Spiritual Warfare 101
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” - 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NKJV).
One early Monday morning a young man was out walking his dog.
As he went along the sidewalk entering the park area, he noticed a table with a large sign on it. The sign stated: “Register today to see the world for free. Housing allowance, lodging, food, college tuition, and everything is provided.” In fact, the sign stated that he would be paid a salary, too. This offer sounded promising and too good to be true to pass up. He went over to the table and signed his name on the registration form, excited about the benefits. To his surprise, he was suddenly given a large rifle, a military uniform, and equipment.
Unfortunately, the boy did not realize what he signed up for and what was expected of him. He was excited about the benefits but didn’t realize that his life would be on the line as sooner or later he would have to go to war with an enemy whose sole purpose was to see him defeated.
Salvation Starts the War
Likewise, many Christian believers today give their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ after receiving an amazing invitation from Him to be their Lord and Savior. However, after experiencing the bliss of abundant love, joy, peace, and acceptance, they were surprised to find they too have an enemy. Perhaps they expected to live a perfect life with no problems or challenges to face. We must understand that salvation doesn’t end the battle that believers face.
Like the young man who was excited about all the benefits advertised on the sign, many believers don’t know there is a real enemy that automatically hates you because you are a child of the living God and have been drafted and engrafted into His Kingdom. I must say that this young man didn’t expect to be given weapons to defend himself right away—just like believers don’t realize that at conversion they are given spiritual weapons to win every battle.
God gives us the necessary spiritual weaponry and knowledge as it pertains to spiritual warfare and the real unseen enemy we may face daily. Keep in mind that when you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you also accepted satan as your enemy. That’s part of the deal. In other words, you were transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light, you broke rank and departed from the enemy’s army and joined God’s army! One of the revengeful plots of the enemy when trying to get back at the Lord is to start attacking God’s children—you and me!
Because you are made in God’s image and after His likeness, and because you are now a born-again believer, you are in the midst of a war you didn’t ask for, initiate, want, or understand. Also, the battle seems impossible to overcome and win. The questions that come to your mind may include:
What do I do now?
How can I prepare for what is to come?
What are my options to safeguard myself?
How long will this warfare or war last?
Where can I receive instant combat training for this level of spiritual warfare?
What am I up against daily?
How can I discern, disarm, and defeat the works of the enemy in my life?
Let me be clear that the notion or idea of spiritual warfare following salvation isn’t anything new. In the Word of God, there are instances throughout the Old Testament of satan resisting and opposing God even though his plans always come to nothing in the end. However, if his agenda is possibly able to cause the slightest delay or wrinkle in the plan of God, then the enemy has the advantage.
Spiritual warfare isn’t a favorite subject of believers to address, but it’s necessary and essential for spiritual victory, longevity, prosperity, sanity, and divine breakthrough for all Spirit-filled believers ready for war in this season. When you think about warfare, what comes to your mind? What is warfare? And why does the Bible make reference of it as it pertains to the life of believers? Oftentimes many Christian believers are unaware of spiritual warfare activities happening in and around them.
It’s Not a Natural Battle
Have you ever wondered or thought to yourself why unusual or unnecessary things occur seasonally, periodically, annually, weekly, monthly or even daily? We must understand the unseen threat that the enemy poses against born-again believers. The fight we are facing as believers is not a natural battle. It’s a spiritual one. Moreover, the Bible declares in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, “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….”
In other words, even though we live in the world, we don’t wage war like the world does. The war we fight is a spiritual war and the weapons we fight with are spiritual weapons. The weapons the Lord has given us are spiritual and can disarm and destroy demonic weapons of mass destruction against the body of Christ. In addition, these weapons of God can defeat the weapons of the devil.
When it comes to understanding spiritual warfare, there are two errors that are equally prevalent in the body of Christ. Some overemphasize or underemphasize this topic. I have witnessed during years in ministry that some people seem to blame everything on the devil. But there are things the devil and his demon accomplices haven’t caused to happen. Therefore, I always say that everything bad is not always because of demons—bad things may be the result of the person’s decisions. Bad or unwise decisions on our part isn’t something the devil made us do.
