Issuing Divine Restraining Orders from Courts of Heaven: Restricting and Revoking the Plans of the Enemy
by Robert Henderson
Francis Myles
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Chapter 1
Operating from the Heavenly Courtroom
by Robert Henderson
RESTRAINING orders are a common thing within our judicial system in America. Wikipedia defines a restraining or protective order as being “used by a court to protect a person, business, company, establishment, or entity, and the general public, in a situation involving alleged domestic violence, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault.”1 Even though the terminology restraining or protective order isn’t used in Scripture we can definitely recognize it as being there. There are many instances where the Lord and His host of heaven shielded and protected those belonging to Him. A restraining or protective order is legal in nature. Therefore it requires judicial activity to see it implemented. This involves the Courts of Heaven. It is possible to see the Lord as Judge set in place a restraining or protective order that will not allow the devil a right to interfere, hurt, destroy, or touch that which belongs to Him. Before we can fully understand a restraining order in the Spirit realm we must have a concept of the Courts of Heaven and their operation.
The Courts of Heaven are a very real place that we as believers have access into. In these Courts, we can petition the Lord as our Judge to render these restraining orders to set boundaries around our lives. One of the places the Courts of Heaven are seen in is Daniel 7:9-10.
- I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
We see Daniel having an encounter and a vision from the Lord. We know this is true because he says that he “watched” as these things were occurring. The end result of what he saw was the Court of Heaven coming to order and being ready to exercise its authority over things in heaven and in earth. The things mentioned here are some of the activities of this Court. We see thrones plural being set in place. These are seats of government that both heavenly and earthly creatures/people sit in. We know there are 24 elders, who are heavenly beings, sitting in thrones around the Throne of God. Revelation 4:4 chronicles these elders and their place in the Courts of Heaven:
- Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.
These sit in a judicial council around the Throne of God. They along with the Lord Himself would seem to hear the cases presented to the Courts of Heaven. They would, it appears, have input into the decisions rendered from the Courts of Heaven concerning things in earth and heaven. There is, however, also those who are yet in the earth who sit on thrones or seats of government in the spirit realm. For instance, Proverbs 20:8 tells us of kings who sit on thrones and the power, authority, and influence they wield.
- A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes.
A king does not just speak of someone who naturally rules a nation. It also speaks of those who have obtained and been positioned by the Lord in the spirit world. They have such a place in the realm of the spirit while they are yet living and functioning in the natural that just a look of their eyes scatters evil. This would be the authority and seats of government or thrones that God would grant us access into. This is what Jesus meant in Revelation 3:21 when He spoke of us sitting with Him on His Throne.
- To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
This is not speaking of the afterlife. This is speaking of a place in the spirit realm we can occupy today. When we overcome the pull of the flesh, the emotions of the natural, and other human struggles, we qualify to sit with Him on His Throne. From this place in the spiritual dimensions we can be a part of the operation of the Courts of Heaven. I think it is interesting that Daniel watched as these thrones were set in place. For the full decisions of the Court of Heaven to occur there must be those in heaven in their thrones, but also those of us in earth in our thrones. We can then become a part of the activity and renderings of the Court of Heaven.
Another thing that Daniel saw was the Throne of God. This is where judicial decisions are made that order life in heaven and in earth. God as Judge of all sits on this throne. Hebrews 12:23 proclaims this title over the Lord.
- To the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.
His Throne is a throne of judicial activity. Psalm 89:14 tells us righteousness and justice are the foundational structure of God’s Throne. In other words, this is what makes God’s Throne so powerful. True righteousness and justice flow from the Lord because this is who He is upon His Throne.
- Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.
In the midst of His Throne being one of righteousness and justice it also releases mercy and truth. I am so very thankful for this. Out of the righteous realm and just dimension of who God is, He also is merciful, kind, and gracious. Mercy and truth go before His face. God extends mercy to those who repent at His truth. When we respond in affirmation to His truth and seek to order our lives accordingly, His mercy is manifested upon us.
