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| Basic Dynamics of Spiritual Warfare |
After baptism you sign yourself up for a spiritual war. This war is fighting a very real enemy, and this is Satan. While it is important to note that this should not inhabit our whole concentration, it is imperative that we should be ever aware of this fact. Ephesians 6:18 says “With this in mind, be alert…” The bible encourages this mentality therefore we should take the initiative.
Are we in the Midst of an Unseen War?
Yes. In Daniel 10 an angel gives Daniel insight into what goes on behind the scenes saying that the angels where in conflict with a “Prince of Babylon”. There are also several other accounts in the Bible where warrior angels are seen helping the saints in actual physical battles that where determined and encouraged by God.
Do we Fight Demons?
This question is difficult to answer. Are we vital to this war? No. Victory has already been predetermined ever since Jesus died on the cross. Are battles lost over certain areas because of Christian’s poor participation or willingness to join in the fight? Absolutely, but the loss of a few battles do not necessarily determine the outcome of a war unless they are strategically essential.
The true question is: Do we engage demons directly? Not really. The only direct confrontation with demons will be when we are dealing with possessed individuals or when Satan gets desperate. As for the majority of the war we indirectly affect it with prayer, growing strong in the lord and setting prisoners free, aka evangelism.
The Nature of the War:
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the authorities, against the powers, the powers of this darkness and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Whether you are willing to risk war or not, it is already upon you… the only thing you can do to not be destroyed is to dust of your sword and put on your armor and prepare for battle.
The Deciding Factor: Obtain the Holy Spirit
All of this may be a little overwhelming that creatures of darkness are out to destroy you. However don’t be afraid, that is if you have the Holy Spirit in you. 1 John 5:18-19 says “The one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world under the control of the evil one.” This means that if we have the Holy Spirit you have already won the battle, victory is assured for you, but this will not mean you will not face opposition. In fact you will probably face more opposition than you ever would if you where not Christian.
The Enemy Lord’s Tactics
Let me make this clear: Satan is as real as God is, and he is a very real threat to us that we need to be aware of… but not to fear. A good example of Satan paranoia is Salem and the Salem Witch Trials where paranoia and fear of the Devil led to demonic possession and killing of innocent people… then the Devil covered it up and used it as a way to make Christians look bad. Satan is a very good strategist and deceiver and is no fool. However we can learn to combat and counteract his tactics, even by knowing the meaning behind his names:
*Satan: “Adversary” (Job 1:6-7; 1 Thess. 2:18) He opposes God and works against Him.
*Devil: “Slanderer (1 Peter 5:8) He will stir up false accusations against God’s people to ruin their reputation and self-esteem.
*Lucifer: “Son of the morning (Isaiah 14:12) He will appear as beautiful and attract you to his beliefs.
*Beelzebub: “Lord of the Flies” (Matthew 12:24) He and his demons are attracted to sin as flies are.
*Belial: (2 Corinthians 6:15) Name of a false god. Meaning he will do anything to divert your attention and worship onto him.
Clearly these attacks aren’t direct, and if you’ve read Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” You know that Sun Tzu clearly states that you are to avoid direct conflict as much as possible and undermine the enemy through indirect means, which is exactly what Satan does. He uses subtle tactics to undermine and trap you until the time you realize you’re in a trap it’s too late. Even worse, these attacks can be deadly so it’s important that we know how to defend ourselves from them.
Defense: The Armor of God
In Ephesians 6: 14-18 Paul describes something called the armor of God. He also seems to list the specific order we should put on these specific pieces of armor. Warriors always go to battle with their armor on because if they don’t injury and death are certain. This armor is not physical, but neither are our enemies so this makes sense. It is important that at all times we have this armor on, otherwise we risk exposure to the enemies’ lethal attacks.
The Belt of Truth (Eph. 6:14): Probably the most important piece of armor in this passage, because it ties the whole armor together. To put and keep on this particular piece of armor we must know the truth that God has stated, act upon it, and say it with our own lips. However beware of your motives. If you are practicing on it as a set of rules as a normal religion would than the belt you think you have put on will not work. It would be a counterfeit slipped to you by Satan. In order to gain the belt you must act upon it as an effort to gain a relationship with God. We must be honest to ourselves and God, even when confessing or doing something we don’t like.