We can’t over-spiritualize spiritual warfare and blame every sin, every conflict, and every problem on demons that need to be driven out. What do I mean by over-emphasizing spiritual warfare? When someone’s car breaks down, that doesn’t mean it was a result of demons. It may be the result that the person didn’t maintain it properly.
On the other hand, some believers underestimate the power of demons and the effects of spiritual warfare that they completely ignore the spiritual realm and the fact that the Word of God says that our conflicts and battles are against spiritual powers of evil. The key to successful spiritual warfare is finding the biblical balance. Jesus sometimes cast demons out of people; other times He healed people with no mention of the demonic. Apostle Paul instructs believers to wage war against the sin within themselves (Romans 6) and warns them to resist the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Discerning Temptations
Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of resisting temptation and rebuking satan when it comes to personal spiritual warfare. Jesus discerned the enemy speaking through Peter in Matthew 16:23, “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
And in Matthew 4 we see how our Lord Jesus handled direct attacks from satan himself when He was in the wilderness fasting and praying to the Father. Jesus released a direct command, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and ministered to him” (Matthew 4:10-11).
You don’t have to be afraid of the devil’s temptation if you apply the Word of God daily in your life and the power of the name of Jesus. The Word of God is the most powerful, lethal weapon against the temptations and strategies of the enemy—the devil. I love what Psalm 119:11 declares: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
The enemy doesn’t have legal right to run rampant in your life or live in your spiritual atmosphere unless you give him legal authority, access, or an open invitation to do so through unrepented sin, rebellion, unforgiveness, ignorance, and illegal soul ties (relationships) that God hasn’t ordained.
The day-to-day struggles we often may face could be a result of unseen demonic entities working against us to keep us from fulfilling our prophetic purpose and destiny in our generation. The enemy is threatened by those who know their God and will do great exploits in His name. God wants us to gain a deeper understanding of spiritual warfare and its negative impact on our daily lives.
It’s time to fight back and safeguard yourself with the biblical knowledge and authority that Jesus has given you through the Holy Spirit to live day-to-day victoriously. Knowing and walking fully in your spiritual authority allows you to discern, disarm, and destroy the destructive, divisive, and demonic powers of the enemy.
The hostility the enemy has against you is because of what God has given to you. Satan is trying to rule in the place that God has given to humankind to rule in Genesis chapter 1. Satan wants to destroy and defame what God has placed in our power to control, rule, and maintain. God wants us to occupy the earth until He comes again.
In other words, take care of God’s business on earth while resisting the enemy with the authority and power we possess. The enemy can only win when we wave the white flag of surrender to his attacks and plans. Don’t throw in the towel in the boxing ring of life when you are knocked down by the brutal spiritual hits of the enemy. You were built to last and to bounce back.
The spiritual battle we face daily is as real as the devil himself. Understanding basic training and the unseen war from a spiritual perspective will assist you in spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare 101 is knowing the foundation and fundamentals of war both naturally and spiritually. Knowing the Word of God and the power of Jesus’ name must be used by true believers of Christ who possess the authority and power of Jesus in the Holy Spirit.
Accessing and Possessing the Power to Command
A word of caution concerning spiritual warfare is in order. The name of Jesus Christ is not some buzz word, tagline, or magical incantation that causes demons to flee from us. Why? Because the seven sons of Sceva are prime examples of what can possibly happen to someone who presumes and operates in an authority they were not legally given (Acts 19:13-16).
The spiritual realm operates in an orderly system. In addition, the spiritual dimension is structured so that demon spirits recognize spiritual authority in a hierarchal manner. Anything illegal or illicit is grounds to be confronted and addressed. The seven sons of Sceva knew Jesus’ spiritual authority, power, and capabilities as well as apostle Paul’s authority and power through the message he preached of Jesus and with apostolic legal authority as God’s bondservant.
Therefore, loosely and ignorantly saying the words, “The Lord rebukes you!” doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t been given authority by God to say it. The enemy only responds to those who have spiritual authority. For example, the archangel Michael did not rebuke satan in his own power but stated, “The Lord rebuke you!” (see Jude 1:9). That’s why we do everything in the name of Jesus. In other words, in the power and authority of the Name that is above all names.
