Spiritual warfare is the battle that takes place in the spiritual realm and affects the physical realm. Our enemy is Satan and God is our source of defense. In this article, we will explore the depths of spiritual warfare, the tactics of the enemy, and how spiritual discipline and prayer can be crucial weapons to overcome these challenges.
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
To comprehend spiritual warfare, we can draw a parallel with physical warfare. Just like the greatest battles of history were about controlling territory for power and control, spiritual warfare is a battle for control over people’s souls. Because the soul is made up of one’s mind, will, and emotions, this is a battle we face daily and struggle with if we aren’t aware of our identity in Christ. God created each of us for a purpose – whereby our gifts and talents are to serve humanity, glorify God and draw people closer to him in which we fulfill our destiny.
Spiritual warfare involves an enemy, known as Satan or the devil, who works hard to prevent people from knowing God and fulfilling their God-given destiny. The devil’s tactics may vary based on whether someone is already a Christian or not. But his ultimate purpose is to hinder people from experiencing the full manifestation of God’s promises in their lives. Yet, for those who have embraced God through Jesus, victory is sure. For Christ has overcome death with His resurrection. The spiritual journey begins with being born again in the Spirit through faith in Jesus (John 3).
Three Heavens And Spiritual Warfare
Once something takes place in the spiritual realm it manifests in the physical realm. To understand further, this world consists of three heavens. The first is the physical earth where we operate as humans, the second heaven is where Satan conducts his attacks, this is where a lot of things happen during spiritual warfare. The third heaven is the highest where Jesus is seated next to God on the throne, this is where Satan was cast out.
Spiritual Warfare In The Physical Realm
Spiritual attacks take place in the second heavens and manifest in the first heavens (physical realm). As born-again Christians, we have the holy spirit who has risen Christ from the dead up to heavenly places far above all principality, power, authority, and dominion (Ephesians 1:17-23). This means we too are also seated with Christ in heavenly places far above all demonic activity, giving us victory in our battles.
The Accuser Of The Brethren
Satan is called the accuser of the brethren, where the only access he has to the third heavens is to the Courtroom of Heaven. This is where he is accusing us of sin day and night in the Courtroom of Heaven. When we sin (either consciously, unconsciously, or if sin is found in our bloodline) it gives Satan a legal right to attack us. To revoke the legal right Satan has against us we have to repent, renounce, and denounce all sins and covenants made, and then break all curses that came from these sins and covenants.
Army Of God Ministries explains this in further detail.
Spiritual Disciple Wins Battles
We win our battles with the power of the holy spirit, the revelation of our identity in Christ Jesus, and the power of God’s word. Our spiritual disciple is crucial in getting victory as it’s the power of prayer that can intercept attacks that take place in the spirit realm (second heavens). Understanding how to operate from the third heaven where we enter the glory realm gives leverage to victory through miracles, signs, and wonders. One of the best ways to get into the glory realm is through worship. David from the Old Testament was a victorious warrior but he attained many victories through his worship of the Lord as we can see in the book of Psalms.
Apostle Joshua Selman speaks about the factors to consider in spiritual warfare.
Why Spiritual Warfare Can Be So Intense
How Satan Gains Advantage
Sin is the easiest way Satan gains access, as sin is what causes disobedience toward God’s word. We must be cautious not to dabble in spiritual fascinations like fortune-telling, tarot cards, eastern meditation, yoga, horoscopes, occult practices, or celebrating Halloween. As they lead to harmful influences and open doors for the devil to torment. The Bible warns against such involvement (Leviticus 19:26-31, Deuteronomy 18:9-14).
Why Is Idolatry So Bad?
Idolatry is another huge reason why many suffer so much. The worship of false Gods is such a widespread problem. The Hindus have thousands of Gods they worship. Actors, musicians, artists, and influencers are all idols and worshipped by the masses. We are now in a culture of self-worship, whereby people are lovers of themselves and consumed with so much pride. Whatever gets your attention more than God has become your idol. Exodus 20: 3-6 clearly states that the sin of idolatry will bring punishment to the third and fourth generations.
Faulty Foundations, Unbroken Covenants And Curses
If you are the first Christian in your bloodline, idolatry has most likely been practiced in your bloodline along with a whole load of covenants, altars, and curses that are still active. A covenant is a binding agreement, covenants are made through close relations via initiation, sex, marriage, and also through idol worship. Idol worship is where a covenant gets made with a demonic idol or spirit, especially when an offering or sacrifice is made. Even if you’re from a family of Christians, like new believers if these covenants and curses are not broken you will struggle to enjoy the full promises of God.
The Battle For Your Soul
In spiritual warfare, three forces are at play, battling for ownership of our souls: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Understanding these enemies is crucial in our journey to combat spiritual attacks and strengthen our faith.
1. The World: Societies and cultures in the world often encourage certain behaviors and values that may or may not align with God’s teachings. Recognizing these influences helps us walk closely with God and remain true to His commandments.
2. The Flesh: The struggle to turn away from God can also come from within ourselves, driven by our sins and desires. It’s essential to be aware of our internal battles and seek God’s forgiveness and strength to live according to His plan.
3. The Devil: The devil, the ultimate enemy, has been defeated by Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, he seeks to blind people from the truth of God and uses various tactics, such as deception, temptation, and planting doubts, to keep them away from a relationship with Him.
The Deception Of The Devil
Acknowledging the existence of the devil and spiritual warfare may be challenging for some, but ignoring this reality leaves us vulnerable to his deceptions and schemes. The devil is a master manipulator who weaves lies to instill doubt in God’s promises and truth. His tactics range from presenting worst-case scenarios to inciting fear, hopelessness, and the loss of joy. Moreover, the devil seeks to convince us that God’s power is no match for him, leading us away from our Heavenly Father.
