every little area where the enemy might try to wiggle through. It pays to be thorough. We cannot afford to pray haphazardly, throwing out prayers like buckshot, hoping to hit something. We need strategic, well aimed prayers that hit the target every time. Decrees are like a sniper rifle that finds its mark. They are lethal!  

The Power of the Decree

Scripture tells us that our true identity lies in the knowledge that we are children of God, and as sons and daughters of the Most High God, we also attain the status of an heir.

‘Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.’ (Galatians 4:6,7 NIV)

But, that’s not all… We are also royalty. The word of God tells us so.

‘And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Rev. 1:6 KJV)

‘You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."’ (Revelation 5:10 NIV)

Only a person that has been granted authority has the power to reign and establish the dominion of the king. When we become ‘born again’ into the kingdom of God, we inherit the birthright of an heir to all the kingdom. This knowledge is vital to our understanding who we are in Christ so that we can then live in that reality. Every born again believer wears a crown in the Spirit. The privilege of leadership and authority is granted without us even having to request it.

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Luke 10:19 NIV)

Snakes and scorpions are references to all manner of evil. Jesus empowered us to take authority over the works of darkness. It is our responsibility to overturn the works of the enemy. We are empowered with the right to rule and enforce the laws of the Kingdom of God. It is, after all, our homeland. We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom and everything in it belongs to us! That is why we, God’s people, are referred to as an extension of His authority. We become that royal scepter of authority in our Father’s hand, as we legislate the laws of our kingdom, enforcing them ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’ We rule in the midst of our enemies.

"You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." (Isaiah 62:3 NIV)

"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom." (Psalm 45:6 NIV)

"The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, "Rule in the midst of your enemies!" (Psalm 110:2 NIV)

Kings rule by decree. Whether the words are spoken out of their mouth or written in the form of a decree (and then proclaimed to others), the words of a royal ruler are received as law.

There is something we will all benefit from if we commit this to memory: The enemy may not want to obey us, however, there is one thing that Satan must always obey and that is the word of God. When Jesus fought Satan in the wilderness He always responded with “It is written…” and then He would quote scripture. Satan had no choice but to do what Jesus commanded.

Jesus is the living word of God. As the word of God, He is the final authority. Spiritual laws are encoded into every letter of scripture. That is why it is written,

“My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do." (Isaiah 55:11 God’s Word Translation).

When we return God’s word to Him, angels are released to carry out the fulfillment of the scripture.

“Praise the LORD, you angels of his, you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees and obey his orders!” (Psalm 103:20 NET Bible).

Other translations of this scripture declare that angels both listen for His word and are responsible for executing scripture according to the way He intends the word to be fulfilled. If we want our prayers and declarations to be successful, it is vitally important to utilize the word of God. Sounds waves send out a ripple effect into the atmosphere and the spiritual realm. Those sound waves do not diminish, but remain in the environment where they are sent out. The power of our words create boundaries and barricades against enemy activity.

Decrees are like stealth bombers dropping air strikes over enemy territory. Stealth aircraft are specifically designed to carry out assignments in secrecy and be able to go through impenetrable enemy defenses. They are designed to travel extremely fast in order to be able to intercept the enemy and catch them by surprise. Stealth bombers have an incredible ability to carry out long range strikes and remain virtually undetectable by radar. Decrees function in the same way and create breakthrough in both the spiritual and earthly realms. The enemy literally has no ability to anticipate the decrees that will be spoken and thus has no capacity to formulate a plan for a counter attack. He doesn’t know what will be spoken or where they are going to hit. Decrees send the enemy into fear and confusion. The more God’s people incorporate the proper use of scripture into their prayers and declarations, the more power they release to interrupt evil plans and destroy the works of darkness. Do you want power released when you pray? Decree God’s word.

"You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.” (Job 22:28 NASB).

You are the extension of God’s authority. Rule in the midst of your enemies!