Daring the Devil

Spiritual Warfare—Power encounter or truth encounter?

Wayne Detzler, Ph.D.

© Wayne Detzler 2011

Published at Southern Evangelical Seminary

3000 Tilley Morris Road

Matthews, North Carolina 28105

 Table of Contents
Introduction 1

1. World View 4

2. Spiritual Warfare in Scripture 9

3. The Enemy 16

4. Targets of Demonic Attack 25

5. Diagnosing Spiritual Warfare 35

6. The Position of Spiritual Victory 43

7. Discerning the Devil’s Schemes 51

8. Put on the Spiritual Armor 59

9. Warfare Praying 66
 INTRODUCTION

Spiritual Warfare is a hot issue among evangelicals today. After denial and avoidance for many

generations, our post Christian society ad forced the issue upon us. We must face the reality of spiritual

warfare whether or not we like it.

While teaching at a seminary I encountered a colleague who took spiritual warfare seriously. His

name was Dr. Tim Warner, and we met at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Each

time we examined a doctoral candidate, he would press the issue of spiritual powers, or demonic forces.

It seemed then to me that he was perverting the role of an examiner. I felt as if he were reading into the

research something of which the researcher was unaware. Alas, the researcher was probably as

unaware of spiritual forces as I was.

This did not negate the existence of spiritual warfare. It only demonstrated the limits of my

knowledge and experience. Later my colleague taught a course concerning spiritual warfare. Of course,

students flocked to the course. We all consoled ourselves with the thought that this was a fad, a passing

phase in theological education.

In fact, spiritual warfare is not a fad: It is a fact of life. Increasingly we are becoming aware that

every Christian is caught up in the battle. It therefore compels us to learn all that the Scriptures teach

about spiritual warfare. Furthermore, it is incumbent upon us to prepare ourselves for the battle. This is

the point of Ephesians 6:11-18.

Because I was uncomfortable with the “power encounter” concept, I avoided the subject to

some degree. It was Paul Hebert of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, who showed me that we were not
dealing with power encounter. This is not a matter of our overcoming demonic forces. We are dealing

rather with “truth encounter,” in which we apply the truth of God’s Word as our defensive, apologetic

weapon in spiritual warfare.

Thankfully there are several books in print which deal with this matter. One of the most

technical books is Tim McAlpine’s Facing the Powers (MARC, 1991). In this excellent text the author

discusses spiritual warfare from four perspectives: The Reformed tradition, the Anabaptist tradition, the

Third Wave (Charismatic) tradition, and the social science tradition. This is an excellent primer for the

study of spiritual warfare.

A prolific writer in this field is Neil Anderson, who teaches at Talbot School of Theology. He

wrote The Bondage Breakers (Harvest House, 1990), which challenges the misconceptions about

spiritual warfare. Published in the same year is Victory over the Darkness (Regal, 1990). This work is

predicated upon the position of the believer in the Lord, and it aims at victory over one’s sinful past. A

third book by Neil Anderson is Walking through the Darkness (Here’s Life, 1991). In this book Dr.

Anderson addresses the phenomena of the New Age and false religions.

From the standpoint of pastoral counseling the best author is Dr. Mark I. Bubeck. His first book

was The Adversary: The Christian Versus Demonic Activity (Moody, 1975). A follow-up on this is

Overcoming the Adversary (Moody, 1985), in which Bubeck explores the subject of warfare praying.

The following study is based on a discipleship/mentoring experience with members of Calvary

Baptist Church in Meriden, Connecticut. During the period of 1987-94 I served this church as senior

pastor, devoting many hours to pastoral counseling, including many experiences with spiritual warfare.

My primary focus of ministry has always been discipleship one-on-one and in small groups.
 This discipleship program had several purposes in view. First, it was my intention to alert the

congregation to issues of spiritual warfare. Second, it was the aim to lay a sound theological and biblical

foundation for spiritual warfare. Third, it was my goal to dispel misconceptions concerning spiritual

warfare. Fourth, it was our plan to train Christians for spiritual warfare.

In the following study guide our method will be a brief presentation of the issues involved with

biblical documentation. Each section will conclude with study and discussion questions. At the end of

each lesson there will also be guidance concerning warfare praying.

 1

SPIRITUAL WARFARE:

A World View

Most of us have very fuzzy ideas about the spirit world. If the truth were known, we would

admit that many of our ideas have their roots in literature and/or entertainment. Casper the Friendly

Ghost makes most of us think that spirits are benevolent. “The Omen” sends a shudder down our spine,

as we contemplate that some spirits are not friendly, or kind. Our understanding is anecdotal, and many

of the anecdotes come from popular fiction.

