This is an introductory teaching to Spiritual Warfare. It is not intended to give you an all-encompassing, all knowing, understanding of spiritual warfare. It is a basic level teaching that we hope will open your eyes to know that there is a spiritual war going on over your life and trying to steal the Shalom of God from your life. It will give you some strategies and tips to help you in your fight, but it is suggested that you seek the LORD in His Word to understand more about the topic of Spiritual Warfare.
What is Spiritual Warfare?
Ephesians 6:10-13 (NKJV)
"10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
The moment each of us receive Yeshua as our Savior we are trust into a spiritual battle. Our adversary, Satan, does not want us to know the Shalom (salvation, deliverance, healing, and prosperity) of God and he will fight against us in the spiritual realm to stop God's shalom from reaching us. Whether we choose to believe it or not, it is real, and it is happening all around us. If it was not true then the LORD would not put it in His Word. Our fight is not against flesh and blood; it is against the spiritual forces of Satan.
AN EXAMPLE: That co-worker of yours that is angry with you and speaking bad things about you is NOT to problem. The problem lies with the spiritual host of wickedness that are tormenting their life. They need to be set free from these spiritual forces or wickedness so they may know the hope and deliverance found in Yeshua. It is not the person who is coming against you. It is Satan, using that person to attack you.
Daniel 10:12-14 (NKJV)
"12 Then he said to me, 'Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.'”
Daniel was looking for an answer from God. His answer was being stopped by a demon in the spiritual realm - "prince of the kingdom of Persia". Many times we are looking for answers, or seeking a breakthrough in our lives, but that answer doesn't come. WHY? Could be a spiritual host of wickedness, or a principality, waring in the spiritual realm hindering our answer or breakthrough.
Is spiritual warfare for everyone?
Ephesians 6:10-13 (NKJV)
"10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
The Apostle Paul, moved by Holy Spirit, wrote this letter to the ENTIRE church; to every believer. He did not say "to you leaders in Ephesus", or "to you called to battle". NO! He wrote this to "my brethren", referring to the ENTIRE church. EVERYONE of us are called to do warfare in the spiritual realm. Not everyone is called to HIGH LEVEL warfare over a city, or a nation, BUT WE ARE ALL CALLED to battle against the forces of evil coming against our lives and our families.
What types of attacks can I expect?
1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
"8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
Our adversary Satan is always on the prowl looking for ways to bring an attack against our lives, our families, and our cities. He will use many forms of attacks against us. Too many, in too many combinations, to teach about them all in this teaching.
Here are just a few of the tactics he will use:
o Discouragement
o Lack of Faith / Faithlessness
o Hopelessness
o Unbelief
o Temptation
o Addictions
o Confusion
o Violence and hatred toward others.
o And MANY more….
Are there different levels of spiritual warfare?
A. Personal warfare
.
Philippians 2:12 (NKJV)
"12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;"
This is the fight we are in for our own deliverance, salvation, healing, and prosperity. Each of us have to war in the spiritual for our own lives
B. Family Warfare
Genesis 14:14 (NKJV)
"14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan."
When we are in Yeshua and we are free from the enemy we are then called to warfare for our families. We are to rescue them by sharing the Word, praying for them, and binding the strongmen that are coming against them.
C. City Warfare / National Warfare
Joshua 6:1-3 (NKJV)
"1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days."
The Lord will call us to times of warfare for a city. There are strongholds that enclose, trap, and ensnare cities.
Example: the strongman in our area is The Baal of Peor. It is a demonic spirit that works through magic, witchcraft, and sexual immorality. It is a covenant breaking spirit.
The Lord will give a strategy to overcome the walls and the strongman established over a city. It is NOT to entered into alone. It takes a TEAM of like-minded, spirit-filled, people to minister warfare on a city level.
Can just anyone be involved in high level spiritual warfare?
Acts 19:14-16
"14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?'
16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded."
The FIRST requirement is to KNOW YESHUA. Demons know your walk with the LORD, and they know the things you still hide in your heart. They are spirits and can see you when you are alone at home or in your car. If you are listening to worldly music on your drive to work then they know that you are still tied to the things of this world and do not have authority in the spiritual realm. As mentioned earlier, every believer is called to war in the spiritual over their own lives and over their families, but, not everyone is called to warfare in the church, in the city, or in the nation. If you try to war in the spirit at a level that you are not supposed to the enemy can, and will, bring damage to your life. How? When we have open doors to anger, unforgiveness, resentment, disobedience, or any other open door of sin, we DO NOT have authority to war at any level other than our own lives. We MUST FIRST war in our own lives to be free from those things before we can go to war in our cities or in our nation.
