We are in a spiritual war and will be in spiritual war until Jesus comes back for the Church. We are fighting for our own soul and for the souls of our family, friends, and Church.
How do we fight these spiritual battles?
Many would immediately respond
“PRAY! and FAST! and quote Scripture.”
Yes, we pray. And yes, we fast
occasionally. And yes, the Scriptures
are a powerful tool against the devil.
Jesus used Scripture to combat the devil’s tactics when he came to Him
in the wilderness, tempting Him. But there is more to spiritual warfare than
those three things.
I will admit and confess, I am
nothing in and of myself. I’m not perfected, but daily I’m striving to be the
vessel that God wants me to be. What I
may share in this lesson is not to brag or boast. I’m merely sharing the hard lessons I’ve
learned through prayer and God’s leading in hopes that it may help others who
are engaged in spiritual warfare. This
is what I’ve learned….
1.
Stay in an attitude of repentance
Several years ago, God revealed
that there were strongholds in the Church. I began to pray Psalm 144:1 asking,
“Lord, teach my hands to war and my fingers to fight in the Spirit.”
As I did, God began to deal with
me to stay in an attitude of repentance. Sin in our lives gives the devil a
foothold and leverage over us, hindering us from being able to take full
authority. That’s why he’ll come at you to tempt you and try you over and over
again. You’ll get through one battle
only to feel you’ve begun another.
Because I didn’t want the devil
to have any leverage or foothold, I began to repent of anything and everything
that came to mind. I’ve always repented daily since I was a child, but this was
different. It was deeper and more
sincere.
I began to really search my heart
and mind, asking God to forgive me for any wrong attitudes, wrong spirits,
wrong words, wrong actions, wrong thoughts, anger, gossip, backbiting,
bitterness, rebellious thoughts/words/or actions, etc.
I repented of all I could think
of, then I asked God to show me anything I needed to repent of that I had not
thought about. Five years later, I’m still continuing to do the same.
2.
Stay submitted to God and spiritual authority
Many do not like to talk about
the ‘S’ word. It’s as if ‘submission’ is
a cuss word to them. It’s taboo to so
many. I’ve mentioned that word on
occasion in Bible studies and am amazed at the resistance that arises. It’s God’s Word, not man’s.
Let me share with you what God
woke me up early one morning recently to reveal and show me….
James 4:7 instructs us…
(1)
SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God
(2)
RESIST the devil
(3)
<and we are promised> he will flee from you
Why is submit mentioned first?
Because it is the opposite of
what the devil operates in which is rebellion.
SUBMIT to God and spiritual
authority (as the Bible instructs)
RESIST the devil – resist rising
up in rebellion
Pride and rebellion are the two spirits
you will see battled the most in the Church and from someone who is supposed to
be a Born Again Christian, because those are the two things that caused the
devil to be kicked out of heaven.
Korah rose up in rebellion
against Moses’ leadership. He felt Moses
wasn’t doing things right and his way was better. He felt Moses did not have
the right to tell them what to do. After
all, he said, ‘the whole congregation is holy, every one of them and the Lord
is among them.’ (Num 16:3)
He spread that seed of rebellion
into the hearts of others who gave their ear to listen and agree with what he
said. Until God’s wrath was kindled
against them and many were killed by God because of that rebellious spirit.
(Numbers 16)
Someone who has a spirit of
rebellion will look for others to come into agreement with them. That spirit
through the person it is operating through will throw out a seed of rebellion
and look to see who is listening and will agree with them. Then, when they find someone who agrees and
makes them feel validity in what they’re saying, they will throw out another
rebellious seed until it poisons the heart and spirit of the listener and they,
too, become a vessel that spirit can operate through as well. I’ve watched it happen.
Bad attitudes are
contagious. Be careful who and what
you’re listening to. Stay prayed up and
full of the Holy Ghost.
I saw a young man get up and
leave a room quickly when someone began talking rebelliously against their
leadership. He did the right thing and
did not give ear to it because he didn’t want that to get in his spirit.
