If you come under an attack after intercession prayer, even if it includes going into the Courts of Heaven (CoH), it may be repercussions from your behavior in the Courts or something you have done after you leave the appointment. Early on, we began to refer to this as “backlash.” The Lord has revealed that backlash can occur from our actions, even if we have not entered the courts: it is a consequence of our behavior that allows the enemy to attack us though it often manifests after any actions involving the spiritual realm, including intercessory prayer.
Understanding backlash and knowing what causes it will allow you to recognize it so you will know what to do to be freed from it, should the enemy come against you.
We will briefly touch upon items from many subjects covered in depth in the other classes and give reference to where it can be found. If you do not fully understand why these statements are made, we urge you to go to that class material to avoid backlash! Any discussion about backlash must begin with understanding Jesus and how He sets us free from sin. Paul describes this when writing to those in Rome:
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14 AKJV)
When the Bible mentions that we are “free from sin” it is talking about sin not having control over us. Under the Law, the Ten Commandments, a sacrifice had to be made so that we could be free from the consequences of sin. Jesus is our sacrifice, so we no longer have to butcher lambs and calves to pay for our sin.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity to iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness to holiness. (Romans 6:15-19 AKJV)
When we continue to sin, we are under the power of Satan. We must walk in God’s ways to be free of attacks from the enemy. Paul tells the Romans that they have “infirmity of the flesh” because they have “yielded” their bodies to “uncleanness.” In other words, Satan is allowed to attack our bodies if we continue in sin and to not turn to “righteousness” which means walking in God’s ways.
Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 AMP)
Our Lord paid the price for us to be free. However, we must learn His ways to appropriate all that He has done. If you have not yet studied the Word of God concerning the CoH, you can find the free book (very short) Destroying Curses in the Courts of Heaven at Amazon, iTunes, and our website.
Backlash is a direct result of our actions and may occur if we are not walking in God’s ways or if we will not submit to Jesus as Lord and go in the direction of our destiny. Jonah is a biblical example of this: It wasn’t a sin to board a ship, but he was running from what God told him to do. Jonah didn’t want to warn the city of Nineveh about God's wrath should they continue in sin because he wanted God to destroy them.
When the prophet went in the opposite direction of that city, a storm was sent to stop him. If we are refusing to do as God directs us, we are leaving God’s protection and the enemy may come against us. This is one form of backlash that most are aware of.
It was surprising to discover that backlash: attacks upon our health or emotions, could come after removing charges in the Courts or receiving intercession in prayer. There are many reasons that this may occur. The most common reasons that have nothing to do with what happens in the Courts are:
Abuse of Authority
Jezebel
These topics are covered in detail in the Removing Attacks course/workbook, so we won't go over them here. Actions inside the Courts may also lead to backlash:
Misapplying the Charges
Failure to Confess
Ignoring Court Procedures
Many people do experience instant relief during or shortly after intercessory prayer or after they visit the CoH. Unfortunately, others experience backlash or a quick relapse of the symptoms they were freed from. This is the danger when you receive God’s grace and mercy either through intercession or by entering into the highest place of authority in Heaven and Earth, the CoH. Let’s take a closer look at some of the causes.
Misapplying the Charges
The words you receive in the Courts can often have multiple meanings. There are so many events in our lives that it can be hard to pinpoint what the group of words is referring to. When looking at my own charges, I haven’t always gotten it right.
When we don’t know what the charges mean, we could confess to the wrong action and the charges will remain. Even if we hear “overruled” for some of the charges, there may still be some that remain. If symptoms come up or fail to clear up after a visit to remove charges in the Courts, you should look at the words again and ask the Holy Spirit about where we might have missed something.
It can help if you talk this out with someone by going over what you think the words could possibly mean. Sometimes the questions that the other person asks will prod you in the right direction.
As our experience grew in the CoH, the Lord began leading us into a chamber off the main courtroom which He referred to as “private council” more often. In this setting, the Lord will explain where the issue is in a gentler way.