Believers can only defeat the enemy in the power and authority of Jesus Christ who is the Word of God. When we start speaking to the enemy, the devil, we run the risk of being deceived or led astray as Eve was in the Garden (see Genesis 3:1-7).
Our primary focus should be on the Lord and not going around chasing demons. I know many deliverance and spiritual warfare ministers who blindly and ignorantly go on witch hunts looking for devils to cast out. Jesus never did that—and He’s our prime example for spiritual warfare and deliverance. Oftentimes, demonic manifestation would happen when Jesus showed up because He is the Word of God and carries the Spirit of God being God in the flesh.
Simply, we must rely solely on God’s power, not our own in spiritual warfare 101. We draw on the power of Scripture—the Word of God is the Spirit’s sword, which is a piece of the armor of God. We pray and fast in perseverance and holiness, making our appeal to Heaven to see supernatural breakthroughs, healing, and deliverance. We must stand firm (Ephesians 6:13-14); we submit to God; we resist the devil’s work (James 4:7), knowing that the God of the angel armies is our overall Protector. “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken” (Psalm 62:2).
Who Is the Real Enemy?
Furthermore, it’s vitally important to know in spiritual warfare 101 that satan and his demons exist. To deny the existence of the satan and his demons is a flat rejection of the Bible’s divine inspiration, revelation, and truth. In the Word of God there is a prepared place of eternal fire for “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
Moreover, the Bible is clear about who the enemy is. Satan, the adversary; he is the devil, our accuser—the enemy of God and humanity. He is the enemy, serpent, dragon, the always-tempting one, deceiver, the father of lies, a murderer from the beginning, ruler of this world, and prince of the power of the air (see 1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 13:25; Revelation 12:10; Romans 16:20; Revelation 20:2; Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; John 8:44; 12:31; Ephesians 2:2).
And he is not alone in his evil schemes (Matthew 25:41). These created beings are subject to the sovereignty of God, exercise only limited authority, are fallen and condemned, and will ultimately be defeated by the Lord (see 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Hebrews 2:16; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25). They will suffer eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41).
When approaching spiritual warfare engagement, we must understand it from a spiritual sense and aspect, not carnally. Logically and scripturally speaking, we don’t wage war in a carnal, fleshly, worldly, and humanistic way but through spiritual intelligence, weapons, and supernatural power through the Holy Spirit, the Word of God who equips, empowers, and educates us on the spiritual rules of engagement pertaining to spiritual warfare strategies against the invisible forces of the enemy.
Most Christian believers don’t speak on the topic of spiritual warfare because they were never taught about it. Or they would rather avoid confrontational issues such as this. Or they believe that God will cover them, so they don’t need to do anything. Spiritual warfare 101 is understanding the basics of it biblically and spiritually and knowing how to engage in spiritual battles or warlike combats with the power of God through the Holy Spirit.
In addition, having the proper training and knowledge through seasoned leaders and the Holy Spirit allows you to outwit the enemy while properly handling the Word of God. We must understand basic terms, definitions, principles, and operation of war to conquer the enemy for Kingdom advancement.
Mental Advantage Over the Enemy
I discovered that one of the advantages of gaining a thorough understanding of spiritual warfare, deliverance, the devil, demons, and his kingdom better equipped me to discern the works of the enemy. Researching and reading reliable and sound biblical resources on the topic, I believe wholeheartedly that I am now more knowledgeable about spiritual warfare. When I used to play football, there was a saying that the sports performance is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical.
However, I beg to differ. I believe that it’s 100 percent mental. Why? Because our thoughts influence our actions, and our actions influence our thoughts. That being said, spiritually speaking, to defeat the enemy we must be 100 percent mentally prepared to apply the knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom of God in spiritual warfare battles. Most war strategies and tactics, in my opinion, are first thought out before they are ever executed or implemented physically. The rules of engagement in spiritual warfare is 100 percent having the mind of Christ, the Word of God, and being Holy Spirit-led to have the upper hand against the enemy.
Keep in mind, the enemy is after your belief system. He is after your faith in God. He is after your mind, which is the battlefront of your decisions. I always say that “The greatest form of spiritual warfare is when the enemy counsels your mind.” In other words, the war strategies of the enemy against God’s people are mind games which are weapons of warfare against you!
