Roar At Your Enemy (A Prayer Workshop)

A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy (Amos 3:8)?

Roaring is an example of a heightened kingdom emotion. Heightened kingdom emotions become channels for the release of the power of the Spirit. Jesus, moved by compassion, healed (Matt. 14:14). The power of the Spirit rode on the deep emotion of compassion. Charles Spurgeon notes that this word "compassion" was a new word form the Gospel writers coined to describe the intensity of the emotion Jesus was feeling (i.e., they changed compassion from a noun to a verb). The Bible tells us to pray and “cry out” to God (Lk. 18:7,8). At one point, Jesus prayed so intensely He sweat drops of blood (Lk. 22:44).

It is time for the Church to embrace the place and role of intense Kingdom emotions birthed by the Spirit, rather than marginalizing emotions as being only soulish. After all, the Kingdom involves joy, peace, faith, gratitude and compassion. There is such a thing as Spirit-born emotions (Ezek. 3:14; Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22; 1 Thess. 5:18).

Kingdom emotions are Spirit-born (not soulish), and flow together with kingdom actions which are directed by the Spirit (not mechanical, religious acts). In such cases, Kingdom emotions are powerful and effective in releasing Kingdom power. 

My friend Tim Madden (pictured at right), a YWAM Crossroads Discipleship Training School leader in Kona, Hawaii shared this story with me in January of 2013. He had suffered with Lyme disease for several years, and the Lord told him in his journaling time that it was okay to get angry at the devil. He was quite surprised because he had grown up in an angry home and had made a point of avoiding anger when raising his children. Anger was not something he felt right about using in everyday life but he decided to take God at His Word and obey.

So Tim went for a drive in his car with his windows rolled up so no one could hear him shout at the devil and the Lyme bacteria that were causing his illness. He did this on several different days over a several week period, and sure enough, the Lyme disease left his body and his health was restored! 

Tim shares, "Though I didn't initially know that God had in mind for me to roar it ended up that I did just that on the top of my lungs and that I was quite surprised by the results."

Sometimes we simply "tolerate" these situations rather than getting passionate and intense about the fact that they will no longer be allowed in our lives because they are contrary to the Word of God! Instead, let's obey God's command to roar at our enemies until they have fled in terror.

Begin by asking God to identify an issue in your life that is contrary to His Word. Then go ahead and join with the Lion of Judah, seeing the two of you roaring in unison at this enemy and scaring the wits out of it until it flees and the situation in your life comes into full alignment with the Word of God.

When God roars the enemy is destroyed

• The LORD roars from Zion... and the heavens and the earth tremble (Joel 3:16).
• The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies (Isa. 42:13).
• The LORD roars from Zion... and the heavens and the earth tremble (Joel 3:16).
• The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil (1 Jn. 3:8).
• The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force (Matt. 11:12).
• The righteous are bold as a lion (Prov. 28:1).

Roaring is a part of meditation. We are commanded to meditate (Josh. 1:8).

The word hâgâh (pronounced haw-gaw', number H1897 in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance) occurs 24 times in the King James Version of the Bible and is translated six of these times as "meditate." However, in Isaiah 31:4, the King James Bible translates this word as "roaring". 

For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey...

So part of meditating on and appropriating the promises of Scripture in our lives involves roaring. Wow! Let's explore what this looks like so we can begin doing it.

We start with a situation that has set itself up against the rule and reign of God in our lives. In Isaiah 31:3, the Egyptians looked to the strength of their army as their god. So the true God was going to come and roar at this army, this false "reality" set up by satan, and fight against it and destroy it (Isa. 31:5).

That is exactly what the Lord wants us to do over the ungodly situations in our lives. These ungodly situations could be a lingering sickness, infirmity, sin, fear, doubt, unbelief, anger, poverty, disunity, etc. Anything in your life that is contrary to the word of God is an enemy which the Lord of Hosts wants to come down and destroy. 

So shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.  As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. (Isa. 31:4,5)

As you battle against this problem in your life, why not get really involved and roar at it? Yes, I really mean ROAR at it. Get emotionally passionate! Get loud! Get intense! Get involved! Even get angry! And since it is the Lord of Hosts joining with you in doing the battle, you might just as well see this with the eyes of your heart. It is Almighty God standing there with you roaring at this problem, and commanding it to be gone NOW!!! See Jesus standing there with you, as the Lion of Judah, and roaring with you at the problem, commanding it to be gone now!