The Holy Spirit is our Counselor and is with the Lord in the CoH. He knows the charges against us without the need to enter the CoH. Now our team asks the Lord if He wants us in the CoH or if our Counselor will address the issues outside the Courts: this is Intercession Prayer. When charges are received privately, backlash is less severe if something is overlooked because we have not appeared before all those in Heaven to receive them. In addition, the enemy cannot ask for additional consequences to come upon us because he has not witnessed the statement of charges and our refusal or inability to turn from the sin.
Failure to Confess
This is a bit different than misapplying the charges. The word “confess” means much more than admitting that you did wrong. The Greek word homologeō translated “confess” has a specific definition: to come into complete agreement and see it the way God does; declaring what we know is wrong according to Him.
When you are trying to remove the charges, your feelings will be transparent to the entire assembly in the Courtroom. The charges against you are sins you have committed. You must see these actions the way God does: Wrong is wrong. There is no room for excuses. You may be guilty of a false confession:
If you don’t really feel that what you did was all that wrong
If you feel like you were justified in your actions because of something that happened to you
Your feelings are not in agreement with God when making excuses for your bad behavior, your sin. I have seen what this may look like before the Judge during many visits to the CoH. The person is kicking the ground, looking like a rebellious child who is obviously lying.
But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. ( 1 Samuel 16:7 AKJV)
God sees our heart and when in His presence in Heaven, what is in our heart is on display for all to see!
There are no reasons, no excuses for your behavior when you are in the Courts.
To confess your sin, you must know that you made the decision to commit the act that was against God’s ways and be sorry for it. Excuses may make the application of the blood of Jesus invalid as you are trying to justify this action yourself.
We always have a choice. No one can make us sin. For the blood of Jesus to cover it, we must first own it and admit that it needs to be covered. The story of Job illustrates this point. Satan was granted the right to test Job, and this was Job’s response:
Even today is my complaint rebellious and bitter; my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat! I would lay my cause before Him and fill my mouth with arguments. (Job 23:2-4 AMPC)
Job wanted to go and argue his cause with God by presenting a case that he was being mistreated. Elihu, the one who spoke rightly about God, first showed what the proper response should have been from Job:
For has anyone said to God, I have borne my chastisement; I will not offend anymore; Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned]; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more? (Job 34:31-32 AMPC)
When life goes horribly wrong, these are the steps we should take:
Admit you have been rightly punished (born the chastisement)
Confess that you are turning from sin (you will not offend anymore)
State you will learn God’s ways so that you understand where you have sinned (learn God’s ways)
Job didn’t do this, he kept insisting that he was righteous and being unfairly punished. God is the Just and Righteous Judge. Who are we to accuse Him of being unfair? As Elihu continues explaining we see what those actions look like to God:
For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his unacknowledged sin; he claps his hands [in open mockery and contempt of God] among us, and he multiplies his words of accusation against God. (Job 34:37 AMPC)
We cannot “prepare” a case for the Courts of Heaven showing that God is wrong for allowing an attack upon us. We must be prepared to find out what sin is allowing the attack to happen and turn from that sin. Praise God that the blood of Jesus has paid the price for that sin when it is found and turned away from!
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8 ESV)
God knows what is going on in your life. Inside or outside of the CoH, if you request prayer but there is known sin in your life, do not expect to get a breakthrough!
Backlash and Testing
The enemy was allowed in Job’s life for a season. Was this testing or backlash? The difference between the two is simple:
Backlash is because we have sinned allowing the enemy to attack us.
It is often sudden and without warning.
We must find the sin and turn away from it.
Testing is an opportunity not to sin. We must hold on to what we know about God.
Testing will happen over and over again until we pass the test.
Job experienced loss and pain to test his love for God. Would he curse God? Would he still love God even when he was afflicted? Job didn’t totally pass the test, he accused God of being unjust. This was a sin and because of the sin, the situation got worse.