There are, in fact, certain churches which deny the very existence of the spirit world. They are

sure that demons do not exist, and angels are safely locked up in the antiquity of Bible times. One

person left a class on spiritual warfare, because “his church” taught that they are no demons. They went

out of existence with the first century.

 In reality there are many beings and many impersonal forces in the universe. Dr. Paul Hiebert

offers the following table of both personal beings and impersonal forces in the universe.

Beings Forces

High God of the Bible (Yahweh) Magic-control by formulas

Lesser gods or goddesses Evil eye—acquired

Spirits Medicine

Demons Omens/Taboos

Ghosts Ordeals

Ancestors Witchcraft

Humans Gravity

Animals Electro-magnetism

Plants Astrology

The Scripture admits to only two categories of existence: Creator and creature. Either a being is

God and the Creator or one of His creations. Psalm 100:3: “It is He who made us, and we are His.” Of the

Lord Jesus Christ John wrote: “Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that

has been made.” (John 1:3)

The Scripture tolerates no dualism. A dualism exists when two equally powerful, volitionally

opposite, and eternal things exist. Satan and the Lord are not co-existent. Satan is a creature who came
into existence at the Lord’s command and continues to exist only as the Lord allows him to. Dualism is

not a Christian concept but rather a pagan idea.

There are billions of creatures but only one Creator. The line between creature and Creator in

Scripture is absolute, immutable. No one and nothing may cross over that line. The God of Scripture is in

a class by Himself. He is by definition unique, one of a kind.

The World of Spirits

In the realm of eternity exists the Lord God. He is the infinite spirit. Because of His infinity He

possesses such characteristics as omniscience (knows everything), omnipotence (all powerful), and

omnipresence (He is everywhere at once). The infinite scope of God’s existence is known by faith.

By contrast all of His creations are finite. They cannot know everything at once. They are limited

in their power. They are limited in their presence. The realm in which we live is known by science,

deduced by fact. Our limitations are easily seen. We run out of energy at the end of the day, we become

weary. We are always forgetting things: This reminds us of our mental limitations. Every creature by

definition is finite, even when that creature is an angel or a demon.

The matter of spiritual warfare raises a question. What about the world that is Tran empirical, the world

we cannot see, feel, smell, hear, or touch? What about the world of spirits, angels, and demons? These

spirits are not infinite, a spin-off of the eternal God. They are finite, created, and limited. On the other

hand, these spirits are not available to our senses, we cannot see them, touch them, or hear them.

A friend asked: “Do demons have an existence apart from the mind of the one who perceives

them?” In other words: “Are demons real?” He was somewhat startled when I answered affirmatively.
Although he had grown up in a fairly solid Catholic family and had attended mass regularly, he had

simply written off the existence of demons.

Professor Paul Hiebert explains the spirit world with this picture.

THE ETERNAL GOD

Known by faith (the religious world

Answers questions of ultimate origins, purpose, and destiny

THE SPIRIT WORLD

Known by Folk Religion

Answers questions of meaning of life and death, well-being in life, guidance and the unknown,
justice and equality

THE MATERIAL WORLD

Known by folk science

Answers questions concerning the control of nature and human relations.

There are several advantages to this viewpoint. First, the eternal God is not confused with His

finite, limited creatures. Second, spirits are not confined to the world of sense, so that “we look for a

demon on every twig.” Third, the world of finite spirits is neither trivialized nor denied. Satan and his
demons, as well as the angels are regarded as being real. Fourth, this accounts for the spirit world which

is present in Scripture, as seen in demons (Luke 8:26-39), angels (Acts 12:1-10), and even Satan (Acts

5:1-11). Here too is help in understanding the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-13).

Discussion Questions

1. Are good and evil spirits real? (Ephesians 6:10-18)

2. Is Satan all-powerful? Has he always existed? (1 John 4:4; Job 1:6-12)

3. Who controls the demons, angels, and Satan? (Jude 8-9)

4. What should our response to demonic forces be? (Romans 8:37; 2

Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 10:13)

 2

SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN SCRIPTURE

The issue of spiritual warfare is present in Scripture. Two centuries ago Matthew Henry wrote:

“Spiritual strength and courage are very necessary for our spiritual warfare.” (Italics mine, Commentary

on Ephesians 6:10) If this great Bible commentator sensed the reality of spiritual warfare, should we not

do as much?
 Although the battlefield is different in the Old and New Testaments, the battle lines are the

same. Satan and his diabolical forces are arrayed against the Lord and His righteous armies.

