This is an important question, because "spiritual warfare" means different things to different people. The term itself is not found in the scriptures, but the concept is taught. Two of the most commonly associated passages were written by the Apostle Paul.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For 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 heavenly realms." Eph. 6:10-12
Our ministry's stress upon spiritual warfare is an attempt to bring about a proper balance in Christian lives. So many Christians have become passive and fearful. Some are satisfied just to believe the right things and attend church services and activities each week. This type of lifestyle is quite different from that which Jesus had called believers. Like the apostles (Lk 9:1-2) and the seventy (Lk 10) who were told by Jesus to go out and preach and teach about the kingdom of God, and he also said they were to heal the sick and set the captives free. In Matt. 28:18-20, Jesus commissioned the disciples.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. and remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
The new converts were to be discipled and taught that God wanted them to be doing the things that Christ's disciples had been doing. And Jesus would be with His people to the end of the age, doing His works through them as they were yielded to Him in faith.
The reason ministries like ours exist at all is because of the failure of the Church to obey all of Christ's commission to His people. Working in the power of Christ to do extraordinary things in His name has been reasoned away, saying, "God does not work like that today." But we, and ministries like us, are reminders that God continues to work the way He did with the first century Church.
Spiritual warfare is a pro-active approach to our faith. We actively resist the devil when his hosts harass us. We actively pursue spiritual disciplines that will make us stronger and better prepared. We actively engage the enemy when people are in spiritual bondage.
We utilize prayer as a weapon to penetrate strongholds that cannot be reached in any other way. Spiritual warfare is the putting aside of passive attitudes towards faith which keep us from commitment and cause us to pursue only those things that will benefit us. Instead of seeking our own agenda, we submit our will to God and accept the sacrifices He calls us to make.
There is not one area of Christian ministry that has not become a battleground, but often there is not discernment that some form of spiritual resistance is in place. It has become common to attribute a natural or human explanation to most problems and leave it at that. The one who has a spiritual warfare perspective will be inclined to test the situation to ascertain whether or not there is something more than natural influences involved. For instance, when my daughter started having a series of painful bone cysts develop at the base of her spine, we challenged them with prayer and spiritual authority and they disappeared. When people enter our office for ministry, they often develop headaches or experience overwhelming fear. A command of spiritual authority immediately brings relief.
A spiritual warrior has an alertness to the activity of the enemy. This alertness is by no means fear or paranoia. He does not go around crediting Satan and his hosts for everything wrong under the sun. The Apostle Paul was a good example of a spiritual warrior. He didn't go out of his way to look for demonic activity, but when he encountered it, he quickly recognized it and then he confronted it with spiritual authority victoriously.
A spiritual warrior knows he must bring discipline to his thought life and to his actions. If he allows these areas to be compromised, he will not be effective in resisting the enemy. He takes sin very seriously, because he knows that sin always gives the adversary an advantage. He must always be on guard against comparing himself with others and being entrapped by the subtlety of religious pride. The true warrior knows that he can do nothing that is affective in his own strength. His strength, authority, wisdom and discernment are dependent upon his close walk with his Lord. He should always remain focused and guard himself against distraction caused by problems and troubles that appear. These are designed to get his eyes off the Lord and lure him into working in the flesh.
Understanding spiritual warfare provides a new perspective on parenthood. Parents are entrusted with children by the Lord to nurture, cherish and protect. In the parent, the child needs to see a reflection of God's attributes of unconditional love, faithfulness and holiness. The parent should become a steward of God's grace in the home and be on guard against the enemy's assaults on any member of the family. A godly parent can exercise great authority in the name of Christ to resist the enemy and fight on behalf of the children. Like Job, a parent is also the priest of the home, bringing the sins of the children to God so that the enemy cannot establish strongholds in their lives.
Spiritual warfare awareness can also be very effective in witnessing and evangelism. You learn to recognize the barriers and strongholds in advance and prepare the way through prayer, spiritual authority, divine appointments and ministry.