The Crucifixion Of Jesus Christ Is Our Defense
To counter these lies, we must remember that Satan’s ultimate defeat occurred when Jesus went to the cross and triumphed over sin and death. Jesus, our commander in spiritual warfare, empowers us to stand against the enemy’s deception and temptations. By anchoring ourselves in God’s truth, seeking His righteousness, and putting our faith in Him, we can shield ourselves from the devil’s lies.
Recognizing The True Enemy
In spiritual warfare, it is crucial to identify the real adversary: Satan, the fallen angel who rebelled against God. He is the accuser, tempter, and deceiver, constantly seeking to lead us astray and doubt God’s truth. We must be vigilant and avoid disobeying God’s commands, which open doors for the enemy to attack us.
As humans, we are vessels used either by God or Satan. Living a repentant lifestyle, avoiding sin, reading God’s word, and praying will allow us to become a surrendered vessel for the holy spirit to dwell in us so God can use us. But, living in sin only makes a habitation for Satan to have access. When you get attacked by someone it’s important to know they are being used by Satan, who has access to use them through their unrepented sin.
Ephesians 6:12 states ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’ Remember it’s the spiritual forces we are fighting against.
John Ramirez goes in deeper about Satan’s Tactics
The Power of Prayer in Spiritual Warfare
In the ongoing war between good and evil, we cannot remain passive observers but must actively engage in spiritual warfare. Prayer is the formidable weapon God has given us to participate in this battle and experience victory. As prayer warriors, we can prevent harm from befalling others and usher blessings into people’s lives.
When engaging in prayer, we must remember our true commander in spiritual warfare: Jesus Christ. He leads the heavenly army of angels and empowers us to fight against the schemes of the devil. Our prayers should be led by the Holy Spirit, who prompts us to pray for what is most needed and aligns our petitions with God’s will.
One of the most powerful techniques in spiritual warfare is praying at midnight or 3 am, these are specific times that leverage your prayers with power and do serious damage to the kingdom of darkness. Praying in tongues is also extremely important, to pray your warfare prayers, and praying in tongues simultaneously adds an extra layer of power to your prayer.
Get Educated In Spiritual Warfare
John Ramirez
John Ramirez is an ex-satanic high priest who has exposed the tactics of the kingdom of darkness. He explains how to fight and aggressively win in your spiritual warfare with a detailed battle strategy, revealing all the deceptive ways the devil uses to hold you captive. Here are some highly recommended books for your library.
Rev James A Solomon
Rev James A Solomon is a Nigerian president of Jesus People’s Revival Ministries Inc, and the General Overseer and Senior Pastor of Jesus Family Chapel. From a family of high-ranking occultic witch doctors, Rev James has an insightful book that goes into detail about breaking free from faulty foundations, demonic covenants, and curses.
Dr. D K Olukoya
Dr. D K Olukoya is the General Overseer and Founder of Deliverance Church Mountains Of Fire And Miracles Ministries. The emphasis at the church is deliverance with teachings on breaking free from ancestral spirits and fighting against hidden spiritual forces. With over 300 branches worldwide and a wide selection of prayer books, this church encourages its member to become aggressive prayer warriors and has proven to produce a great number of testimonies.
5 Tips to Exercise Your Spiritual Stamina
1. Creating A Secret Place: Like Jesus, we must create time and space for prayer, away from distractions, to connect with God intimately. This is our secret place, it could be anywhere in your home, your car, outside somewhere, anywhere. Taking regular time alone with God allows our relationship to grow deeper with him which sharpens our discernment.
2. Combining Prayer with Fasting: Fasting crucifies our flesh which strengthens our spirit. Fasting gives our prayers the nuclear power we need to get breakthroughs and answered prayers. Matthew 17:21 states that some demons don’t go out but by prayer and fasting.
3. The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit, one of the persons of the Trinity, plays a crucial role in our lives, especially during spiritual warfare. Jesus promises His followers that the Holy Spirit would live within us, providing strength, power, and guidance in our battles. Living a repentant lifestyle, and becoming obedient to God’s word allows you to be used as a vessel for the Holy Spirit to dwell in.
4. Praying With Other Believers: Engaging in prayer with fellow believers is vital for our success in spiritual warfare. Intercession is powerful, especially when you are struggling through your battles. When you pray for others or when others pray for you, breakthroughs are sure to manifest.
5. Connecting To The Glory Realm: Praise and worship is a mighty weapon in spiritual warfare because it allows us to tap into the glory realm where we have victory with Christ. Have you ever noticed how songs always get played for a boxer’s ring walk as they enter their fight? Because worship is a powerful weapon, even more so with praise as mentioned throughout scripture. You don’t need to be the greatest singer to worship, just a heart surrendered to God.
Conclusion
In the realm of spiritual warfare, the battle is real, but the victory is already won through Jesus Christ who is seated in heavenly places far above all demonic activity. There is an importance in recognizing the existence of spiritual warfare, understanding the tactics of the enemy, becoming aggressive prayer warriors, and breaking covenants and curses. By this, we can confidently engage in the battle and stand firm against the forces of darkness. Praise, worship, and prayer become our powerful tools to combat evil and advance God’s kingdom on Earth. Let us claim the victory that is ours through Christ, and with unwavering faith, let us triumph over spiritual warfare through the power of prayer and the authority given to us by our Heavenly Father.