We believe that spiritual warfare is a definite and distinct reality for the believer in Christ. As part of the army of God in the earth, we must stand, fight, and commit as good soldiers of Christ. We enforce His victory in the earth- that precious victory that was purchased nearly 2,000 years ago at Calvary! Spiritual warfare exists at three distinct levels:
Between God and the Heavenly Hosts and Satan and his evil forces
This is the cosmic conflict that is prehistoric in nature, finding its origins in eons past. This prehistoric and ongoing struggle is alluded to in Scripture in Ezekiel chapter 28 and Isaiah 14. Lucifer’s rebellion and casting down from heaven began this titanic conflict, which continues even as we speak. However, what the Scriptures are not clear about is the nature of the combat, i.e. exactly how angels and demons do battle. In Daniel, chapter 10, we read the account of the sublime heavenly being appearing to Daniel and describing warfare which had transpired between himself and the Prince (Prince spirit of darkness) of Persia. He (the angel) also spoke to Daniel concerning the fact that he had been assisted by Michael, the archangel. As an adversary, an opponent of righteousness, God allows the devil a sanctioned latitude to do his dirty work of deceiving men and wreaking havoc on the earth. However, he is held on a sovereign “string” serving as a tempter and moral tester of men.
Between the demonic realm and the Redeemed
Genesis 3:15, foundational for understanding spiritual conflict, provides a prophetic description of this battle in the judgment spoken against the serpent “And I will put enmity between you and the women, and between your offspring and hers, he will crush you on the head, and you will strike (bruise) him on the heal.” Thus, hatred would always prevail between Christ, and all the other subsequent children of men, and the seed of the serpent. Until Jesus returns to deliver the world from Satan and sin (II Thes 1:5-10), the devil continues to strike at the “heel” of the body of Christ, but in Christ, we always have the victory. Satan endeavors to invest his limited power where it will reap the greatest reward. His strategy, therefore, is to undermine values, promote godless ideologies, and moral decay- anything that pollutes the minds and perverts the wills of people. He seeks to oppress the believer and to “wear out” the saints of the most High through discouragement, (Dan 7:25). God has given us formidable weapons of warfare to combat Satan, namely:
- Prayer - Individual and Corporate, (Mk 9:29; Acts12:5).
- Fasting, (Mk 9:29). • The Word of God (Eph 6:17).
- The Gift of Tongues, (Rom 8:26). • Praise, (Ps 149:5-9).
- Worship, (Acts 16:25).
- Godly Friendships and Relationships, (Eccl 4:9-12).
- Local Church Covering and Protection, (1 Pe 5:8-9).
- Spiritual Leadership, (Heb 13:17).
The Battle to Deceive and Blind the Non-Christian
Paul tells us that “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ”, (II Cor 4:4). Describing the Ephesian believers, he points out that at one time they were all dead in sin and “followed the ways of this world and of the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit who is now working in the children of disobedience”, (Eph 2:2). We must pray against the tactics of the devil and stand in the gap for the lost (Ez 22:30), to break the bands of wickedness over their minds, believing God to shine His light in their hearts, as Paul says, “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they might receive forgiveness of sins, (Acts 26:18).
We have the weapons to use against Satan and his minions, (Eph 6:10-18) for “Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world”, (I John 4:4).