SPIRITUAL WARFARE
“.. the battle is not yours but God’s.”
( 2 CHRONICLES 20:15)
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING NOTES ARE MEANT TO BE SUGGESTIVE, NOT EXHAUSTIVE. THIS IS A GENERAL OVER-VIEW; THESE NOTES DO NOT ADDRESS SATAN’S CONFEDERACY WITH EVIL SPIRITS; DEMON POSSESSION; DEMON INFLUENCE; EXORCISM; THE MANY COUNTERFEITS OF TRUTH; THE LIMITS AND EXTENT OF THE ENEMY’S POWER (WEATHER? DISEASE? VISIONS AND DREAMS? CIRCUMSTANCES? MIND CONTROL OR PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS? PREDICTING THE FUTURE?) WE DO NOT ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC BIBLE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT SHOW SATAN’S DIRECT INVOLVEMENT: EVE (2 CORINTHIANS 11:3); JOB (JOB 1:6-12); BALAAM (JOSHUA 13:22; REVELATION 2:14); INFLUENCING DAVID TO NUMBER THE PEOPLE (1 CHRONICLES 21:1); DESIRING TO SIFT PETER LIKE WHEAT (LUKE 22:31) ; ENTERING JUDAS (JOHN 13:2); INFLUENCING ANANIAS AND SAPHARIAH TO LIE (ACTS 5:3); AND USING ELYMAS TO TRY AND TURN PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE LORD (ACTS 13:8-10). WE ALSO DO NOT ADDRESS SATAN’S FALL OR HIS CERTAIN DOOM. OUR PURPOSE IS SIMPLY TO PROCLAIM THE LORD’S PROVISION FOR THE CHRISTIAN TO APPROPRIATE THE LORD’S VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY.
WE HAVE AN ENEMY
NAMES AND TITLES OF THE ENEMY
SATAN (LUKE 10:18); LUCIFER/DAY STAR (ISAIAH 14:12); DEVIL (MATTHEW 4:1); TEMPTER (MATTHEW 4:3); RULER OF DEMONS (MATTHEW 9:34); BEELZEBUL (MATHEW 12:24); EVIL ONE (MATTHEW 13:15); ENEMY (MATTHEW 13:39); LIAR (JOHN 8:44); FATHER OF LIES (JOHN 8:44); MURDERER (JOHN 8:44); RULER OF THE WORLD (JOHN 14:30; god OF THIS AGE (2 CORINTHIANS 4:4); DRAGON (REVELATION12:9);ANGEL OF LIGHT (2 CORINTHIANS 11:14); RULER OF THE KINGDOM OF THE AIR (EPHESIANS 2:2) ADVESARY (2 PETER 5:8); ROARING LION SEEKING TO DEVOUR(1 PETER 5:8); ANGEL OF THE ABYSS (REVELATION 9:11) APOLLYON AND ABADDON (REVELATION 9:11; DRAGON (REVELATION 12:9); OLD SERPENT (REVELATION 12:9); DECEIVER OF THE WHOLE WORLD (REVELATION 12:9) ACCUSER (REVELATION 12:10); PRINCE OF THE WORLD (JOHN 12:31; MATTHEW 4:8-9; ACTS 26:18); PRINCE OVER NATIONS (DANIEL 10:13)
THE THREE-FOLD ENEMY OF THE CHRISTIAN
THE WORLD THE FLESH THE DEVIL
(1 JOHN 2:15-16) (ROMANS 7:24) (1 PETER 5:8)
THE THREE CHIEF TACTICS OF THE ENEMY
THE ENEMY IS AN ACCUSER THE ENEMY IS A DECEIVER THE ENEMY IS A TEMPTER
(REVELATION 12:10) (REVELATION 12:9) (1 CORINTHIANS 7:5)
(ZECHARIAH 3:1-7) (JOHN 8:44) (MATTHEW 4:1)
THE ENEMY IS REAL! NO WORDS CAN ESTIMATE HIS CRUELTY; HIS HOSTITILITY AGAINST THE SEED OF THE WOMAN; HIS DARING; HIS CUNNING; HIS POWER; THE NUMBER OF HIS HOST OR HIS INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD. THE ENEMY IS INVISIBLE, DOES NOT NEED SLEEP OR FOOD OR DRINK, DOES NOT GET WEARY, HAS NO PITY ON MEN, WOMEN, OR CHILDREN, AND RELIES ON MORE THAN 6, OOO YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HIS SCHEMES TO CORRUPT AND DESTROY THE SEED OF THE WOMAN. APART FROM UNION WITH CHRIST AND VIEWING THE FACTS FROM THE LEVEL OF THE EARTH ONLY, IT MUST BE ADMITTED THAT THE FORCES OF THE ENEMY ARE OVERWHELMINGLY SUPERIOR IN NUMBER, WISDOM, VIGILENCE AND MIGHT.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM
THE DESCRIPTIONS OF OUR WARFARE PRO0VE WE ARE IN A WAR
THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE (2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5); THE ARMOR (EPHESIANS 6:11-17); THE FIGHT OF FAITH (1 TIMOTHY 6:12); WRESTLING (EPHESIANS 6:12); A LAW WARING IN OUR MEMBERS (ROMANS 7:23); RESIST THE DEVIL (JAMES 4:7); THE GATES OF HELL NOT ABLE TO PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH (MATTHEW 16:18); BE VIGILENT (1 PETER 5:8); SATAN AS DEVOURING LION SEEKING TO DESTROY US (1 PETER 5:8); SOLDIERS OF JESUS CHRIST (2 TIMOTHY 2:3)
SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS REAL! THE CONFLICT IS NOT AN ELECTIVE! EVER SINCE MAN FELL INTO SIN, THERE HAS BEEN AN ALL OUT OFFENSIVE WARFARE BETWEEN THE SEED OF THE WOMAN AND THE SEED OF THE SERPENT.