Job did not completely fail because he didn’t curse God. But he didn’t pass either. Once Elihu spoke rightly, then Job realized where he had gone wrong. He repented and God showed up.
If you have been complaining about an attack from the enemy, then you are as guilty as Job. You will need to confess and repent for rebelling against God’s authority so that He will move back into your life. When we go to the Courts of Heaven, and if we do any of the following, we will also be guilty of Job’s mistake:
Make excuses for our behavior
Attack the enemy who may have a right to attack us
Attack others whom God may be using to bring correction
If you have done any of these, you will need to confess that you have rebelled against God’s authority. Instead, you need to do as Elihu suggested:
Admit you have been rightly punished (born the chastisement)
Confess that you are turning from sin (you will not offend anymore)
State you will learn God’s ways so you know where you have sinned (learn God’s ways)
This is the way to remove both backlash or consequences for failing a test.
Ignoring Court Procedures
Once you appear in the Courts of Heaven, you are making it known that you are aware of certain things:
You are a mature Christian able to present yourself before God as Judge
The Courts of Heaven are the highest place of authority.
The enemy may have legal rights obtained by placing charges upon us
You are now aware that God as the Just and Righteous Judge may give the enemy the right to attack us, and we need to turn from sin to remove attacks. After clearing charges in the Courts of Heaven, you cannot go back to binding and rebuking and pleading the blood of Jesus without waiting for the Holy Spirit to let you know that the enemy is acting outside his authority. If you do this, then you are relying on a “formula” created by man instead of the Holy Spirit.
Our Counselor knows what is happening in the Courts of Heaven and will tell you with great strength if you are to bind, rebuke, or declare healing. If you do not get a strong leading but continue to proceed according to the way you have always done things, then you risk having charges placed on you in the CoH.
Jesus has provided other amazing ways we can respond to attacks. We can:
cry out to God for mercy when we are under an attack
let the Holy Spirit pray for us by praying in the Spirit
For more information about how to pray, please see the free course “Effective Prayer” at the Living Word.
Keep Going
For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:30-31 NKJV)
This verse is in the New Testament after Jesus left. He came so that grace could be shown, but that doesn’t mean that God is not Judge. We still have an adversary:
...for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out! (Revelation 12:10 AMPC)
Satan isn’t upon this Earth yet, so right now he is in Heaven bringing charges against us day and night. We need to continually check ourselves against the Word of God. Are we walking according to God’s ways? Having fellowship with other Christians can be instrumental in remaining free. If you don’t have any Christian friends who are determined to walk the narrow path of righteousness, we hope you will consider fellowshipping with us at online meetings!
Leaders and Backlash
If you choose to guide others in the Courts of Heaven, you run the risk of getting a unique form of backlash. A guide in the Courts has the responsibility of leading the prayer. This is much more than an intercessor. If you know the danger, it can often be avoided.
You may be called upon by the Holy Spirit to bring correction.
Not many [of you] should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation]. (James 3:1 AMPC)
When you lead visits to the Courts you are bringing corrections and teachings to others. The consequences for sin may be harsher. This is a job for a mature, well-grounded Christian who is ready to run to the Lord at the first sign of an attack of the enemy. These principles apply to all leaders in the body of Christ, including prayer leaders, pastors, or worship leaders.
A recent visit to the Courts of Heaven revealed several key factors about operating in the fullness of what Jesus had provided for us:
Freedom and healing, both physical and emotional, can come quickly.
The Courts of Heaven is not a “one and done” matter.
Understanding and operating in the Courts is a lifestyle.
Listening to the Holy Spirit in the Courts is crucial.
Seasoned Christians can experience backlash as they operate in the Courts.
Understanding the Courts should be brought into our prayer life as we consider the Courts of Heaven as a possible tool to use when difficulties arise. Additional visits to the Courts of Heaven may be necessary throughout our lifetime.