The Bible warns “Evil
communication corrupt good manners.” (1 Cor 15:33)
meaning…any speech that is contrary to God’s Word and God’s character will
cause you to wither spiritually (that’s what corrupt means here). If you give an ear to ungodly conversations
and come into agreement with it, it will corrupt and cause the good morals you
have to begin to wilt, wither and eventually fade away.
Many want a title, a position,
the authority, but they do not want to be under authority. Many fight and resist submission. They’re
resisting the wrong thing.
The Centurion, although he had
authority with many soldiers under him who had to obey his command realized he
had to remain under authority himself.
(Matthew 8:8-9) He had to be
submitted to those over him in the way he expected the soldiers under him to be
in submission. He had to be their
example.
You want the devil to submit to
the authority and power you have over him through the Holy Ghost? You must
first be submitted to God and the spiritual authority God has placed over you.
If you want to see victories
brought and win these spiritual wars, learn to:
Submit – resist – and examine your heart often
Pride and rebellion were the two
things which caused the devil’s fall and is also what many will also battle.
Stay in a spirit of humility.
Facebook has been a sad
contributor to pride and the strive to appear to be someone and something.
Galatians 6:3 warns, “For is a
man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
So many are striving to be known
and popular. That should not be our
goal. The goal is to be used by God, even when no one else may know or
see.
The Disciples may have been
battling a little bit of pride when they returned to Jesus excited and boasting
that the spirits had to obey them.
I’ve seen a few people who begin
to be used more in the spiritual realm, used in the Gifts of the Spirit, and
see things in the Spirit become a prideful.
I’ve heard young preachers boast
that they’re going to stomp on the devil and take him out. Yet, those same young preachers are no longer
living for God, unfortunately. Those words
are a challenge to the devil and he, as a roaring lion, watches for their weak
spot then pounces and pulls them into the darkness and binds them with chains
of sin.
A person who is used by God has
to guard against pride.
Jesus’ response to the Disciples
may not have been what they were expecting.
He told them, “rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you; but
rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20
Proverbs 16:18 warns “Pride
cometh before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
James 4:10 instructs us, “Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and HE shall lift you up.”
Guard your heart against pride. Stay
humble.
4.
Stay FULL of the Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost will lead and
guide you. The Apostles were able to do mighty works because they were FULL of
the Holy Ghost.
We need to be discerning. Discernment comes by being full of the Holy
Ghost.
Just because someone appears to
operate in the Spirit does not mean they truly are.
The devil will imitate the things
of God in order to deceive just as Jannes and Jambres did in Pharoah’s court,
imitating what God did through Moses.
(II Tim 3:8 + Exodus 7 - 8)
We are admonished many times to
TRY the spirits to see if they are of God. And we are warned many times to
beware of false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing.
When you’re FULL of the Holy
Ghost, the Holy Ghost will give a little check or glimpse that something is not
right.
5.
Take spiritual authority over those unclean spirits
Many do not comprehend or
understand the power and authority we have through the Holy Ghost, therefore,
many do not walk in that power and authority.
Jesus revealed to His disciples
that we shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon us. (Acts 1:8) Remember the lesson on Walking in the Power.
I am still learning from God
about spiritual warfare. In order to
learn the hard lessons, you will be tested and taken through many things.
When you engage in spiritual
warfare, the devil will go harder after you, after your family, those you
thought were your friends, and after the Church because his purpose is to get
you to back down, give up and retreat so that spirit or stronghold will not be
broken.
You can NOT give up! If you do, it will only grow stronger. It’s like dealing with a bully. But when you stand up to that bully with the
backing of the Holy Ghost, the devil has to back down and retreat.
Many battles take a combination
of prayer and fasting….
Isaiah 58:6 – Is not this the
fast that I have chosen? To loose the
bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
free, and that YE break every yoke?
Fasting combined with prayer will
help loose the bands of wickedness that are binding our loved ones. Isaiah taught us that fasting will give us
power and authority to break every yoke!
Chains of sin and bondage do not
fall off nor do strongholds break right away.
But every authoritative prayer is chipping away at that fortified wall
so don’t give up.
Remember to:
Stay in an attitude of repentance
Stay submitted to God and spiritual
authority
Stay Humble
Stay FULL of the Holy Ghost
Take spiritual authority over
those unclean spirits
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