Last Days Warfare—These 2 Weapons Are the Key to Defeating the Demonic Territories
We live in some of the greatest but darkest days of Church history.
While the Kingdom of God continues to advance like never before, the rise of evil and its acceptance in our churches is astounding. Denominations continue to split over moral issues as thousands of Christian leaders bow to wickedness and immorality every day. As the enemy seeks to discourage and distract the saints and spiritual warfare intensifies, I take great hope in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you (Isaiah 60:1-2 NASB).
What if the increase of evil is a prophetic call to the warrior bride to arise and shine during days of deep darkness? What if Jesus envisions a victorious and triumphant bride who is not afraid of evil but exposes and dismantles it in His name?
The more I read the New Testament, the more I am convinced that Jesus is a far better teacher than satan is a deceiver. Rather than living with constant fear and anxiety over what the devil is going to do next, I believe God is raising up a bride who is excited about what the Holy Spirit is going to do next!
The Revelation of Christ
In Matthew 16, Jesus takes His disciples on a guided tour of Caesarea Philippi, an evil city in that day. He specifically chooses this location and asks the disciples pointed questions to reveal where He wants to plant His church. Location matters. The words Jesus speaks to His disciples during this powerful encounter uncover authority keys that the end- time warrior bride will use to thwart the enemy’s plans.
Now when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “ You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Then He gave the disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that He was the Christ (Matthew 16:13-20 NASB).
There were rumors and confusion swirling around the identity of Jesus Christ. Jesus made a distinction between who others said He was and Peter’s declaration of the truth, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The foundation for the construction of Christ’s church is the revelation, in the heart of every believer, of who Christ is. This revelation is not transferrable or crowdfunded. I cannot give you my revelation of Jesus. The Son is revealed by the Father to you. A healthy and holy church is made up of individuals who are rooted and grounded in this Beloved identity, maturing in love together.
Religion has taught people to fear deception. Like a form of spiritual waterboarding, this control and manipulation tactic paralyzes its victims, so that they give over their authority to the enemy and are easily demonized. When the fear of deception is used to control people, this is the sign of a dying church that carries an orphan identity and is ruled by the father of lies. The apostle Paul tells us repeatedly how to avoid deception in the last days: love the truth and abide in the Person and doctrines of Christ (see 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 3:10-15). In other words, we do not need to fear the deception and confusion of the devil in these last days, but simply focus our attention on abiding in Jesus and His truth. Where is your focus?
The first key Jesus gives us to destroy the works of the enemy is to gain a personal revelation of His identity. Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17 (NASB), “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” All spiritual warfare is centered on the knowledge of God. This is why satan blinds people’s eyes to the truth of who Jesus really is. (See 2 Corinthians 4:4.)
When believers are training in spiritual warfare and deliverance, one of our primary tasks is expose the lies we have believed about the character and nature of God. These lies give the enemy a legal right to oppress us. For example, if I believe the lie that God is not my Provider, I open the door to a poverty spirit and a lack mindset that will cripple the blessings and breakthrough of the Holy Spirit in my life. God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (see Hosea 4:6).
Jesus had to take the disciples to Caesarea Philippi, a city pulsing with demonic activity, and question them, to see if they recognized Him as God. Why? Christians full of the knowledge of God are satan’s worst nightmare. When we know who Jesus is and we know who we are in Him, we recognize the authority He’s given us as His co-heirs (see Romans 8:17) over the demonic realm. At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus expanded His disciples’ understanding of His authority and confronted their fear of the enemy. He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever (see Hebrews 13:8), whether He’s in Capernaum, Caesarea Philippi, or your city. He’s telling His disciples, “Don’t be intimidated by hell. Hell is intimidated by you!”
We pick up the second key as Jesus reveals the future location of His Church. After Peter’s proclamation that Jesus is indeed God, Jesus says to him, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18 NASB). Contrary to a popular interpretation, the rock that Jesus refers to is not Peter. In fact, Jesus was most likely pointing his finger toward the rocks of a cave at Caesarea Philippi known as the Gates of Hell. In order to understand this extraordinary statement by Jesus, we must research the history of this city and region.