Spiritual Warfare in the Old Testament

In the Hebrew Scriptures the war rages between Israel and the pagans. Pagans practice

animistic, demonic religion. They live in mortal fear of spirits. Theirs are the territorial gods. Baals are

the malevolent gods of the Phoenicians; one sees them in conflict with Elijah on Mt. Carmel. (1 Kings

18:25-40)

Molech is the god of the Ammonites who demands of his followers the sacrifice of innocent

children. (1 Kings 11:33) This bizarre, gruesome orgy of religious perversion persisted in Israel until the

Babylonian captivity. (Jeremiah 32:35)

Chemosh was the god of ancient Moab. Jeremiah delivered the word of divine judgment against

the worship of Chemosh. (Jeremiah 48:7, 13, 46) From the defection of Solomon (1 Kings 7:3) to the

revival under Josiah (2 Kings 23:13) Chemosh was worshiped by apostate Israel.

During Old Testament times, pagan deities were obviously distinguished from the God of Israel,

Yahweh. First, Yahweh is universal in His scope: Pagan deities are territorial, venerated by only one

people group. Second, Yahweh rules and reigns over all of life: Pagan deities are severely limited in their

sphere of authority. Third, Yahweh is a personal God: Pagan deities are petulant, impersonal spirits.

Throughout the Old Testament God is described by progressive revelation. In Genesis 11-12

Abraham deals with EL, a primitive, generic name for God. It is also seen in the Aramaic elah, or the

Arabic ilah. Later this divine name is qualified. To Jacob He appeared as El-Elohe-Israel, “God, the God of

Israel.” (Genesis 3:24-32) To Moses He is El-Shaddai, the Almighty God. (Exodus 6:3) This sets Him

forever apart from the powerless, pagan deities. The God of the Bible is the living, victorious God.
 In Exodus 3:14-15 God reveals Himself to be Yahweh God. He is the self-existent One, the One

who has neither beginning nor end. The very character of God delineates the field of spiritual warfare in

the Old Testament. No god can compare or do combat with Him. He is the eternal, triumphant One.

Followers of other gods are walled out of Israel. This is seen in the prohibition against

intermarriage. It extends not only to leaders and kings, but to the commoners also. (Deuteronomy 7:3)

When Israel is restored from exile, the prohibition against intermarriage with worshippers of foreign

deities is reaffirmed. (Ezra 9:12; Nehemiah 13:25)

Spiritual warfare in the Old Testament is obvious and clear-cut. It always places Yahweh in

contract with pagan gods. The Scripture reveals Yahweh as the triumphant One. This is so much the case

that false gods are seen to be nothing more of less than second rate demons, or inanimate objects such

as sticks and stones. (Isaiah 40:19-20)

Jesus and Spiritual Warfare

Jesus engaged in spiritual warfare throughout His earthly life. At some points He dealt singularly

with one demon-possessed person. On other occasions He combated the systemic satanic power as

seen in Jewish religion or Roman government. Whether on an individual or systemic basis, Jesus always

engaged in warfare against the forces of Satan. This is perhaps most visible in the Gospel of John, as the

following table indicates.

John chapter Person involved Outcome

2 Temple authorities Temple cleansed of false worship

3 Nicodemus Religion vs. New Birth

Religious establishment

4 Samaritan woman pagan customs Religious boundaries broken down

5 Paralytic at Bethesda Sabbath Legalism rejected

6 Feeds 5,000 Social neglect is overcome

7 Feast of Tabernacles Religious elders confronted

8 Adulterous woman Merciless law rejected

9 Blind man healed Powerless superstition revealed

10 Pharisees’ teaching False teaching unmasked

12 Triumphal entry Gainsayers are silenced

13 Religious conspirators Treachery revealed

20-21 Crucifixion Resurrection defeats death

In many different ways Jesus met and defeated the forces

of Satan. He displayed the power of truth in contrast to the forced of untruth. He revealed the genuine

nature and agenda of God in contrast to the supposed schemes of religion. In the model of Jesus’ life,

Satan is defeated not by flamboyant hocus pocus, but by the overwhelming authority of the truth of

God’s Word.
 Spiritual Warfare and the Church

The model for spiritual warfare in the life of the church is the book of Acts. Throughout the book

one had illustrations of the Lord in combat with Satan and his forces. Here it is in the Apostles who

engage in spiritual warfare. Notice once again that it is a case of truth encounter rather than power

encounter. Instead of the Apostles doing battle to death with demons, they simply expose the false by

the power of the truth. The issue is not power but authority. The all-prevailing authority of the Lord

overcomes satanic power in all of its malevolent forms.

For instance, the powers of darkness sought to discount the events of Pentecost. They claimed

that the believers were under the influence of alcohol. Peter countered by demonstrating from the

Scriptures that the believers were not under alcoholic influence, but rather they were under the control

of the Spirit. (Acts 2:15-21)

At the Temple gate Peter and John encountered a man who had been paralytic from his birth.

