When Wrath Comes: Is It God or Satan? Insights on Spiritual Imprisonment and Restoration
By Apostle Dr. Michael Mband
In today’s spiritually charged message, Apostle Dr. Michael Mband takes us through a profound journey to understand the sources of our spiritual imprisonment, plunder, and the path to restoration. Drawing from several scriptural references, he unpacks a critical truth: when wrath comes into our lives, it may either be the judgment of God for sin or the attacks of Satan pursuing to steal, kill, and destroy.
Two Sources of Spiritual Bondage
Apostle Mband explains that there are only two sources responsible for the hardships, plunder, and imprisonment believers face: Satan and God. However, it is not God acting arbitrarily — it is God’s righteous response to sin that brings about discipline and judgment. On the other hand, Satan’s attacks do not require any wrongdoing; he attacks the faithful to steal their blessings and freedom. The example of Job, a righteous man who suffered without sin, illustrates this truth.
The Condition of Humanity: From Eden to Now
Reflecting on the fall of Adam and Eve, Apostle Mband describes how humanity was robbed of everything that was good, driven out from the Garden of Eden, and sentenced to toil and suffering because of sin. This spiritual captivity is reflected today in addictions, enslavement to sin, and the feeling of being trapped in life’s circumstances.
Fasting and Prayer: Spiritual Warfare Weapons
The message emphasizes fasting and prayer as the divine weapons God has given to fight both sources of bondage. Fasting is defined broadly as denying oneself food, pleasures, and even actively giving to the needy as a means of spiritual warfare. Apostle Mband reminds us that fasting coupled with prayer releases power for restoration, as Jesus Himself said that some demons only come out by prayer and fasting.
Vengeance Against the Devil
To deal with Satan, the believer must pray for vengeance — a spiritual demand for God to punish evil and break every yoke of the enemy. The Psalmist’s prayers for protection and justice are the model for these kinds of prayers. This spiritual vengeance affirms the believer’s authority in Christ to resist and send the devil away.
Repentance and Mercy for Restoration from God
When the source of trouble is God’s discipline for sin, the response must be repentance, humility, and seeking God’s mercy. Apostle Mband highlights that God’s mercy is what restrains His wrath and allows grace to restore and heal. He cites scriptures from Joel and Psalms showing that sincere repentance will move God to forgive, restore, and bring joy back to the believer’s heart.
The Role of Grace and Stewardship
An important insight shared is about grace — divine enablement for success and victory. Apostle Mband explains that grace works with the believer’s effort (work plus grace equals success) and that faithful stewardship, including tithing and offerings, is a form of fasting that breaks yokes spiritually and unlocks blessings.
A Call to Intentional Spiritual Fasting and Prayer
Finally, Apostle Mband exhorts believers not to fast and pray casually but to have clear goals for restoration. He encourages fasting believers to take spiritual inventory, identify what has been stolen or lost, and actively fight for their promised blessings by faith, perseverance, and prayer.
This powerful teaching helps believers understand spiritual struggles from a biblical perspective, distinguishing between the attacks of Satan and God’s righteous discipline, while pointing to fasting, prayer, repentance, and grace as the keys to spiritual freedom and restoration.
Apostle Dr. Michael Mband’s message invites us to press deeper in fasting and prayer with faith, armed with Scriptural truths and spiritual weapons to overcome the enemy and reclaim what rightfully belongs to us in Christ Jesus.