Prophetic gestures release kingdom power and miracles

Prophetic Gesture – Action you take, in faith and obedience to God’s instruction, which releases a miracle. 

Elisha told King Joash: “You must strike the Syrians till you have destroyed them." Then he said, "Take the arrows"; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground"; so he struck three times, and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times." (2 Kgs. 13:18-19 NKJV).

More examples of prophetic gestures which released miracles: Blood over doorposts (Ex. 12:22), Naaman washed in the Jordan seven times (2 Kings 5:9); Lepers, going to show themselves to the priest, are healed while on the way (Lk. 17:14).

Seeing the miracle already completed engenders faith for a miracle

Gazing upon images of God’s promises as already fulfilled produces Spirit-born emotions that unleash healing power – body, soul and spirit.                         

An example: And He (God) took him (Abram) outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. (Gen. 15:5-6)

Decree God’s purposes and things happen

• You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you (Job 22:28).
• "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you (Mk. 11:24).
• Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute on them the judgment written; this is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the LORD (Ps. 149:6-9)!

Let the Holy Spirit lead!!

We walk and live by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25), so we always stay tuned to His flowing thoughts and pictures within (Jn. 7:37-39). No aspect of Christianity is supposed to be simply a mechanical, outward activity. ALL is to flow from the Spirit within. Jesus did nothing on His own initiative, but only what He heard and saw His Father doing (Jn. 5:19,20,30). So let's not make roaring, crying out, or prophetic gestures an external, mechanical system, but rather something that flows from and is directed by the Spirit.

Video of Mark Virkler Teaching on Unleashing Healing Power Through Spirit-Born Emotions - A Guided Prayer Encounter 

The first 45 minutes is Mark teaching, followed by him leading the group into a 20-minute heightened Kingdom emotion prayer encounter. The final ten minutes is three people sharing the miracles they experienced during the prayer time. This video is ideal for personal and group use. Watch the sermon here.

Free downloads 

• Watch the sermon here (Number 5 in list below was added after taping, so pause video as you and your group do step 5)
• Sermon notes
• PowerPoints
• One page handout for all group participants

Roaring prayer workshop

• Seek out and then honor the Spirit’s flowing thoughts, pictures and emotions, acting upon them IN CHILDLIKE FAITH. 
• You are welcome to journal out what God is speaking and doing.
• Get into a comfortable location and position.
• Plan on standing when you do the roaring, crying out and prophetic gestures.

1. Come into God's presence – I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders (Ps. 9:1,2). (1 minute)
2. Lord, what enemy do You want to defeat today? Accept in faith what comes to you. (1 minute)
3. What sins do You want me to repent of (mine and generational), so this enemy has no legal rights to affect the situation? Sins can include: actions, beliefs, judgments, unforgiveness and curses. Accept in faith what comes to you. (2 minutes)
4. I repent and experience cleansing of sins and generational curses, and I see Jesus cleansing and purifying, making me white as snow. (2 minutes)
5. I declare that by His stripes I (insert name) am healed! Speak this with vision, emotion and passion 4-5 times. SEE the price He paid to purchase your healing. State, "I will not squander this precious gift which was purchased at such a great price!" (Repeat 3-4 times, emphatically.) 
6. Join with Jesus in roaring at the enemy – The LORD roars from Zion going forth like a warrior, He raises a war cry. He prevails against His enemies (Joel 3:16; Isa. 42:13; 1 Jn. 3:8). I use the name of Jesus and see Him joining me in roaring at and rebuking the enemy and commanding demons to be gone in His name! I get intense! (2 minutes)
7. Lord, what prophetic action do You want me to take to defeat this adversary? Does He want me to strike, sever, push back, walk, leap, cleanse, etc.? Listen for His direction. (2 minutes)
8. I perform this prophetic action with passion, conviction, intensity and thoroughness, knowing that as I do it, His Spirit's power is being released to battle. (2 minutes)
9. Lord, give me a vision of this promise fulfilled – See it DONE! Feel kingdom emotions of joy and gladness sweep over your being. Head and heart come into harmony. (2 minutes)
10. Victory is released as I thank Him – Celebrate the victory you see with joy and laughter as you gaze upon the promise fulfilled. As Paul was singing praises to God, chains were unfastened (Acts 16:25-26). (2 minutes) 

Follow-Up Steps to insure I get my miracle

1. Repeat this exercise as necessary to FULLY experience your miracle (Ps. 55:17).
2. Deepen the revelation through two-way journaling (www.cwgministries.org/Four-Keys-to-Hearing-Gods-Voice)

• Lord, what more do You want to speak to me concerning this issue?
• What additional steps do You want me to take to experience full healing?