Disregarding all human means of help, such as alms, they claim healing in the name of the Lord Jesus

Christ. He alone is the source of healing. (Acts 3:1-8)

In the incident of Ananias and Sapphira Satan tried to torpedo the early church by deceit. The

Apostle Peter discerned that this was a satanic attack, and the Lord exacted lethal punishment on both

Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5:1-10)

 When Simon the sorcerer sought to purchase spiritual power, Peter confronted him in the name

of the Lord. The discipline of the Lord struck terror in the heart of a man who had experienced all sorts

of demonic powers. (Acts 8:18-24)

In Acts 13 the first missionary journey took Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark to the island of

Cyprus. There Elymas, the sorcerer, withstood the claims of the Gospel. The end result was a public

defeat of the wicked one. (Acts 13:1-12)

In Asia Minor the Apostle Paul saw God heal a crippled man in the city of Lystra. This was

perceived by the pagan populace to be a demonstration of spiritual power. However, the Apostle Paul

gave the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. For this he was stoned and left for dead. (Acts 14:8-20)

Similarly in Greece there was a misunderstanding of spiritual power. When a soothsayer

confronted Paul and Silas at Philippi, the forces of Satan were summarily defeated. Instead of bringing

joy to the people and a massive turning to the Lord, the missionaries were beaten and jailed. (Acts

16:16-24) The Lord ultimately triumphed, however, with the conversion of Lydia and the jailer and the

formation of a thriving church, the first Christian church in Europe.

Several conclusions are supported by the Old Testament and New Testament evidence. First,

from the time of the fall (Genesis 3) onward, Satan has always withstood the work of God. Second,

sometimes Satan appears to have the upper hand in a given situation or location. Third, ultimately the

greater power of the Almighty God triumphs.

 Discussion Questions

5. How do the names of the Lord relate to conflict with the powers of darkness in our world?

6. In what ways did Satan try to thwart the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ?

7. What overt acts of spiritual warfare occurred in the early church, and are these common in

the church today?

 3

The Enemy

Our enemy is not simple, straightforward. He and his cohorts present a complex picture. The

world around us would insist that Satan is only a fantasy, something like “Captain Hook,” or a fictional

figure from a James Bond movie. However the picture presented in Scripture is different, much

different. The world’s view can be contrasted with the biblical view in the following table.

Secular Worldly View Biblical View

Supernatural Realm Transcendent World of God

Nothing, no spirits either good or bad Excluded Middle

Nature Empirical World of Senses

A student at Yale was discussing her internship in a facility for mental health care. She was

charged with the duties of a chaplain looking after the spiritual needs of the patients. This proved to be

somewhat frustrating for my student. She said: “They seem to have no concept of the spiritual at all.”

Indeed the medical establishment did not have a concept of the spiritual, the eternal. They

viewed the world from a secular viewpoint. There might be a supernatural realm, but it was as an

accessible as a computer file without the password. Not having the “biblical password” the medical and

psychiatric personnel were cast back on the scientism and rationalism which formed the framework of

their educational experience.

Alas, many Christians adopt the same viewpoint. They believe in God who is infinite and

unreachable. Prayer is outmoded as a means of communication with the Lord. So they are cast back on

the scientism and rationalism of this age. They are scarcely different from the secularists of the age.

Rationalism versus Mysticism

 Neil Anderson sets down the issues in a helpful comparative chart. In it he contrasts rationalism

(the secular philosophy of our age) with mysticism (the Hindu root of the New Age, even the

postmodern movement). Contrasts are drawn along four lines: human identity (who am I?), truth (How

do I discover truth?), guidance (Where do I derive my direction?), and finally, eternity (What is the

future of life?).

Issues Rationalism Christianity Mysticism

Identity Product of evolution Creature of God A god

Truth Empirically discerned Revelation Intuition

Guidance Reason Word and Spirit Psychic

Eternity Nihilism Resurrection Reincarnation

The entire premise of most educational institutions is rationalism. Ask them how I as a human

came into being, and they explain it in terms of the evolutionary process. Only truth which can be

verified by the senses is seen to be truth. There is no room for the supernatural. If guidance is sought,

one is cast back on one’s reason and the experience and/or information which one has been able to

gain. When pressed about life after death, the answer is annihilation: we just cease to exist.

Into the enormous gap created by this rationalism has rushed mysticism. We are now gods,

either in reality or potentiality. Truth is perceived by intuition, which is mediated by some medium or

channel. Guidance comes from a psychic who pretends to be all-knowing and completely benevolent.
(Someone mentioned a religious cult with a so-called “Master” at its head. He directs a band of faithful

followers and gives them his own version of truth.) In this postmodern age the future is shaped by

reincarnation, sort of a “better luck next time” system.