There is a difference between war and warfare. What is the difference between the two words? As nouns the difference between war and warfare is that war is largescale, armed conflict between a particular country, countries, or between national, ethnic, or other sizeable groups, usually involving the engagement of military forces. While on the other hand, warfare is the waging of war or armed conflict against an enemy (according to wikidiff.com/war/warfare).
What is spiritual warfare? Spiritual warfare, according to Wikipedia, “is the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the biblical belief in evil spirits, or demons, that are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways. Although spiritual warfare is a prominent feature of neo-charismatic churches, various Christian groups have adopted practices to repel such forces, as based on their doctrine of Christian demonology, too.”
Spiritual Warfare From God’s Perspective
The subject of spiritual warfare must be viewed and studied within the context of the Lord’s divine purpose and redemptive plan to save humankind. The parable of the sower and the tares among the wheat in the book of Matthew chapter 13, which both parables speaks of kingdom advancement and growth through planting the Word of God.
In addition, both parables are a depiction of conflict or warfare between the two kingdoms with the battle centering on the redemptive plan of the Lord for humanity. As you grow in your understanding of unseen warfare, you will be prepared to engage the system of this world and fighting for the souls of men and women, boys and girls everywhere. This is the main purpose of possessing authority over the devil, which was given to the Christ’s disciples before they were commissioned to share the Good News with all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).
Satan and his demonic hosts will rage war against you as you seek God’s Kingdom first and win men and women to Christ through the gospel, bringing them under the rulership and reign of the King and His Kingdom. As you employ the Word of God, the scriptural strategies to spiritual warfare will assist you in challenging and disarming principalities and powers who rule over individual lives, cities, communities, regions, nations, and areas of the world. That is why prayer shouldn’t be taken lightly and we must daily commune with God in prayer to be led of God’s Holy Spirit to be successful in spiritual battles.
Prayer is a common form of spiritual warfare among Christians. Other practices may include deliverance, casting or driving out demon spirits, the laying on of hands, fasting with prayer, praise and worship, prophetic intercession, binding and loosing through spiritual delegated authority and speaking prophetic decrees, declarations, proclamations and judgments and anointing with oil.
Before we understand anything else about spiritual warfare, we have to know the definition of it. Spiritual warfare from a Christian perspective:
“is the cosmic war of good versus evil: its battles are fought daily between God and Satan; between the Church of Jesus Christ—the ekklesia—and the world system ruled by our spiritual enemy; and within every child of God, between the Holy Spirit and the lusts of the carnal flesh. The clear meanings of good and evil, as defined by God rather than man, are revealed within the verses of the Holy Bible and the life of Jesus Christ.” (1)
I love how Billy Graham defines and explain the reality of spiritual warfare in his book Angels:
“We live in a perpetual battlefield…. The wars among the nations on earth are mere popgun affairs compared to the fierceness of battle in the spiritual unseen world. This invisible spiritual conflict is waged around us incessantly and unremittingly. Where the Lord works, Satan’s forces hinder; where angel beings carry out divine directives, the devils rage. All this comes about because the powers of darkness press their counterattack to recapture the ground held for the glory of God….”
It’s always been in the plan of satan (formerly known as lucifer) since his fall both night and day, the master craftsman of the devices of darkness and wickedness continues tirelessly to undermine God’s redemptive plan of the ages.
“We can find inscribed on the pages of human history the consequences of the wickedness that the devil has brought into fruition by his evil powers of darkness when he is in power. The devil will never bend an inch, nor will he stop in his pursuit to stop the plan of God to redeem the “cosmos” from his control.” (2)
The Difference Between War and Warfare
As I stated before that there is a difference between war and warfare. We see many times throughout the Old Testament of God’s people going to war. There are times to engage in spiritual war and in the natural the military are ordered to go to war to defend their country, nation, and people from opposing armies. God is the Commander and Chief of the host of angelic armies. He is the God of war who understands warfare and we must understand it biblically.