AN EXAMPLE: We cannot go to war in the city and fight against racism if we still have cultural pride in our heart. With cultural pride we are exhibiting a spirit of racism against other cultures. It is a process of deliverance and healing that each of us must go through in our own lives before we will have authority to operate in high levels of warfare.
I have accepted Yeshua as my Savior, what next in regards to spiritual warfare?
1. Know WHOSE you are
1 John 4:4 (NKJV)
"4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world"
Remember WHOSE you are, and WHO is in you! Yeshua has overcome and has taken away the authority of Satan and has given YOU the keys to victory! DEPEND TOTALLY ON HOLY SPIRIT WHO LIVES IN YOU
2. Submission and Humility
James 4:7-8 (NKJV)
"7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded"
SUBMIT to GOD and the leadership He has placed over you. Submission is an act of humility and gives you authority in the spiritual realm. How can you expect to have authority unless you first learn to submit to authority? Refer to Matthew 8:9-10
3. Do Not Forget where your fight is
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)
"3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."
It is not about the person or the situation you are facing. IT IS ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL WAR GOING ON IN THAT PERSON OR SITUATION. DO NOT try to fight a spiritual war with fleshly weapons (arguments, contentions, verbal confrontations). FIGHT WITH SPIRITUAL WEAPONS - Prayer, Fasting, and The Word.
Refer to Matthew 6:6 - The prayer closet
Refer to Mark 9:29 - "This kind only comes out with prayer and fasting…"
4. Know the authority that you have in Yeshua and WALK in it
Luke 10:19 (NKJV)
"19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
In Yeshua you have the power and authority to overcome every attack against your life
5. Principle of Binding and Loosening
Matthew 18:18 (NKJV)
"18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 12:28-29 (NKJV)
"28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house."
Seek the Lord to learn the strongman (demonic powers) coming against your life, your family, your city, and your nation. As the Lord shows you, and when He gives you the authority, BIND the strongman. As you bind LOOSEN the opposite.
Example: Bing the strongman of anger, and loose the peace of God
Example: Bind the strongman unforgiveness, and loose the forgiveness of God and mercy
Example: Bind the strongman of death, and loose life found in Yeshua.
6. Never forget WHO brings the victory
Deuteronomy 28:7 (NKJV)
“7 The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways."
It is the LORD, and ONLY the LORD Who brings the victory. It is through submission, surrender, and obedience to GOD that brings the authority and victory over every situation.
7. Put on your armor every day
Ephesians 6:13-18 (NKJV)
"13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints"
Belt of Truth - The Word of God that holds everything together. We NEED to know the Word of God.
Breastplate of Righteousness - It is not in our own righteousness but the Righteousness of God that covers our heart.
Shoe of Peace - Let the Peace of God lead you on every road and path. Walk in His peace (shalom).
Shield of Faith - Never lose faith in what God says in His Word or in the promises He has given you.
Helmet of Salvation - Let the fact that you are saved in Yeshua guard your mind against attack. Apply the Blood of Salvation in Yeshua over your mind daily.
Sword of the Spirit - The Word of God will defeat every lie and every accusation of the enemy
Praying in the Spirit - Pray in your prayer language OFTEN, and pray with understanding as led by the Holy Spirit
Be watchful - Always be vigilant in the Spirit. We don't go looking for demons around every corner, but we cannot not be naïve to the fact that there is a roaring lion out there seeking to rob, kill, and destroy.
Closing Remarks:
As stated in the beginning, this article is not designed to cover all areas and facets of spiritual warfare. It is a simple introduction to the topic. There are many resources available to study the topic more in depth. Just make sure that the resources you choose are from people of integrity and who are walking in covenant with the Lord. There are many teachings out there that are out of alignment from the Word of God. Please pray and use ask Holy Spirit for discernment. Spiritual warfare is a very real subject, one that much of the church has neglected, but it is also an area where many Christians could be destroyed by the adversary, Satan, if it is not treated wisely and through the power of Holy Spirit. Be encouraged because even though there is a very real battle in the spirit you have already obtained the victory through Yeshua. Allow His Holy Spirit to guide you and direct you as you engage in the fight that every believer of Yeshua enters into.
Shalom.
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