In contrast to the above Christianity finds one’s identity in God’s creative act. We are made by

Him and for His glory. Truth is bound up together with His revelation, as it is seen in the Scriptures and

the Living Word, the lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly our guidance comes through the Word of God as

inspired by and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Our future is resurrection.

Deceiving Spirits

Christians realize that this world is filled with deceiving spirits. This has been understood by

Christians for many years. The great devotional writer Hannah Whitehall Smith wrote:

There are voices of evil deceiving spirits who lie in wait to entrap

every traveler entering the higher regions of spiritual life. In the same epistle

that tells us we are seated in heavenly places in Christ [Ephesians], we are also told that we will
have to fight with spiritual enemies. These spiritual enemies, whoever or whatever they may be,
must necessarily communicate with us by means of our spiritual faculties. And their voices, as
the voice of God, are an inward impression made upon our spirit. Therefore, just as the Holy
Spirit may tell us by impressions what the will of God is concerning us, so also will these spiritual
enemies tell us by impression what their will concerning us, though not of course is giving it
their name. (Quoted in Martin Wells Knapp, Impressions [Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1984], p.
32.)
 Knapp further quotes some research which he and Steve Russo undertook among middle school

and high school students in California. From one of the better Christian schools the following results

were returned:

• 45% have experienced some presence (seen or heard) in their room that scared them.

• 59% said they had bad thoughts about God.

• 43% said it is mentally difficult to pray and read the Bible.

• 69% have heard voices in their head, like there was a subconscious self talking to them.

• 22% said they had frequently had thoughts of suicide.

• 29% have had impulsive thoughts to kill somebody, like “grab that knife and kill that

person.” (Knapp, pp. 30-1)

Now how do we discern these spirits? Who are they, and what can we do to combat them? It is

essential to remember the true nature of Satan. He is not some sort of cute comedic type person in red

underwear with a pitchfork. He is a very real, very contemporary being.

Jesus Christ tells us that Satan is a liar. (John 8:44) When he lies, he is speaking his native

language. We do not believe what he says or what seems to come from him. Second, Satan is our

adversary. (Revelation 12:10-11) He is not involved in communicating spiritual truth to us. He is at work

to inhibit our spiritual growth.

By contrast our Guide is the Holy Spirit. (John 15:26) He is at work to lead us into all truth.

(Philippians 4:8-9) He it is who causes us to meditate upon God’s Word and to submit to it. It is He who

leads us into righteousness and helps us to walk uprightly. He is the source of peace not conflict. He is

the source of calm not turmoil.

 How to Test the Spirits

From start to finish the Scripture gives us guidance on testing the spirits. For instance in

Deuteronomy 18:20-21 we are given guidance about false prophets. A prophet who speaks in the name

of other gods is a false prophet. So is a prophet who speaks a false message, one which does not come

true.

In His Olivet Discourse Jesus warned that many false prophets would appear, and that they would

deceive many. (Matthew 24:11) Also, these false prophets will do many miracles (Matthew 24:24), false

miracles that is.

The Apostle John devoted much of First John to the discerning of false teachers and false spirits. In

1 John 4:1-2 he warns that many false prophets are in the world. They uniformly deny the deity of

Christ. This must cast doubts on some of the foremost theological teachers of our time!

Many years ago we were involved with a nurses’ Christian fellowship. Through this group many

had come to saving faith in Christ. A teacher came from a nearby town in southern England, where we

lived. He purported to be sent by God to instruct the nurses in the truth. Alas, his son came along with

him to “hold the prophet’s mantle,” so to speak. This son succeeded in seducing several of the nurses

and thoroughly disrupting the work of the Lord in that place. These were false prophets, and their effect

was destruction.
 In Walking through the Darkness, p. 52, Neil Anderson lists five criteria to assist us in testing the

spirits and the prophets:

1. Is the person giving the prophetic utterance living a balanced and righteous lifestyle?

2. Is the person committed to building God’s kingdom or his own; is Christ being lifted up or is he

being lifted up?

3. Does the prophetic utterance establish confidence in the Word of God and is it consistent with a

balanced presentation of it? Are people going to have a greater dependency upon God’s

revelation or man’s inspiration? Are prophetic utterances a substitute for serious, personal

study of God’s Word?

4. Does the use of this spiritual gift bring unity to the church and build up other Christians? Be

careful in this test, because those who hold to a form of godliness but deny its power are not in

balance either. They will quench the Spirit through censorship and very little will be

accomplished in the church.

5. Do the spiritual manifestations bypass the mind? God operates through our mind; Satan seeks

to bypass it. If a person takes on a medium-like trance, be assured it is the occult. God renews

our mind and brings back to our mind all that He has taught us. We are to think so as to have

sound judgment.