Caesarea Philippi
Caesarea Philippi was a city devoted to immoral activities and pagan worship. It became the religious center for the Greek god, pan. The cave at Caesarea Philippi was thought to be a gate to the underworld where fertility gods lived during the winter. The people of that city committed detestable acts of worship to these false deities.
The city’s location was unique because it stood at the base of a cliff where spring water flowed. The ancients believed that their fertility gods lived in the underworld during the winter and returned to visit the earth each spring. The waterway represented a highway to hades that their gods traveled back and forth on through the mouth of the cave.
To the pagan mind, the cave and spring at Caesarea Philippi created a gateway to the underworld. They believed that that their city was literally built at the gates of hell. In order to entice the return of their god, pan, each year, the people prostituted themselves and engaged in sexual immorality.
The disciples must have been shocked when Jesus brought them to Caesarea Philippi! In their world, this was the red-light district, a city full of debauchery and devilry. Jews avoided this region at all costs, yet Jesus took His disciples straight to the place where people eagerly knocked on the gates of hell, and told the disciples that here they would build His church, and here they would dance on the enemy’s grave, demonstrating the superiority of Christ’s Kingdom. This is Christ boasting in the cross. This is why Jesus determinedly set His face toward Jerusalem. The Lord was about to plant the Tree of Life by the spring at the gates of hell. In short order Jesus would devastate the enemy at the enemy’s own gate and make the bitter waters sweet, stripping satan of his dominion and giving dominion back to the warrior bride.
Prayer
Jesus, I make Peter’s bold confession over my city: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God in (fill in the name of your city). I ask You to establish Your Church at the gates of hell here. However You lead, I will follow and be a part of demolishing the demonic altar in this region and building You a house of glory. It’s all to You, for You, through You, by You, and because of You. Amen.
Authority and Power
At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus Christ gave His disciples two spiritual warfare keys to help them build the Church. The first key is revelation knowledge. We must know who He is if we are to destroy demonic schemes and strategies in His name. The second key is location. Jesus told His disciples to build His Church and establish His Kingdom at the gates of hell. He took the twelve to a notorious city ruled by the enemy and instructed them to build His church there. He continues to mark similar regions and cities for today’s apostolic builders.
What a stunning paradigm shift! Will we follow the King on the white horse who makes war by building His Church at the very gate of hell, or will we cower behind our preferences and prejudices (see Revelation 19:11)? Rather than a Church that hides within its own four walls while praying for the rapture, Jesus desires a warrior bride that is preaching the gospel and demonstrating His Kingdom in every sphere of society. The darker the city, the more God intends to fill it with His glory!
Knowing Jesus Christ’s identity and understanding His Kingdom blueprint should empower and enlighten each one of us. It should also encourage us not to give in to fear and anxiety, but to be excited to partner with Him in defeating the strategies of the devil. But Jesus doesn’t stop there. His promise just keeps getting better. He boldly declares, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19 NIV).
A Prophetic Vision
God is searching for a bride who wears commando boots. He is looking for a pure and spotless Church that will not shrink back from preaching the gospel, healing the sick, and casting out devils. The men and women of His Church will be armed with the knowledge of God and understand the authority Jesus has given them over evil as they confront and crush the demonic altars in their cities and regions around the world.
Perhaps we must repent today of our carnal mind- sets concerning satan and the evil surrounding us. What if there is more to us than our casual church attendance and defeated living? What if Father God wants to give us a fresh revelation of His Son and empower us, as His Church, with the Holy Spirit and fire to overcome satan’s schemes?
Do we realize that God and the devil are not equals? Colossians 2:15 (NASB) says, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” Jesus Christ has already defeated the devil and given His authority to the warrior bride. All for His glory! Get Your inheritance, Lord. It’s time to storm the gates of hell and gain victory over the devil and dominion over evil.
Prophetic Word
I see a radiant and triumphant bride rising now! Yes, darkness will increase and demons will continue to manifest, but bridal revival is catching fire and burning throughout the land. I see many Christians receiving a true and powerful gospel that gives them authority over sickness and disease. Now is not the time to run and hide from evil! Now is the time for the bride to arise and shine, for the glory of God is going to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Our greatest days in the global Church are not behind us. They are ahead of us.