Leaders are not exempt from this, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Leaning upon what you now know about the Courts is vital for those who are helping others obtain all Jesus has done for them. There are basic procedures that God expects us to know; following the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit is vital to receive victory through the sacrifice of Jesus. A petitioner, let’s call her Rahab, has graciously agreed to allow me to share the details of her visit so you can clearly see the process in action.
Rahab had been through the Court process, yet she still felt something was blocking her, so she signed up for another visit to receive additional charges. Her sister, let’s call her Yvonne, also needed a visit, and was scheduled right after her sister Rahab. They were to be present for each other’s visits.
We began the process by asking for charges. Two discouraging visions were received, which was a heads-up that this would be a rough visit. A couple of the words revealed a root of bitterness and unforgiveness, in addition to other words that revealed a timeframe such as, yesterday and the day before. This meant there was something in Rahab’s long past that caused a root of bitterness resulting from unforgiveness.
The Holy Spirit brought thoughts of past trauma to Rahab. She submitted her will to the Holy Spirit by confessing to those present all things from her past she had never fully expressed before:
Rahab had been sexually attacked by several men when she was between the ages of 11 and 12. While staying with her friend, her friend’s father visited her room at night to molest her. When she told her own father about it, he told her to keep her mouth shut and endure it.
Rahab sobbed as she recounted the incident, revealing a root that was still buried. One of the Seers suggested she needed to declare her forgiveness of these men. After she did this, I gave instructions that surprised me because it was not something that I would think of. The Holy Spirit prompted me to say, “Now, Rahab, ask the Father to forgive these men and if they are no longer in this world, then to forgive their children.”
The heart of Rahab was clear for everyone to see as she did this, meaning every word. The charges were dismissed, and Rahab received her first visit to the Secret Place, right then and there! She told us, “I saw myself as a little girl, climbing onto Abba’s lap. He pulled a blanket over me…”
One of the Seers verified the vision by declaring what she saw. The seer stated, “I saw a warm blanket cover you…”
I explained what the Holy Spirit was bringing to my heart, “God wants you to call upon Him as Abba and remember this vision each night before you sleep. He will bring you to the Secret Place where you will experience the sweetest sleep you have ever known.”
Rahab began to cry once more, “You have no idea what this means to me. I have suffered from insomnia all my life. I wake up, afraid someone will assault me while I sleep.”
We finished the appointment with much rejoicing.
If you have gone through the Removing Attacks class Your Soul, you know that what happened here was a “soul healing.” We now have appointments that don’t require you to go to the Courts of Heaven before God as Judge, instead, the Holy Spirit brings healing from past wounds. It is quite beautiful to see the deliverance and healing these appointments bring. We hope you will go through the Removing Attacks classes and schedule an Intercession appointment with us.
Next, we placed her sister Yvonne before the Judge. As we reviewed the charges, I heard this loud rumbling sound. As it got louder, I realized it was snoring! Booming laughter from our group erupted because Rahab was in a deep sleep. We excused her from the meeting and the words from the Holy Spirit were fulfilled: She had the deepest, most wonderful sleep that night.
While reviewing Yvonne’s charges, one of our team members kept posting in the chat, “I’m repenting for that, too, and pleading the blood!” The interpretation of many of the words for Yvonne had an effect on the hearts of the team members because some of the charges were something that they had been guilty of in the past.
Yvonne joked, “My appointment is doing double duty!” she said, which got a big laugh from all team members.
One of our helpers in the Courts of Heaven learned early on that when you hear other people’s charges in the Courts, the Holy Spirit may remind you that you, too, are guilty of that same sin. If this occurs and you don’t repent, you can get backlash as Satan places charges on you the next day because the truth about your life is revealed to him as you stand in the Courts. If you repent and plead the blood as things are revealed, there is nothing left for Satan to use as evidence against you in the CoH.
That night I didn’t sleep well. The Lord was speaking to me about reorganizing the ministry and thoughts of my past kept playing through my mind:
My uncle, who at the time was about thirty years old, had been caught in my stepsister’s bedroom when she was twelve. My father, her stepdad, said it was her fault, and that she had seduced him.