Fear that Paralyses: How to Confront our Fears

 Satan often works through fear. We hear people speak of “panic attacks,” or phobias of this, that,

or something else. Fear is uniformly condemned in the Scripture as being a satanic instrument to nullify

our spiritual lives.

In Proverbs 28:1 we read: “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as

bold as a lion.” Many are afraid of other people. In Psalm 118:5-9 David called out to the Lord and was

freed from all his fears. He says: “the lord is with me; I will not be afraid.” (Psalm 28:6) “The Lord is with

me; He is my helper.” (Psalm 28:7) “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” (Psalm

28:8)

A second cause of fear is death. Many people live in fear of dying, and they are almost paranoid

about this. The Apostle Paul was not casual, but he was confident about this. He wrote while in prison to

the Philippians: “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

A final cause of fear is satanic forces. Many Christians secretly, and sometimes openly, believe that

Satan is more powerful than the Lord. 1 John 4:4 says: “the one who is in you is greater than the one

who is in the world.” A little further on the Apostle John wrote: “We know that anyone born of God does

not continue to sin; the one born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.” (1 John

5:18)

Neil Anderson in Walking through the Darkness, p. 52, lists five ways of dealing with our phobias:

1. Analyze your fear: What am I afraid of? When did it first occur? What events preceded the first

occurrence of this fear?

2. Determine where God’s place in your life has been usurped: How does my fear make me

irresponsible in my behavior? Confess times when fear has been allowed to control my life.

Commit yourself to fulfill your responsibility in the matter.

3. Work out a plan of responsible behavior.

4. Determine in advance what your response will be to any fear object.

5. Commit yourself to carry out the plan.

 Discussion Questions

8. How have we as Christians succumbed to secular thinking?

9. What are some of the major mystical movements of our time?

10. Why should we not believe Satan’s impulses? (John 8:44; Revelation 12:10-11)

11. How can we test the spirits? (Deuteronomy 18:20-21; 1 John 4:1-2)
 4

TARGETS OF DEMONIC ATTACK

Satan and his demonic forces are constantly engaged in attack. They direct their attack in many

ways at the world. As the Apostle Paul put it: “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.” (Ephesians 6:12) These attacks are referred to as “the devil’s schemes.”

(Ephesians 6:11)

In the wisdom of the Spirit, however, these attacks are always discussed in the context of God’s

infinitely greater power. We must never forget that Satan and all his forces are finite, whereas God is

infinite. Although the Christian is in the creaturely realm of finiteness, the Christian has access by faith

to the infinite power of God.

There are three major objects of Satan’s attack. These are the unbeliever, the individual

believer, and the local church. It is our plan in this lesson to outline the main ways in which Satan

attacks. Again, the object is not the glorification of satanic forces but the information of God’s children.

It is our concern that Christians be forewarned and forearmed against the attacks of the evil one.

The Unbeliever

Satan attacks every system in our lives. Every facet of the unbeliever’s life comes under his

attack, and this is the design of the evil one. There are four or five systems which Satan exploits to attack

the unbeliever.

First, he attacks the Biophysical system. Satan will set about to destroy a person physically. Ever

since the Garden of Eden he has been the course of destructive influences and forces. Had it not been

for the fall, there would not have been physical illness in the world. Here are some of the most obvious

ways in which Satan attacks physically.

 He is the cause of illness. For instance, a cousin recently died of liver ailment. He had lived a

sinful life and totally rejected the Lord and his Catholic upbringing. His liver was destroyed by the

lifestyle he lived.

Similar examples may be seen in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is now assumed that HIV/AIDS is

mainly transmitted through unprotected sexual contact or intravenous drug use and abuse. The lifestyle

lays one open to physical illness, which is a visible attack of God.

A second avenue of satanic attack against the unbeliever is the Psychological system. Around us

are many examples of this attack mechanism. There is addiction, which binds many. A friend leads a

support group to help people with sexual addictions. Other addictions chain people with the bondage of

drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, and pornography.

Another form of psychological attack is obsession. Satan even allows people to become

obsessed with satanic forces, and this is often seen in the New Age movement. People spend their lives

in bondage to astrology, a medium of one sort or another, crystals, covens, and fetishes.

An additional means of attack in the psychological realm is deception. Confusion, and hardness

of heart. Most of us can think immediately of a relative or friend who is hard-hearted toward the claims

of Christ. Some go to the grave resisting the grace of God.

Also, Satan can bind people with chains of hatred, jealousy, or anger. Throughout my life and

ministry I have met many people who are absolutely bound by their hatred and anger. A farmer in rural

France told me she was rejecting the Gospel, choosing rather to cling to her hatred and fear.

