12. Spiritual Warfare  -  II

 

D. Our weapons

 

Spiritual warfare is to be exercised for two main reasons:

    for the expanding of God’s Kingdom, and

    for our protection and safety.

 

2Cor.10:3-5  -  our weapons are:

       spiritual, i.e. not physical or material;

       divinely powerful -  with God’s Omnipotence behind them.

 

We must remember, that we must use spiritual weapons and conduct our warfare in the 4th dimension, being careful not to fall into the trap of attempting to defeat spiritual forces with carnal or physical means.

 

 

1. The weapon of authority in Jesus’ Name

 

Jas. 4:7  - 

    Authority must be exercised; God has done His part, we are to do ours.

    There is a time to address Satan and his powers verbally and direct. Jesus spoke to Satan: Luke 4:1-13, Matt.16:21-23.

    Never do it carelessly or lightly.

    Always do it quoting the Name of Jesus as our Authority.

 

Both from experience and the Bible’s teaching, it is necessary to confront the powers of darkness:

       we are to rebuke and to command Satan and his demon spirits:

	Matt. 4:10	- Be gone, Satan!
	Matt.16:23	- Get behind me, Satan!
	Mark 16:17	- casting out demons by command in Jesus’ Name.

 

       we are to bind and to loose with the keys of the Kingdom:



Matt.16:14-19

- the context here is one of warfare and invasion of Satanic headquarters by the church. The keys are the keys of spiritual authority (Matt.18:18).

 

Rebuking, commanding, binding and loosing are to be loosed in our warfare against the kingdom of darkness with the following restrictions:

    never apart from the will of God, and from principles of the Word of God, e.g. never purely for our benefit only, or as an expression of self, the flesh or rebellion in our hearts;

    we have full right to exercise this warfare, but only in the context of the Kingdom, the establishing and maintaining of it;

    never overriding the will of man, as God Himself respects it.

 

 

2. The weapon of the Word of God

 

Eph. 6:17  -  describes the Word of God as a spiritual sword. It has to be pointed out, that the Word is the Sword of the Spirit of God. Merely quoting it as a “magic formula” will never accomplish anything! We are to use it in the strength and empowering of the Spirit of God. This implies:

       we must be familiar with It, have It in our hearts and minds;

       we must be walking in the Spirit, Who is able to bring the relevant verses to mind and make them alive;

       we are to have faith in the Word  -  use it by faith with boldness.

 

 

3. The weapon of prayer and intercession

 

There are four ways in which prayer and intercession can be used in spiritual warfare:

1.    for our own protection as individuals and families;

2.    for deliverance of men and women from the powers of darkness;

3.    in aggressive war upon the works of darkness generally;

4.    against the hierarchy of satanic powers opposed to our Lord and His Church.

 

 

4. The weapon of praise

 

Sufficient at this point is to note the following:

    Praise must be an integral part of Christian life and warfare;

    Praise opens up ways for God’s power to go at work;

    Praise is an expression of faith, and helps us to exercise faith;

    Praise uplifts and exalts the Lordship and Authority of Jesus; it intensifies our confidence and faith in Him as Lord;

    Praise causes the powers of darkness to tremble in fear of the Authority and Power of our God, and causes them to flee.

 

 

E. We use our weapons in the following types of warfare:

 

 

1. For our protection, welfare and success as individuals and families

 

Matt. 6:13  -  deliver us from evil:

       this is to be a daily prayer, cf. v.11 ;

       it implies a context of continual danger;

       we are to pray for:

    protection from unnecessary attack;

    to be led in a path that will avoid unnecessary temptation;

    for sensitivity to discern and recognize Satan’s schemes.

 

In Luke 4:1-13 we see the example of Jesus, how He reacted towards the enemy, when He was tempted and attacked.

 

Eph. 6:16  -  we have to take up the shield of faith during the attack on our minds.

 

From our side we have to launch attacks on forces and strategies that stand in our way to fulfil God’s will in our lives.

 

 

2. For deliverance of men and women

 

2Cor.10:4  -  releasing the oppressed and demonized (cf. Mark 9: 20-29), held by the strongholds (fortresses) of Satan. How?

       to mobilize the armies of heaven, God’s angels, and to control demons;

       this type of warfare can be fought for extended periods of time;

       remind yourself, that such warfare be conducted:

    under the direction of the Spirit;

    by those who have some understanding of the enemy and his ways;

    by committed and submissive people.

 

 

3. In war upon the works of darkness generally

 

Especially in the context of our nations and leaders (1Tim. 2:1-3), in order to:

       frustrate and confuse the powers of darkness;

       break the strongholds of the enemy;

       help all those in authority  and security to do their work properly;

       release the armies of heaven.

 

 

       During the past years satanists in various parts of the world have fasted and prayed to their god to  mobilize demon spirits to destroy Christian marriages, with a measure of success.

       We employ the same, but far more successful. When our prayers are mingled with the commands of God, myriads of angelic hosts are mobilized to fight.

 

 

4. Against the hierarchy of satanic powers, opposed to our Lord and His Church

 

    Of all the wars that are waged by the kingdom of darkness,  the one launched upon the church is the most intense.

    Many churches in history have floundered and disintegrated, because believers have not understood the nature of what is happening, and failed to engage in spiritual warfare. The results have been: divisions, splits, discouragement, financial struggles, the fall of leaders, apathy, complacency, impotence.

 

The church must go to spiritual war on behalf of its people and leaders for:

       protection from unnecessary attacks;

       avoidance of unnecessary temptations;

       discernment to recognize Satan’s schemes;

       unity, commitment, spiritual growth;

       release from satanic bondage;

       the confusion, frustration and paralysing the enemy forces opposing the progress of the church in establishing the Kingdom of God;

       the release of property, equipment and finances for the use of the Kingdom.

 

The degree of unity and the type of relationships in a local body will determine the effectiveness of their corporate authority.

 

 

5. In the field of evangelism and church planting to establish the Kingdom of God:

 

    to open up areas to evangelism by dethroning the principalities;

    to paralyse the satanic resistance;

    to liberate property and equipment for the Kingdom.