We must realize that as long as we are here on earth Satan will challenge our authority at every turn through every means he can. This means he will use other people, often even our loved ones, to bombard us with negative forces of unbelief and render us powerless to do the works of God.

When Jesus went to the home of Jairus to raise his little girl from the dead, He encountered a situation which is very similar to situations and circumstances in which we find ourselves today. When Jairus and Jesus stepped into Jairus's house, they ran headlong into the same condition you will sometimes encounter as you work the works of God: They were met by “professional mourners” (Mark 5:38). Professional mourners are “Job's comforters.” Whenever you begin to believe God for something, they are always around to tell you why it cannot happen, why it should not happen, and why it is not God's will for it to happen.

When Jairus walked in, he had to face these people. The first thing they said to him was, “Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You trusted in this Healer called Jesus. You went running after the Healer, and now look what has happened! This is what you get for trusting the Healer. Your daughter is dead.”

I can hear them now… “You are a leader. What is everyone going to say? What are the Jews going to do? Do you know what disgrace you have brought on the synagogue? You trusted in this Man — this charlatan, this crook, this psychology worker. It serves you right! Your daughter is dead.”

Thank God that Jesus was there on the scene with a very positive statement of victory. He declared boldly to them all: “… the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth” (Mark 5:39). His declaration elicited a very negative reaction from these professional mourners, for the Bible says that … “they laughed him to scorn…” (Mark 5:40).

We are not dealing only with circumstances that occurred 2,000 years ago. We are dealing with issues right down where we live, relating them to crises we meet in our world of reality today. What are you going to do when you face these kinds of circumstances and problems? How are you going to deal with the forces of unbelief when Satan challenges your authority?

When Satan challenges my authority I will stand in the same strength and power demonstrated by the Lord Jesus Christ.