WE ARE BORN AN ENEMY OF GOD AND UNDER JUDGMENT
WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN (JOHN 3:3); THERE IS NONE GOOD (ROMANS 3:10-18); ALL HAVE SINNED (ROMANS 3:23); WE WERE BORN, DEAD IN SIN AND SEPERATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD AND WITHOUT HOPE (EPHESIANS 2:1-2; 2:12); IN OUR FLESH THERE IS NO GOOD THING (ROMANS 7:18) WE ARE BORN UNDER CONDEMNATION (JOHN 3:18); NO PARTIALITY WITH GOD, ALL ARE GUILTY (ROMANS 2:11); WE ARE BORN IN SIN (PSALM 51:5); WE ARE UNCLEAN (ISAIAH 64:6); WE ARE BY NATURE, CHILDREN OF WRATH (EPHESIANS 2:3)
WE HAVE NO NATURAL ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE ENEMY
WE ARE HELPLESS (ROMANS 5:6); OUR HEART IS A DECEITFUL HEART (JEREMIAH 17:9); THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HAS BLINDED MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS (2 CORINTHIANS 4:4) WE NEED TO BE RESCUED FROM THE DOMAINE OF DARKNESS (COLOSSIANS 1:13); WE ARE BOUND BY THE “STRONG MAN (LUKE 11:21); SATAN DESIRES TO SIFT US LIKE WHEAT (LUKE 22:31-32); WE ARE NATURALLY RELATED TO OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL (JOHN 8:44)
WE HAVE A PROBLEM INDEED. WE ARE BORN IN SIN UNDER THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF A HOLY GOD; WE ARE HOPELESSLY SUBJECT TO LIVE UNDER SATAN’S DOMINION IN HIS KINGDOM. APART FROM THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE, WE WILL DIE IN OUR SIN. NO AMOUNT OF HUMAN RESISTANCE OR WORKS WILL AVAIL IN THE CONFLICT. WE ARE HOPELESSLY HELD UNDER THE WRATH OF AN OFFENDED GOD BY AN ENEMY WHO WILL NEVER VOLUNTARILY RELEASE US. WE MUST BE RESCUED! WE MUST BE SAVED! WE MUST BE DELIVERED! A STRONGER THAN THE STRONG MAN MUST SET US FREE! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!
WE HAVE A MEDIATOR
HE ONLY HAD TO DIE ONCE TO TAKE AWAY SINS FULLY AND FOREVER
HE DIED TO SIN ONCE (ROMANS 6:10; THIS HE DID ONCE (HEBREWS 7:27); THE PURPOSE OF HIS APPEARANCE WAS TO PUT AWAY SIN (HEBREWS 9:26); CHRIST OFFERED ONCE TO BEAR THE SINS OF MANY (HEBREWS 9:28); SANCTIFIED, ONCE FOR ALL (HEBREWS 10:10); CHRIST ONCE SUFFERED, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST (1 PETER 3:18); WHO CAN LAY ANYTHING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD’S ELECT? (ROMANS 8:33-34); THROUGH HIM, FORGIVENESS (ACTS 13:38-39); INIQUITIES HE REMEMBERS NO MORE (HEBREWS 8:12) OTHER SCRIPTURES SHOWING HE WILLINGLY GAVE HIS LIFE AS A SACRIFICE (EPHESIANS 5:21; GALATIANS 2:20; EPHESIANS 5:2; REVELATION 1:5 AND JOHN 10:11-12)
THE LORD JESUS SINGLEHANDEDLY DEFEATED THE ENEMY ON THE CROSS
ONE GOD AND MEDIATOR (1 TIMOTHY 2:5); NO OTHER NAME BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED (ACTS 4:12); WHILE WE WERE SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US (ROMANS 5:8); THE PURPOSE OF HIS APPEARANCE WAS TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL (1 JOHN 3:8); TO RENDER POWERLESS THE DEVIL (HEBREWS 2:14-15); NOW, RULER OF THE WORLD CAST OUT (JOHN 12:31); RULER OF WORLD JUDGED (JOHN 12:31); DISARMED RULERS AND AUTHORITIES, HAVING TRIUMPHED OVER THEM (COLOSSIANS 2:15).