A spiritual warrior knows his inheritance in Christ. He knows God's promises and is not easy prey to the lies and deceptions of the enemy, who tries to call these promises and inheritance into question. He understands the lie is the enemy's language and his most effective weapon. Therefore, the warrior seeks constantly to fortify himself in an understanding of God's truth which he wears like armor for protection.
To summarize what I have been talking about, a commitment to spiritual warfare means:
1. A New Attitude - You begin to think like an overcomer with a victorious attitude. You walk according to your inheritance of grace in Christ. You no longer have an attitude of playing it safe or seeking not to rock the boat. You realize you want to be on the front lines for God, not trying to live the comfortable life with as few problems as possible.
2. A Greater Focus - You carefully guard against the attempts to distract you or to push your buttons. You recognize that the enemy likes to entangle God's people in the cares of this world or provoke us to react in the flesh. You understand the importance of keeping your eyes on the Lord and standing in faith upon God's character, not in your abilities.
3. A Necessary Discipline - You have begun to discipline yourself on all levels. You are setting more time aside for study and prayer. You are spending more time being alert and obedient to the leading of the Spirit.
4. A More Balanced Biblical World View - You take very seriously the Biblical warnings to God's people about an enemy that is real.
Personal Accountability
This ministry's work is centered in deliverance counseling, which God called us to a number of years ago. Many of the truths we teach in our seminars and apply in this ministry have been sifted through this laboratory of life experience as we used the instruments of God's Word and His Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.
Deliverance counseling is surely not a cure-all by any means, but it is an effective way to address a pervasive problem that most other kinds of counseling do not consider or attempt to address. It is a ministry of last resort for many who have been through countless tests, medication and treatment as well as all sorts of counseling and therapies for years with little or no results.
We have had to plunge into God's Word and spend much time seeking His guidance in order to maintain the proper balance and perspective in such a controversial and dynamic area of ministry.
Because of continued abuse in this area by some, as well as the confusion and misunderstanding on the part of many, we seem to always be dealing with a credibility gap in the Christian community. It is hard for people to relate to the spiritual dynamics that are experienced in this kind of ministry, when so little is practically taught in Bible schools and seminaries or from our pulpits. There is a great deal of theological resistance and intolerance in our midst that makes it difficult to even dialogue.
On of the major concerns directed toward this type of ministry is that we relieve people of personal accountability for sin in their lives. As far as this ministry is concerned, personal accountability is the very foundation of our approach when dealing with demonic oppression. I do realize that there are ministries that have neglected this very crucial area and that is unfortunate. But we truly believe that if there is demonic activity in a person's life, it is there because some sort of sin claim has been given to Satan through personal consent. Satan's work is built on the foundation of the sins of the flesh.
We seek to identify sin areas and call people to accountability, repentance, confession and renunciation. Then we administer God's grace.
Book To Consider
TOUCH THE WORLD THROUGH PRAYER - by Wesley L. Duewel
Excerpts
"God has a wonderful plan by which you can have world-wide influence."
"You yourself can influence more people for God and have a greater role in advancing Christ's cause by prayer than in any other way. It is not the only thing you must do, but it is the greatest thing you can do."
"As a child of God you have full authority to contact God, the Sovereign of the universe, whenever you desire. He is always enthroned in heaven; yet, through prayer, you have as much access to His presence as any angel or archangel."
"God has been pleased to build into His eternal plan that we His children join with Christ in His intercessory role and rule today."
"Prayer grasps hold of the promises of God and erects them like a wall between us and the powers of darkness. Prayer can bring God's angels rushing to our assistance. (2 Ki 6:15-17; Dan. 10:13; Heb 1:14)
"The greatest way in which Christians can mediate blessing is through prayer."
Views: 4
You need to be a member of I Am A Ruby Network! to add comments!