Satan attacks also through rationalization. People rationalize all sorts of behavior. Who has not

rationalized indulgence in a super-sweet dessert. Educationists insist that young people will never
accept abstinence as a sexual lifestyle, so they engage in wholesale distribution of condoms. There are

many examples of rationalization in our post-Christian, post-modern society.

There is yet another system of attack: Satan attacks through the Socio-cultural system. Society

notable rewards what it approves and ostracizes what it disproves. Currently, the abortionist’s

viewpoint is accepted and rewarded in society. It is granted a wide swath of acceptance. On the other

hand, anti-abortionists are viewed as being mentally unbalanced and socially ostracized. In Connecticut,

where we live, the legislature has passed laws abolishing the rights of anti-abortionists.

Another example of satanic attack on the societal level is in the realm of homosexuality.

Because of the support of the homosexual lobby President Clinton took steps to lift the ban against

homosexuals in the military. Homosexuality has been elevated to a human rights issue and removed

from the realm of morality. During the past few years state legislatures have rushed to approve same-

sex unions, raising them to the level of marriage.

Another systemic attack of Satan is seen in the realm of the Spiritual system. This is seen in the

vague sense of depression and oppression. Psychiatrists seek the solution in chemical balance:

Psychologists help people find acceptance of their past and their dysfunctions. Spiritual depression is

caused by the direct attack of Satan and can be cured only by biblical, pastoral counsel.

A few years ago together with other pastors and a couple of deacons we went to a home, where

there was severe spiritual oppression and demonic activity. We determined that a member of that

family had contact with a virile local coven. The Satanist had conducted a séance at that home, and this

brought the entire family under the sway of satanic forces. Bondage touched every member of the

family, including a pre-teen girl, who felt that the demons were choking here each time she went into

the bathroom.
 Be it noted here that satanic attack is something very different from either physical or mental

illness. Some of the common denominators of satanic oppression are these: (1) previous contact with an

occult functionary such as a fortune teller;

(2) uncontrollable bondage to sinful practices such as profanity, sexual promiscuity, or the abuse of

drugs; (3) an inability to either speak the name of Jesus Christ or hear it spoken without severe pain.

The Believer

While denying that a true believer can be possessed by a demon, there are many ways in which

Satan can and will attack believers. One of the most common ways is the Practice of Christian Magic.

Sometimes magic is confused with worship. The following table will help to compare magic with

worship.

Magic Worship

Self-centered emphasis God-centered

Human control of atmosphere Submission to the Lord

Mechanistic, formulaic Relational

Success-oriented Service-oriented

We are the end God is the end

 In Christian circles today there is a constant, dangerous emphasis on magical formulas. If we do

something: God must respond. This leads to an irrational approach which excludes thought from

worship. In this mechanistic atmosphere Satan can easily short-circuit true worship.

Satan also deludes true Christians by convincing them of a false dichotomy between the secular

and the sacred. We are told that things are either supernatural or natural. There is no admission of the

spirit world, just a naturalism that excludes the spiritual world altogether. This secularism is seen in

materialism. God is assumed to be unknowable and therefore unimportant. Satan too is confined to the

realm of the mythological.

Scriptures are opposed to this secular viewpoint. God still heals miraculously (supernaturally),

but He also heals through medicines (naturally). By the same token, Satan is active e in the spirit/demon

world, but he is also active in the systems of this world. Secularism is far too simplistic as a viewpoint.

Satan likewise attacks through institutionalized immaturity. Religious leaders often fuel this

immaturity, because it imputes to them power which they neither deserve or need. Immaturity is

accordingly seen in an inordinate dependence on people, whereas maturity leads to dependence on the

Lord. Immaturity is marked by constant turmoil, whereas maturity issues in peace of mind.

Still another a venue of Satan’s attack is the health and prosperity Gospel. This twisted message

denies the reality of death: God’s will is always healing, and healing is part of the atonement. This

perverted message is also self-centered. People pray, “My will, not Yours, be done.”

Such a twisted message is blind to the suffering world. It is extraordinarily egocentric. It is also

bound to a worldly view of power, whereby power must be revealed within the bounds of a secular

philosophy of life.
 Satan attacks when we elevate feelings over faith. It builds on the importance of experience to

the exclusion of Scriptural belief systems. It assumes that feelings are reality: this is the genius of the

postmodern movement. It is more necessary than ever to “test the spirits.” (1 John 4:1-2)

Finally, spiritual attack involves the glorification of human beings. It is assumed that people by

themselves can heal the sick and deliver the demonized. Certain “charismatic” characters become the

focus of faith, and people feel that there can be no spiritual progress unless one is helped or even

touched by a given person. This is sort of Christian “shamanism,” which believed that only the “shaman”

can influence the spiritual world. This denies the universal priesthood of believers in favor of a

personality cult. This phenomenon is seen in virtually every Christian subculture: fundamentalism,

evangelicalism, charismatic circles, even liberalism.