The Breastplate of Righteousness (Eph. 6:14): When Paul wrote Ephesians 6 he modeled the Armor of God after the Roman guards that patrolled his cell. Romans actually called breastplates “Heart Guards” because it protected the heart and the chest area. To put on this particular piece is to desire intimate relationship with God, conform to his will as a friend or even a lover would his/ her mate and trust in Him. Doing this, we should be able to see ourselves the way God sees us, as beautiful and valuable. Having this vision of ourselves the “Accuser” will not be able to influence us through false talk about who or what we are.
Standing Firm in the Gospel (Eph. 6:15): Those who practice swordsmanship or even any type of sport know that footwork and footing is essential. For a swordsman the reason for this is so you can’t be knocked over and impaled on the enemy’s sword. When soldiers have a solid foundation, they stand unmoved by the enemy. To obtain this piece of armor you must be sure of the gospel of Christ to dispel doubts sent by the enemy. We must be confident that we where saved by Christ and that in the end everything will be alright. This is also to be sure that we won’t succumb to a false Gospel or religion. To stand firm in the gospel means to trust in Jesus alone.
The Shield of Faith (Eph. 6:16): Faith means absolute confidence in God, being sure of what we can prove to also be sure of the things we can’t prove by faith (Hebrews 11:1). We must trust in God’s promises and be confident that he will come through, even when it doesn’t come when it’s convenient for us. A good verse that could become a “Shield of Faith” Is Psalm 84:11. “The Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He with hold from those who walk uprightly.”
The Helmet of Salvation (Eph. 6:17): Every warrior from the knights, samurai, Spartans to modern day soldiers wear some form of helmet in battle. This was for a very good and simple reason. If you get hit in the head, you’re out. No questions asked. In addition to this, Christians have another thing to worry about… the majority of the battles we face in this war are present in our minds, so we must worry even more about protecting it. The key to putting on the helmet is being confident in the victory God will provide for us today, expecting delivery on a daily basis. The ability to reason logically from a biblical perspective. We can’t just be able to do this when things are fine, but also when things are falling apart too. The helmet protects you from fear of the future, loss and threats from a powerful enemy.
Offence: Wielding your Weapons
War isn’t all defense, you need to have a reasonable offence too, possibly even a better offence at times. You also need to attack the enemy as well as fend him off.
Sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17): A sword takes a lot of practice to wield. Swordsmen must be able to wield it so proficiently that it would become like an extension of their arm. The movements must become so natural that it’s like second nature. Our sword is, in fact, the bible. “Take… the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.” We must be able to retrieve and understand versus at will. Especially if you are directly confronting demons you must be able to quote versus word for word out loud which means we must know them in the first place.
Prayer- Our Bow and Arrows (Eph. 6:18): Though the Bible never specifically refers to prayer being a bow and arrows that is the closest thing I can see it as besides a spiritual cannon. Prayer is a long distance weapon, more often than not used to ask for protection for yourself, someone else or other things. In essence prayer is the cover fire. We must at times pray earnestly, not just a quick word or two but hours of deep conversation with God concerning certain occasions, emotions, events, people etc. There’s also strategic prayer or rather praying in the moment, or even constant communication as you walk, talk or do other things.
When the Enemy Gets Desperate
Though chances are we will never be attacked by demons directly there have been rare instances where believers have been directly attacked by them. Even I have experienced this rare instance. After it happened I wondered several things. 1) Whether I was crazy and if it really happened and 2) Where I slipped up to allow the enemy to get under my defense. I was relieved to find that other believers had experienced this kind of attack besides me. Several things are cohesive about these attacks. One in particular was all of these attacks began while the oppressed where sleeping waking up after the attack had begun, often accompanied with irrational and sudden fear along with the physical attack. Normally the demons are still unseen as they are attacking… in other instances they are indeed visible. I learned from the book “The Invisible War” by Chris Ingram that there are a few instances where a direct attack becomes more likely:
1. Spiritual growth
2. Invading enemy territory (Evangelism)
3. Exposing the Enemy
4. Breaking sinful addictions
5. Blessings to come
Sometimes our greatest victories are preceded or followed by fierce opposition in both the seen and unseen realms. However even when things do get physical you don’t have anything to fear. When you face the enemy for real all you need to do is use your sword (most often it helps to quote the text out loud.) And pray that God will send angels to your aid. If you ask God to protect you He certainly will. If you follow these instructions take up the sword and put on your armor the enemy will certainly have something to fear from you.
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