31 Spiritual Warfare Scriptures to Read, Pray, and Memorize:
1. "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
2. "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4
3. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor. 10:3-5
4. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith." 1 Pet. 5:8-9
5. "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me," declares the Lord." Is. 54:17
6. "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Eph. 6:11-17
7. "In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Rom. 8:37
8. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 15:57
9. "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." Zech. 4:6
10. "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thess. 3:3
11. “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19
12. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
13. "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." Matt. 18:18-19
14. “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” Deut. 28:7
15. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
16. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13
17. “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
18. “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:21
19. “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Rev.12:11
20. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Tim. 6:12
21. “,,,On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18
22. “…the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.” 1 John 3:8
23. “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Is. 40:31
24. “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.” Josh. 23:10
25. “Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you.” Deut. 3:22
26. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Rom. 8:31
27. “Through You we will push back our adversaries, through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.” Ps. 44:5
28. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Josh. 1:9
29. “For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.” Ps. 18:39
30. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart…” Ps. 91:1-4
31. "This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's." 2 Chron. 20:15
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayers of the righteous draw them near to God {Heb.7:25}, open the way to a Spirit-filled life {Luke 11:13},brings them power for ministry {Eph.1:19}, build them up spiritually {Jude 20}, help them overcome Satan {Dan. 10:12-13}, bring them deliverance from trouble {Ps. 34:4-7}.
Just wanted to share this also God desires our fellowship by prayer we maintain and grow in our relationship with Him. Prayer is necessary link to receiving God's blessings and power and to receiving the fulfillment of His promise. His plan of salvation for humankind God has ordained that believers be co-workers with Him in the redemptive process.Then I read this 7 requirements of effective praying: our prayers will not be answered unless we have a sincere, true, faith. Authority in prayer is Jesus' name . Prayer is effective when it is in harmony or agreement with God's will and Word. Not only must we pray in agreement with God's will but we must be living in harmony with God's will if we expect Him to hear and answer us. Our prayers to e effective we must be persistent in prayer and faith.
Replies
31 Spiritual Warfare Scriptures to Read, Pray, and Memorize:
1. "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
2. "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4
3. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor. 10:3-5
4. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith." 1 Pet. 5:8-9
5. "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me," declares the Lord." Is. 54:17
6. "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Eph. 6:11-17
7. "In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Rom. 8:37
8. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 15:57
9. "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." Zech. 4:6
10. "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thess. 3:3
11. “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” Luke 10:19
12. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
13. "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." Matt. 18:18-19
14. “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” Deut. 28:7
15. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
16. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13
17. “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
18. “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom. 12:21
19. “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Rev.12:11
20. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Tim. 6:12
21. “,,,On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18
22. “…the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.” 1 John 3:8
23. “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Is. 40:31
24. “One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you.” Josh. 23:10
25. “Do not fear them, for the Lord your God is the one fighting for you.” Deut. 3:22
26. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” Rom. 8:31
27. “Through You we will push back our adversaries, through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.” Ps. 44:5
28. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Josh. 1:9
29. “For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.” Ps. 18:39
30. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart…” Ps. 91:1-4
31. "This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's." 2 Chron. 20:15
▶ Reply
Spiritual Warfare is taking a stand against the evil one, to do battle...
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Stand in the Word
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayers of the righteous draw them near to God {Heb.7:25}, open the way to a Spirit-filled life {Luke 11:13},brings them power for ministry {Eph.1:19}, build them up spiritually {Jude 20}, help them overcome Satan {Dan. 10:12-13}, bring them deliverance from trouble {Ps. 34:4-7}.
Just wanted to share this also God desires our fellowship by prayer we maintain and grow in our relationship with Him. Prayer is necessary link to receiving God's blessings and power and to receiving the fulfillment of His promise. His plan of salvation for humankind God has ordained that believers be co-workers with Him in the redemptive process.Then I read this 7 requirements of effective praying: our prayers will not be answered unless we have a sincere, true, faith. Authority in prayer is Jesus' name . Prayer is effective when it is in harmony or agreement with God's will and Word. Not only must we pray in agreement with God's will but we must be living in harmony with God's will if we expect Him to hear and answer us. Our prayers to e effective we must be persistent in prayer and faith.