As with any Court, the Court of Heaven issues verdicts that are to establish a pattern in life. When a Judge decrees a verdict it can change a life. So it is with the Lord as our Judge from His Court. I believe this is what is being referred to when it declares “a fiery stream issued and came forth before Him.” These are verdicts and decisions coming from the Throne of God. When God as Judge issues verdicts, they are as a fire going forth from Him. Psalm 97:2-3 shows that the righteous judgments of the Lord are as a fire going before Him to consume His enemies.
- Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. A fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about.
When the Lord renders decisions from His Courts/Throne, it is as a fire destroying His enemies. All that would be standing in the way of His desire in the earth is removed because of a verdict being set in place. This is what happens when the Court of Heaven is in operation. We actually see this in Daniel 7:25-27. In these verses we see the antichrist spirit in operation in the earth. It is seeking to work the diabolical plan of the satanic.
- He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever. Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
The “he” in these verses is speaking of what we would call the antichrist. This is the spirit that is operating in the earth, fighting against the intent and will of God. It presently is having great effect in the nations of the world. This is why we see such outlandish ideas taking hold across the globe. They literally for most of us would seem illogical and even insane. In many nations, men are being permitted to use women’s restroom facilities. All because they “feel” like a woman. Children are being taught how to be “homosexuals” in school. Transgender people are being invited into schools to influence children and bring their idea of what culture should be. These and many other activities are contending against traditional standards set by the church and God’s Word in culture. It is as if anything related to God and His standards is being challenged as irrelevant and archaic. This is the antichrist spirit functioning to take over nations. First John 4:3 tells us that the antichrist spirit is already operating in the world.
- And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
Any spirit that denies Jesus and His effect in the natural world is antichrist. It denies Jesus’ right to influence individuals, life, and cultures. It wants to set things up after its own rules and ideas. We saw that one of its purposes is to “change times and laws.” In other words, it wants to alter the standards society has been founded upon. Everything comes into question. We are told that in the midst of this environment, the people of God come under persecution and are tormented by this spirit and its philosophies. There is, however, a solution. The Court is seated and takes away his dominion to consume and destroy it forever. In other words, a verdict and decision from the Court of Heaven revokes the right of this spirit to operate and frees culture from its effects. The result is the people of God brought out of a place of defeat and into a place of dominion. This all occurs because of a verdict from God’s Court. He sends forth a fiery stream and burns up all His enemies. The power and authority that flows from the Court of Heaven is supreme! This means we can stand before His Court and see verdicts rendered that alter life on the planet. That which would threaten us is revoked and removed, because God sets a restraining and protective order in place. This actually happened in the days of Job. It is said in Job 1:8-10 that God had set a hedge about Job.
- Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.”
The word hedge is the Hebrew word suwk. It means to shut in for protection or restraint. Satan was complaining that Job only served God because of how blessed he was. This blessing was because there was a restraining and protective order in the spirit realm that would not allow Satan to touch him. When we walk before the Lord, from the Courts of Heaven God will set a hedge or restraining and protective order in place. This will prohibit the attacks of the devil and will allow only the blessing of God in our lives. The Bible actually tells us what had allowed this restraining order to be in place. It tells us what Job had done that allowed God to order this. Job 1:8 shows God’s opinion of Job that would have caused the Lord to set this restraining order in place for him.
- Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
There are at least six qualities that God speaks of concerning Job that allowed the Court of Heaven to set up a restraining/protective order over him. The first is God calls Job His servant. This means a bond-servant. In other words, Job had entered into being God’s bond-slave. Exodus 21:5-6 shows us the idea of one who had to serve another for six years because of his debt. At the end of the six years as he entered the seventh he could go free. He could, however, at this point make a choice to stay and remain a servant in his master’s house. If he chose this, he would forever be the servant of this man. He is now no longer a servant but a bond-slave.
- But if the servant plainly says, “I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,” then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.