Always keep in mind that you were born into war. This may not sound like the good news of the gospel, however you are part of a great awakening that will bring about breakthrough when you defeat the enemy’s works in this battle. I love what the late C. Peter Wagner stated in a message I heard online when he stated, “For 2,000 years the kingdom of God has been advancing with force, and God’s plan is for this advance to continue with increasing vigor until Jesus returns. Satan knows his time is getting shorter, but he certainly does not intend to go quietly. For the church, this means war!”
We as Christian believers can’t talk about spiritual warfare and war if we don’t understand what the Bible says about it. War is fought for the liberation of those who are bound, oppressed, and held hostage against their will. There are times where God Himself declares war on His enemies.
What does the Word of God say about war?
When it comes to war, some make the mistake of reading and applying what it says in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not kill,” to killing someone in war. However, the Hebrew word literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice; murder.” There are times when the Lord commanded His people to go to war with other nations (1 Samuel 15:3; Joshua 4:13).
Moreover, the Lord would also order the penalty of death or death sentencing to those who have committed several crimes against each other (Exodus 21:12, 15; 22:19; Leviticus 20:11). We have to understand that there are some circumstances that the Lord doesn’t oppose killing, but He does oppose murder. When human soldiers in the military are deployed into war, it’s never a good thing. Even prepared soldiers realize war is a life or death situation and must be taken seriously. They go to war to defend their nation and the people they are sent to protect. They are sacrificing their lives for many. At times war is necessary and inevitable.
In other words, war isn’t a good thing, but sometimes it is a necessary thing. In a world filled with sinful people (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. The Bible cites measures to prevent sinful people from causing insurmountable harm to the innocent, one being going to war. Keep in mind that Jesus was not a pacifist. It’s biblically incorrect to believe and say that the Lord never supports war. With todays society and world system filled with wickedness and evil individuals, there are times when war is the only option to prevent even greater evil from spreading and influencing others.
If Hitler had not been defeated by World War II, many more millions of innocent people would have been killed by his dictatorship. Even today’s global and national terrorists who pose a serious threat to their own people and other nations must face the consequences. If the United States didn’t declare war on terroristic dictators and evil tyrants, millions of people would be walking in fear and even killed worldwide. There are times to declare war! And there are times to call for ceasefire and peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. God will give us the rules of engagement when and how to defeat our enemy!
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:7-8 NKJV).
Every day there is some kind of warfare, argument, or civil rivalry happening between people, places and things. As an African American leader in the body of Christ, I am grateful for the American Civil War. If the American Civil War had not been fought, how much longer would African Americans have had to suffer as slaves? War is a terrible thing. Some wars are more “just” than others, but war is always the result of sin (Romans 3:10-18).
At the same time, Ecclesiastes 3:8 declares, “There is…a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” In war there are real weapons and real lives that are at stake. Soldiers are not fighting with plastic knives and water guns. Its heavy-duty machinery and weaponry of war. God understands war and warfare and has specific “warring angels” to protect, defend, and help His people.
In the Old Testament, the Lord commanded the children of Israel to “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites” (Numbers 31:2). There were also times when the Lord would order the Israelites to utterly destroy their enemies (Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites). Deuteronomy 20:16-17 says, “However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them…as the LORD your God has commanded you.”
Furthermore, we can see again the Lord giving command to war against His enemies in 1 Samuel 15:18 where it says, “Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war against them until you have wiped them out.” Obviously, God is not against all war. I am also reminded of the story of the Lord giving Kind David instructions to engage in warfare against the Philistines. God will activate the rules of engagement when He sees fit. The Lord knows the weakness of the enemy.
Seek Wisdom in Warfare
Note that David couldn’t pursue the enemy on his own terms but needed the wisdom and strategy of the Lord. When we try to fight an unseen battle and enemy in our own strength and human wisdom, we will lose on the battlefield. David inquired of the Lord first before declaring war against those who came to destroy him. We can clearly see in 2 Samuel 5:18-25 what was happening:
Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The LORD answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim. The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off. Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
As you can see, David was given the rules of engagement by the Lord to outwit the Philistine attack. God told David that He would deliver them into his hands when he asked the Father, the God of war! Keep in mind that David asked God if would He deliver the enemy into his hand. Furthermore, David knew that without the wisdom of God it would be impossible to receive divine breakthrough.
