Spiritual Warfare
DISCLAIMER: The following is a minor theme of scripture. We don’t spend the bulk of our days on this, but it is a part of our regular spiritual walk.
Open Warfare
“Open warfare is upon you whether you choose it or not.” This is an accurate and famous quote from Aragorn to King Theoden in Lord of The Rings Two Towers.
As I travel the Christian community across this nation I find this fact to be ignored, denied or intentionally avoided.
Engaging in spiritual warfare is often intense, time consuming, complicated, arduous, demanding, troublesome, trying, strenuous, costly. It is HARD!
But the simple fact is we are created for HARD. Men particularly are looking for an outlet for our warrior spirit. We are on our way to spiritual freedom when we realize where the real battle is. Scripture is pretty clear on this. (Eph. 6: 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.) The target of our warrior spirit is not our bosses, our neighbors, other drivers, our spouses, our children, our families, etc.
There is much written about the enemy in the Bible. A word search produces more than a 100 results in most versions of scripture. It results in over 150 hits in KJV. In all of our instruction we are to take action i.e. be alert, resist, stand firm, speak to, quote scripture, put on the armor and so on. No where does it say ignore the devil or deny satan exists.
We have authority and power to resist, but we must do so. Attached is a list with some basic principles from scripture on how to fight.
Spiritual Warfare
“The Battle to Fight”
• Pray audibly.
Satan does not “know our hearts” as God does. He is a fallen angel. In scripture people (even Jesus) conversed with angels. Demons can’t read your mind. A whisper is usually fine sometimes it takes a stern louder tone., 2Cor12:2, Luke 16:15 15He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. Luke 4: 35″Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
• We pray under the authority that Christ left us.
Matt. 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
Matt. 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
Luke 10: 17And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. 19Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you.
• Avoid slandering foul spirits.
Jude c. 9But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals–these are the very things that destroy them.
• We claim the cross and the blood against evil forces.
(Rev. 12:11) They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
• We claim the resurrection and ascension fully into our lives.
Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, and that we should no longer be slaves to sin– 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
• We call for the mighty angels of scripture to come and help us battle; breaking agreements with and sending the foul spirits to the abyss.
(Daniel 5, Heb. 1:14, Rev.20:1-3) Rev. 20:1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
• Claim Christ’s grace and peace to fill the void that is often left behind.
(1 Pet. 1:2)To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
We Fight From a Position of Victory!
Satan said to himself, “I will ascend to heaven and rule the angels. I will take the highest throne. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.” But instead he was brought down to the pit of hell, down to its lowest depths. (Isaiah 14:14-15)