This is a picture of what happens to us. We begin serving Jesus because of His power to forgive and deliver us from a debt we could never pay. However, in the process of serving Him, we fall into love with Him and His house. The result is we do not want to go free. Our heart has now been taken captive by His love and life. We desire to be His bond-slave. We are then marked with a pierced ear. This speaks of our ear being opened to hear. The mark of a bond-slave is an ear to hear and a heart to obey expressly. We now belong to another. This is who Job was. He being a bond-slave of the Lord had allowed God to set a restraining order around him and all his family. The result was a life that was untouchable to the devil until Satan built a case that caused God to remove it. The good news is that the divine restraining/protective order was in finality put back in place.
The second thing that allowed God to set this restraining order was there was none like him in all the earth. This means Job did what others wouldn’t do. His commitment was above and beyond the norm of his day. Sometimes we think we can have what someone else has without meeting the requirements they have met. This normally is not true. If we want the life, power, protection, safety, prosperity, and glory someone walks in, it will cost us the price they have paid. Job had lived a life separated to the Lord and dedicated to Him and His purposes. The result was a restraining/protective order under which he was blessed and empowered.
The third thing Job did that allowed this restraining order to be in force was he was blameless. This word in the Hebrew is tam. It means to be complete but also means to be coupled together. Job walked as a mature man before God because of his joining to the Lord. His power to please God was found in his union with the Lord. This means Job walked in an intimate relationship with God that God honored. It was the passion of God to protect and bless Job because of the intimacy they shared. If we are to walk under the restraining order of God for us and our families, we must walk in union, intimacy, and closeness with the Lord. This means times of fellowship and communion are essential. These times spent developing a nearness to the Lord will produce protection from Him that will allow us to flourish and manifest the blessed life.
A fourth secret that Job walked in was he was upright. This word in the Hebrew means to be straight. Many of us would have heard the phrase, “He’s as straight as an arrow.” This always is speaking of the integrity and character of someone. They are being touted as being one who is impeccable in the dealing of their life. Job was a man who had no compromise in his life. The result was a life under the restraining/protective order of God. So often it is the little compromises of our life that allow the devil the legal right to bring hurt and harm to us. We must be straight. The little compromises we allow in our lives can arrange big opportunities for the devil’s devouring. May we walk before the Lord in an uncompromising way that allows His restraining orders to work in our behalf.
The fifth key to Job’s living under the restraining hand of God was he feared God. Of course the fear of the Lord is a major reason for how and where Job walked. If you boil down the fear of the Lord, I believe it is to love righteousness and hate evil. When we fear God, we carry a passion to love what He loves and to hate what He hates. Psalm 45:6-7 tells us this is the reason the pleasure of the Father was upon Jesus.
- Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
Notice that as a result of loving righteousness and hating wickedness, there was an anointing of gladness on Jesus more than His brothers or companions. When we walk in the fear of the Lord, it doesn’t birth a living in terror. It in fact does just the opposite. It grants us a life of surety, confidence, joy, and gladness. As Job walked before the Lord in the fear of God, he lived this life. The result was the restraining and protective hand of God on him and all he loved.
The last thing I will mention that characterized Job and his life in the protective and safe place of the Lord was he shunned evil. This word in the Hebrew means to turn off. In other words, Job turned off the pull of evil or the temptation that would have led him astray. When Satan would come with a temptation to seek to pull him away, Job would turn it off or say no to it and allow it no influence over him. How we need to learn to do this. We must set our minds on things above and not of this earth (see Col. 3:2). We must allow our minds to be occupied with the Lord and His passions and not the lust of the flesh or the desires of a carnal mind. When we make these choices daily or even hourly or in moments, we are turning off the opportunity of evil against us. This is the kind of life Job lived. The result was a restraining order from heaven on his behalf. We know Satan built a case against Job and this order was lifted for a while.
However, because of Job’s faithfulness and God’s favor and kindness it was restored. Job got back double all that was lost. God restored the protective/restraining order from the Courts of Heaven in Job’s life. We can have it too. May the grace of God work mightily in us that the Courts of Heaven will have the rights to render for us the restraining and protecting presence of God over our life. We will live under the canopy of His glory that no demon or devil can penetrate or access. We will walk in the light and glory of His presence and power!
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