How many battles have we lost because we didn’t seek the Lord’s counsel and wisdom? How many spiritual conflicts could have been avoided if we would first seek the Lord’s wisdom in the matter? Breakthrough in warfare only comes when we seek the Lord of the breakthrough! God helped David defeat his enemies. The Bible clearly reveals to us in 2 Samuel 5 that God’s breakout against the Philistines was like water breaking out of it’s boundaries in Baal Perazim, the place where the battle was fought.
In addition, David removed the idols that the Philistines abandoned and later he inquired of the Lord when he came to the Valley of Rephaim, which means “giants” in Hebrew. David, of course, was familiar with slaying giants as he did so when he was a shepherd boy. Now King David was facing a gigantic Philistine army in the Valley of Rephaim. The same God who anointed and equipped David to have victory over the Philistine’s giant warrior and champion Goliath, gave by His strong arm victory against a large army. David didn’t take matters into his own hands, again he asked for the Lord’s instructions and wisdom.
The Bible reveals that God gave David a different rule of engagement against the enemy the second time around. The Lord says, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”
Inquire of the Lord
Before I talk about the rules of spiritual engagement, I want to draw your attention to David as leader, king, and protector of God’s people. A true leader and believer of God will never make decisions without first seeking God’s wisdom. The Bible says in Proverbs 9:9-11, “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.”
Godly kings, warriors, soldiers, and leaders don’t foolishly engage in battle or anything else without the Holy Spirit directives, insight, and wisdom. David, one of the greatest kings, sought the wisdom of God nine times. As you read and study about them, you will see the type of leader God had chosen to rule over Israel. He was a man after God’s own heart and a man of war who “have shed blood” (read 1 Chronicles 28:3). The following are the Bible references to read and study on your own time:
David’s 1st Inquiry – 1 Samuel 23:1-3
David’s 2nd Inquiry – 1 Samuel 23:4-5
David’s 3rd Inquiry – 1 Samuel 23:10-11
David’s 4th Inquiry – 1 Samuel 23:12-14
David’s 5th Inquiry – 1 Samuel 30:8-9
David’s 6th Inquiry – 2 Samuel 2:1-2
David’s 7th Inquiry – 2 Samuel 5:17-21
David’s 8th Inquiry – 2 Samuel 5:22-25
David’s 9th Inquiry – 2 Samuel 21:1
We can see the importance of inquiring of the Lord in prayer each and every day, especially when we have an unseen evil lurking in darkness. God will give us the ability to overcome personal struggles, proclivities, weaknesses, and strongholds that attack our minds. You can fight back and overcome it every time. No one wants to get into a spiritual altercation, conflict, or battle with anyone, especially those we love.
However, we have to discern what’s the motive and who’s behind the attack to trigger a negative response. Be alert and smart! Don’t allow to the enemy to get the best of you. Take the high road, it’s worth it.
In a society plagued by sin, evil, jealousy, lust for power, wickedness, and hatred (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. I believe that we should not desire war; neither should believers resist, oppose, or fight against those God has placed in authority over us in government (Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:17). We should be always praying for leadership, remembering that no one is perfect.
During times of war it is important to pray for the safety of our men and women in the military, praying for quick resolution to conflicts, praying for godly wisdom for our leadership, and praying for everyone involved on both sides of war and any conflict (Philippians 4:6-7).
The Bible speaks of spiritual warfare in many places, but most directly in Ephesians 6:12 (KJV), where Paul speaks of putting on the full armor of God: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” In a broader sense of the terms “armed forces” and “military” are often treated as synonymous, although in technical usage a distinction is sometimes made in which a country’s armed forces may include both its military and other paramilitary forces.
There are various forms of irregular military forces not belonging to a recognized state; though they share many attributes of regular military forces, they are less often referred to as simply “military.” Spiritual warfare exists in the unseen, supernatural dimension where God is all-powerful and satan is in revolt. As any believer soon will discover in their Christian walk and journey, although spiritual warfare is unseen, it’s absolutely real and confrontation is inevitable.
