11. Spiritual Warfare - I
A. The enemy
I. The origin of the enemy
As introduction to this chapter kindly read Chapter 1.B and C again.
Ezek.28:11-16 - it is about a very special creature of God (in some translations called Lucifer):
had the seal of perfection;
full of wisdom and beauty;
was the anointed cherub who covers….. (possibly in a position of responsibility over others);
on the holy mountain of God (possibly God’s throne room or centre of control);
eventually turned against God;
cast from the mountain of God.
Is. 14:13-15 - Lucifer rebelled:
expressed by his five I wills in this passage;
we have here a hint of his (Lucifer’s or Satan’s) headquarters - Sheol.
Rev. 12:1-9 - Lucifer, also called the dragon and the serpent of old, sweeps a third of the stars of heaven to the earth, possible angels, who are referred to in verse 9 (his angels also referred to in Matt.25:41).
Some of these angels are in prison - Jude 6, 2Pet. 2:4.
II. The enemy’s hierarchy
Eph. 6:12 - there are:
rulers
powers
world forces of this darkness;
spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Matt.25:41 - Satan is regarded as being in charge of his angels.
John 12:31 - Satan had also become the ruler of this world (John 14:30, 16:11) by means of Adam and Eve’s submission to him in the garden.
2Cor. 4:4 - He is called here the god of this world.
Eph. 2:2 - and here: the prince of the power of the air.
III. How the enemy operates
Joh.10:10 - His overall aim for us is: to steal, to kill and to destroy.
1Pet. 5:8 - and also to devour.
The enemy achieves this by means of:
2Cor. 2:10-11 - gaining advantage over those who will not forgive;
Eph. 6:16 - firing flaming missiles at us, including verbal and mental attacks, doubt, criticism, condemnation, fear, temptation, etc. (2Cor.11:3 - leading minds astray);
Acts 10: 38 - oppressed by the devil. In this verse healing was the means of setting people free from this oppression. It must be remembered, that healing in the Bible includes healing of the entire man: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually - and oppression can affect all these areas;
Col.1:13 - enslaving and dominating people;
Luke 11:24 - demonization (Eph. 2:2 - working in the sons of disobedience);
Job 1:16,19 - using natural physical forces and things against believers;
Acts 16:16-24, 13:6-11 - motivating and influencing people against believers;
1Sam.16:14-23, cf. Is.61:3 - by means of creating spiritual atmospheres around us and affecting our emotions;
Deut. 5:7-10, 18:9-14 - enslavement, oppression, demonization through involvement in the occult (idolatry);
Deut. 28:15-25 - negative effects on lives, property and circumstances by means of curses.
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Luke 13:11-16 |
- sickness, infirmity, pain; |
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Mark 5:1-19 |
- insanity, abnormal behaviour, isolation, |
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2Cor. 4:4 |
- spiritual blindness; |
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Is. 61:3 |
- depression , oppression; |
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Luke 4:31-35 |
- immorality and perversion; |
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Hos. 4:12, 5:4 |
- harlotry; |
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1Cor.12:3 |
- blasphemy; |
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1Tim. 4:1 |
- heresy and false religion; |
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Lev. 20:6 |
- estrangement from God; |
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1John 4:3 |
- anti-Christian and anti-Christ attitudes and |
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Luke 22:3-4, Matt. 27: 3,5 |
- anti-Christ and suicide; |
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John 10:10 |
- death. |
B. Our authority
Luke 10:19 - our authority over all the power of the enemy.
Matt.16:13-19 - our authority in the keys: binding and loosing.
Mark 16:17 - our authority in Jesus’ Name !
to cast out demons from people, children, animals, buildings, places, areas.
C. Our protection
Rev.12:11 –
the blood of Jesus ensures our standing with God; we are His sons and daughters, and thus we have certain rights (not a mystical shroud!);
the word of our testimony; the power of our confession of faith in our Lord about what He has done, and what He promised (and still promises) to do;
not loving our lives, even to death; Satan has no grip on such people.
Eph. 6:10-18 –
meditate on truth, practice it, confess it!
live in righteousness, honesty and integrity;
always be prepared to share the gospel of peace;
exercise faith continually as a shield;
live in the consciousness of your salvation as a helmet guarding your mind and heart;
be at all times in touch with headquarters by means of praying in the Spirit.
Ps. 91 - dwelling in the secret place, shelter and shadow of the Most High:
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v. 9 |
- making the Lord our Refuge and Dwelling Place; |
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vv. 3, 14 |
- He delivers; |
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v. 4 |
- He covers; |
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v.11 |
- He gives angels charge concerning us to guard us |
Job 1:9-10 - Job’s hedge:
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our families |
- his house; |
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our possessions |
- on every side. |
Basic requirements for successful spiritual warfare:
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John 1:12-13 |
- we must be born of the Spirit of God; otherwise one cannot be |
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Rom. 6:1-7 |
- we must have been baptized by faith; |
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Acts 1:8 |
- we must have been baptized in the Holy Spirit; |
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Jas. 4:7 |
- we must be in submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; |
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Eph. 5:21 |
- we must be in submission to elders, the state and our parents |
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Eph. 4:16 |
- we must be committed to and be involved in a local body as far |
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1Pet. 5:8 |
- we need to be constantly sober, serious and alert , and to |
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Deut. 20:1-8 |
- we need to be prepared, unafraid and trained for battle; |
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We need to know and to believe in the results of our salvation: |
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our enemy has been defeated;
our authority has been restored;
we are free from the domain of darkness (Col.1:13);
we are forgiven and accepted in Jesus (Col.1:14);
we are destined to victory (1John 5:4);
we are dead to sin and to Satan’s power ( Rom. 6:10-11);
we need to make sure, that we ourselves are free from demonic oppression, curses and demonization.