I found out about this incident several years later and didn’t see him again until I was seventeen years old. At a family barbecue, my uncle approached me, as friendly as ever. I looked at him straight in the eyes and said, “I have spoken to my sister. I know what you did. Don’t you ever speak to me again.”
I turned on my heels and walked away. As it turned out, my uncle died about ten years ago and we never spoke again.
Although the Holy Spirit kept me awake, reminding me of this, I didn’t connect the matter with the possibility of charges coming against me. The next morning, I woke up with definite signs of backlash:
My computer wouldn’t let me do my morning prayers, a live broadcast on Facebook.
Pressure surrounded my head like it was in a vise.
It felt something like a balloon expanding in my ear canals.
Backlash can appear in unique forms; these were just the symptoms this time. I knew it was backlash because I had a busy day, and the more I went to the Courts to help others, the worse it got. I struggled to hear from the Holy Spirit which is usually very easy.
With only an hour in between appointments, there was no time to seek the cause. My head was so foggy, I couldn’t think of what it was. During a visit, I asked for a private sidebar with my Counselor. “Holy Spirit,” I asked, “What is going on with my head and my ears?”
I saw a picture of myself with a black bag over my head. When it was removed, there was a blob with four tentacles on top of my head. Two of the arms held it in place, the other two were in my ears. This was why my head felt so bad, there was a demon on my head!
Later that night as I crawled into bed, I told my husband about that difficult trip to the Courts and how it affected me afterward. Instantly, I knew what the issue was, as the Holy Spirit convicted my heart: I hadn’t forgiven my father or my uncle, yet I told Rahab to do so. This is where the charges came from.
The Holy Spirit had also given me a warning dream the night before which I now considered:
There was a scholarship that would take care of all my needs, but I had to pass a test first. I wasn’t worried - the test was easy. The results came in, I had failed, scoring 24%! I knew something was wrong.
Looking at the test, I saw I was one question off for most of my answers. I had the first twenty-four questions right, but all the rest of the questions were wrong. I had skipped one of the questions, making the rest wrong after it.
I had asked the Holy Spirit what I had missed that was causing me to fail but had heard nothing. I knew it was something that was in the foundational teachings of God because of the metaphorical meaning in the number 24:
2 - multiplication that can bring maturity
12 - the government of God
I had overlooked that part of my past (the missing question) and now that the enemy had spotted it when I was in the Courts, it would hinder me from receiving from God until I corrected it.
Now I knew what this dream was about: Forgiveness is the one thing that Jesus tells us that we must do so that His goodness can come upon us. I went to the Courts as soon as I understood what was against me. Just as I had advised Rahab, I announced my forgiveness and asked the Judge to forgive those men and their ancestors. When I asked for the charges to be dismissed, I asked for justice to come and for God to restore more than what had been taken, for Him to increase the gifts the enemy was trying to hinder. Immediately the pressure in my head went away. The next morning, I woke refreshed, feeling the strong presence of my Friend, the Holy Spirit, surrounding me once more.
The Courts of Heaven is not a “one-and-done” situation. As a seasoned Christian, you may hear the Judge say, “I have nothing against this one,” in a visit to the Courts. Any time, if you begin operating apart from God, the enemy may place charges against you; especially if you have operated in the CoH to help others. Satan and his minions are looking for a reason to hinder you and keep you from helping others.
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:28-31 AKJV)
We must continually look at our lives and judge ourselves, confessing and turning from sin. This alone will let us escape judgments from Heaven while on this Earth.
Yes, healing, both emotional and physical, can come through the Courts. However, that is not the purpose of Heaven’s legal system. When we enter the Courts, it is the highest place of authority in all Heaven and Earth. We can hear what is against us to remove all that may be blocking us from a close relationship with our Father in Heaven so that we can achieve the divine destiny to which He calls us.
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