GOD COMMENDED HIS LOVE FOR US, IN THAT, WHILE WE WERE YET ENEMIES, HE DIED FOR US. THERE IS ONLY ONE SAVIOR—THE LORD JESUS. HE ALONE WAS QUALIFIED TO DEFEAT SATAN. HE DEFEATED THE ENEMY BY WILLINGLY OFFERING HIMSELF AS A SACRIFICE TO ATONE FOR OUR SIN. NO ENEMY TOOK HIS LIFE. HE GAVE IT; HE LAID IT DOWN WILLINGLY; WHEN THE ENEMY, EARTH, HELL, AND HEAVEN GANGED UP AGAINST HIM, HE DID NOT BACK DOWN BUT FOUGHT AND WON . EARTH’S RULERS; HER KINGS, AND PRIESTS, AND SOLDIERS, AND MALEFACTORS; HER JEWS AND GENTILES; EVEN NATURE SEEMED TO JOIN IN THE CONFLICT—THE FOREST PROVIDED WOOD FOR THE CROSS; THE CURSE OF THORNS WAS WRAPPED AROUND HIS HEAD; BITTERNESS WAS MINGLED IN VINEGAR AND GALL AND LIFTED TO HIS LIPS: ADD TO THAT HELL’S FURY AGAINST HIM AND HEAVEN’S GOD FORSAKING HIM—HE DIED VICTORIOUS. HE DID NOT DIE SUBDUED! HE SATISFIED GOD’S EXTREME JUSTICE AND ENDURED SATAN’S EXTREME INJUSTICE. THE LORD JESUS SINGLEHANDEDLY DEFEATED THE ENEMY ON THE CROSS. THAT WAS WARFARE INDEED!
WE HAVE VICTORY IN JESUS
THE BATTLE WAS HIS ON THE CROSS; THE BATTLE IS HIS NOW, IN OUR HEARTS
WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS IN HIM (ROMANS 8:37); HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD (JOHN 16:33); HE GIVES US THE VICTORY (1 CORINTHIANS 15:57); HE PROTECTS FROM EVIL (2 THESSALONIANS 2:3); OUR FAITH IN HIM IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD (1 JOHN 5:4-5); THE LAMB CONQUERS (REVELATION 17:14); WE OVERCOME BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB (REVELATION 12:11); HE PUTS ENMITY BETWEEN US AND THE ENEMY (GENESIS 3:15); DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY (1 CORINTHIANS 15:54) THE GATES OF HELL WILL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH (MATTHEW 16:18); GREATER IS HE IN US THAN HE IN THE WORLD (1 JOHN 4:4); WHEN WE SUBMIT TO GOD, SATAN FLEES (JAMES 4:7); THE BATTLE IS NOT OURS BUT GOD’S (2 CHRONICLES 20:15); THE LORD IS A MAN OF WAR (EXODUS 15:3); THE LORD. . .HE WILL SAVE (ZEPHANIAH 3:17);THE LORD FIGHTS. . .TO SAVE (DEUTERONOMY 20:4); GIVE HELP, FOR VAIN IS THE HELP OF MAN (PSALM 60:11-12); VICTORY BELONGS TO THE LORD (PROVERBS 21:31) AND MANY OTHER PASSAGES.
WE ARE AS HELPLESS TO CONFRONT THE ENEMY NOW THAT WE ARE CHRISTIANS AS WE WERE BEFORE WE WERE SAVED. THE ONE WHO DIED AS OUR SUBSTITUTE ON THE CROSS TO WIN OUR VICTORY, NOW LIVES IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE US CONTINUAL VICTORY. OURS IS A FIGHT OF FAITH AND FAITH NEEDS AN OBJECT. CHRIST, THE VICTOR, IS THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH. ALLOWING CHRIST TO FIGHT THE ENEMY AS OUR SUBSTITUTE GURANTEES THAT WE WILL HAVE VICTORY FROM THE PRESENT MOMENT UNTIL SATAN IS CRUSHED UNDER OUR FEET (ROMANS 16:20) AND THE LAST ENEMY, DEATH, IS FINALLY DESTROYED (1 CORINTHIANS 15:26). OUR WARFARE IS HIS WARFARE!