Spiritual warfare are the battles we face with the devil, the world, and the old sinful nature. The following highlights the battles that we face every day. There are four insights into winning the spiritual battles in our lives. Keep each one in mind or memorize them while in your Spiritual Warfare 101 training:
1. There are three main enemies:
The devil (1 Peter 5:8).
The world system and influence (1 John 2:15-17)
The flesh or the old sin nature (1 Peter 2:11).
2. There are two main battle fronts:
Personal holiness (1 Peter 1:13-16).
Personal witness (Matthew 28:19-20).
3. We have four main weapons:
The armor of God (Ephesians 6:11,13).
The Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
Holy Spirit anointing (1 John 2:27; Acts 1:8).
Angelic assistance (Psalm 34:7; Hebrews 1:14).
4. There are three institutions and domains:
God’s government, heavenly domain, and the sovereign sphere (Psalm 24:1-3, 33:13; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 12:22-24).
The earthly domain and sphere of believers for rulership as king-priests (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:6; Psalm 115:16; Revelation 5:10).
The Church—the Ekklesia—assembled body of believers (Matthew 16:18, 18:17; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22, 2:19-22; Colossians 1:18).
Rules of Engagement
We hear the term rules of engagement as it pertains to warfare. But do we truly understand its meaning in war? In spiritual warfare we must be able to fully grasp this concept to know what are our limitations, rights, and what we have at our disposal spiritually speaking. I believe that to discern, disarm, defeat, and destroy the works of the enemy, it’s imperative to understand the rules of engagement (ROE).
However, since we are speaking about spiritual warfare, combat, battle, or conflict in a spiritual sense and perspective, I will use the phrase: Rules of Spiritual Engagement (ROSE).
The definition of rules of engagement from the Oxford Dictionary: “A directive issued by a military authority specifying the circumstances and limitations under which forces will engage in combat with the enemy. Rules of engagement (ROE) by definition is: whereas the mandate primarily contains clear instructions regarding the objectives and main tasks of the national contingent, ROE contain precise and classified prescriptions on exactly when (use of force) and how (degree of force) military armed forces may employ force against the Enemy while performing tasks towards stated mission objectives.”
Also, its defined as “the internal rules or directives among military forces (including individuals) that define the circumstances, conditions, degree, and manner in which the use of force, or actions which might be construed as provocative, may be applied. They provide authorization for and/or limits on, among other things, the use of force and the employment of certain specific capabilities. In some nations, ROE has the status of guidance to military forces, while in other nations, ROE is lawful commands. Rules of engagement do not normally dictate how a result is to be achieved, but will indicate what measures may be unacceptable.”
While rules of engagement (ROE) are used in both domestic and international operations by some militaries, ROE are not used for domestic operations in the United States. Instead, the use of force by the U.S. military in such situations is governed by Rules for the Use of Force (RUF). Simply, the rules of engagement are the orders that soldiers fighting in war are given about what they can and cannot do. If a solider in the natural violates this order, it is considered excessive abuse of power.
We are given directive orders and commands by the Lord through the Holy Spirit to engage in spiritual warfare battles. Jesus has given us all the power needed to combat evil powers. The rules of spiritual engagement (ROSE) for the believer is to never abusive the delegated authority and power of God given to you.
In the natural the military has rules, guidelines, and protocols at it pertains to use of force and the degree of force meaning how much. In rules of spiritual engagement (ROSE), as believers we should know when to use the power of God to defeat the enemy and how much spiritual force is needed to ward him off.
There are times when I am under spiritual attack for a season, and the Lord would have me fast and pray longer, decree and declare the Word of God for several days, pray in the spirit with worship targeting areas under demonic attacks, and ask God for angelic assistance. There will be times of intensity when the proper rules of spiritual engagement are to be deployed against the unseen enemy.
Notes
1. Robert Sims, “What is spiritual warfare?”; Battle Focused Ministries, November 11, 2008; http://www.battlefocused.org/articles/what-is-spiritual-warfare/#:~:text=From%20a%20Christian%20perspective%2C%20spiritual%20warfare%20is%20the,Spirit%20and%20the%20lusts%20of%20the%20carnal%20flesh; accessed November 12, 2020.
2. Ibid.