3. Create your memorial – It is important that you create a memorial of what God has done so you can look back at it and always remember this day of divine victory. Write out a summary of what God has done today for your future reference. Perhaps He will have you create or purchase a visual which represents this victory.
4. Share your testimony and inspire faith in others. If you are willing to share your testimony please post it below in the comment section.

Quotes which keep me properly focused

• Gazing upon images of God’s promises as already fulfilled, produces Spirit-born emotions that unleash healing power – body, soul and spirit (Gen. 15:5,6; Matt. 14:14; Rom. 14:17).
   
• When I have my spiritual eyes focused continuously on the joy set before me, the excitement and gratitude of the end result become mine. In that moment, as I experience those kingdom emotions, I have the title deed to my new reality.
   
• When I can see myself walking in the promise fulfilled, it is mine. A cascade of affirming emotions are released, making me thankful and grateful. Now my heart and mind are in agreement, and this releases the Spirit’s power.

Testimonies from Those Who Roared at Their Enemies

Cameron Batten: I wanted to share with you something that happened to me as we were participating in the Roar exercise. When I asked the Lord what He wanted to change, He clearly and immediately said He wanted to destroy the hold that the adversary had over me because I had harbored a lie that I was rejected and always would be. As I was still, I saw Jesus run up to me, but He stopped short by about ten feet. And with the anxiousness and intensity of a linebacker, waiting for the ball to snap, He was waiting on something,... Me!

As I began to "roar" and go after that stronghold, He instantly ran and dove into my wounded heart, He uprooted and drove out the lie, and replaced it with His love and presence. He was waiting for me to cooperate with Him. He used my mouth, to turn His power loose, to heal my wounded heart! That happened in my seat! I wasn't in a prayer line. Jesus communicated His desire for me, and we worked together to accomplish His work. If Jesus can accomplish that by my just cooperating with Him at the seminar, how much more can we accomplish everyday, now that I've learned to hear Him!

I am free, more so than I have ever been. I realized when I took my place, stood my ground on the Word, that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah "roared" with me, and the walls that held me captive, came tumbling down. I will never be the same because of this message. I have finally discovered Christianity with a living Jesus, and not just a silent historical Jesus! I will be eternally grateful! I go now to share this message. God bless you on your mission.

Great Song About Jesus Roaring Inside Us!

Another Testimony from a "Roaring" Practice Session

Last weekend in Raleigh, NC I led a group in practicing “roaring” at sickness within their bodies (i.e. sickness is an enemy of the Lord’s). We roared and commanded it to leave our bodies, and commanded divine healing to occur in Jesus’ name. As I had just finished teaching that biblical meditation includes roaring, this was simply a practice session on how to roar. Well, a little bit later a woman came to the front and shared her testimony. She had had pain in her knee for two years as a result of ligament surgery. The pain completely left as she roared at it and commanded it to leave in Jesus’ name! Thank You, Jesus!

So from now on, I am going to consider these sessions more than simply “practice sessions.” I am going to enter them with faith for real miracles to take place, and I will regularly lead people into roaring at their sicknesses. How about we all begin to lead people into roaring sessions where they roar with the Lion of Judah and come against infirmity in their bodies? Let’s watch the Lion of Judah win some battles for us, as we agree with Him in His roars!

Arthritis healed! I was in Quebec in Sept. 2017 and we did a roaring session and during the following break a lady approached me and shared all the arthritic pain in her hands had disappeared as she roared.

More Resources

• Roaring testimony by Patty Sadallah - Patty led her group in a roaring exercise.

• Click here to see what happens when you roar at your enemy: Your Heavenly Father stands up behind you and roars along with you – and the enemy can’t get away fast enough!

• Examples of emotion packed worship: Grace Like a River, Flawless, Call Upon The Lord.
   
• The Treasure Chest – Spirit-Led Prayer Organizer: Devotionals to Meet Your Specific Needs
   
• Vibrant Health! - Miracles PLUS Gifts of Healings: Working through this series on health is ideal for both individuals and groups. The more we take responsibility for ourselves - spirit, soul and body - the healthier we become! Won't you join me in living to at least 100 in vibrant health?
   
• Training Package: Unleashing Healing Power Through Spirit-Born Emotions by Mark Virkler and Charity Kayembe. This blog is an excerpt from Chapter Four of the book.