The Church

Not only does Satan attack the unbeliever and the believer. He also mounts concerted attacks

against the local church. This is a major point in the apostolic writings. Just as Satan uses various

avenues to attack unbelievers and believers, he also approaches the church in many devious ways.

First, the evil one uses false doctrine. This will bring down a local church. The Apostle Paul called

this false doctrine, “doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1) Paul had forewarned the Ephesians elders of

this attack, when he took his final farewell from them. (Acts 20:28-31)

For instance, one of the current heresies is that of annihilationism. It teaches that those who

have rejected the Lord will not endure eternal punishment. They will suffer for a time then cease to
exist. There are two major dangers in this viewpoint: First, it rejects the clear teaching of Scripture (Luke

16:19-31; John 5:29); second, it severs the nerve of evangelism, because people do not face a “Christless

eternity.”

Another equally destructive attack by Satan is gossip in the church. The Apostle Paul ranked

gossip with such evils as quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, arrogance, and

disorder. (2 Corinthians 12:20) Almost everyone has known a church which was destroyed by gossip.

Well do I recall facing a malicious gossip head-on in a congregational meeting. Of course, many times it

has done its damage without the pastor’s knowledge or resistance.

Still another related method of satanic attack is division or schism. In the same warning to the

elders at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul warned them of this devastating threat to the church. (Acts 20:30)

The Corinthian church was hamstrung by divisions and factions. As a result quarrels neutralized their

witness to a pagan world. (1 Corinthians 1:11; 3:3)

Many churches today suffer from the debilitating effects of a mixed congregation, where

believers and unbelievers are accepted. From the very first unbelievers wormed their way into the

church. They caused confusion because they operated under the control of their sinful flesh rather than

under the control of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John said some of them had left the church, because

they did not really belong among the believers. (1 John 2:18-19)

In his final epistle, 2 Timothy, Paul warned of the same danger. Here he speaks of unbelievers

“worming their way” into the church. They would dominate weak-willed people, they would be weighed

down with their own sin and guilt. Always they would be learning: Never would they come to the

knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:6-7)

 One final avenue of satanic attack against the local church is the quest for power without

holiness. In Samarian the Apostle Peter encountered this phenomenon. He rebuked the pretender in the

strongest possible terms. It is always necessary to stand up to spiritual warfare in the church. (Acts 8:18-

20)

In our day television is littered with people who seek spiritual power without holiness. They

have wealth and media magic without the power of the Holy Spirit. The end result is a devaluation of the

Gospel ministry and often a turning away from true ministers of the Word.

It is clear that Satan directs his attack at every person in the world. Unbelievers often miss this.

Believers try to play down the role of Satan. Churches in our day are under renewed attack by the evil

one. Consequently, many are either succumbing to spiritual anemia or to worldliness.

 Discussion Questions

12. What effect does satanic attack have on the believer’s response to the Gospel? (2

Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 4:18)

13. How can “Christian magic” be distinguished from true worship? (Colossians 3:16-17)

14. Why is “institutionalized immaturity” a dangerous enemy of true Christianity? (Hebrews

5:11-6:3; Ephesians 4:14)

15. What are some of the false doctrines which threaten the church? ( 1Timothy 4:1)

16. How is the quest for power without holiness seen in our world? (Acts

8:18-20)
 5

DIAGNOSING SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Deception is part and parcel of Satan’s activity. He seeks to deceive any and all who admit to his

influence. According to Jesus, when Satan speaks lying is his native language. (John 8:44) He is also a

murderer, who aims single-mindedly at destruction. This requires so precautionary attitudes and

actions.
 First, we do not accept as true every claim of demonic activity. It is a simplistic approach to

attribute every inexplicable event to Satan. I call this viewpoint, “a demon on every twig.” In Germany,

the United States, and even China we have met Christians who quake and fear that there is “a demon on

every twig.”

A second precaution is the habit of entering into every situation in an attitude of prayer. When

dealing with spiritual warfare it is good to surround oneself with a circle of praying friends.

Third, it is important to engage in spiritual warfare only within the parameters of Biblical

instruction. This is no place for cute, psychological or spiritual innovations. We do not seek silly,

spectacular dialogue with demons or demonic powers.

Fourth, remember this is a truth encounter, not only a power encounter. We deal with Satan on

the basis of Biblical truth. We are not bound by the popular demonology of our day. Popular

demonology is shaped by the fictional world of novels and movies. Biblical demonology restricts one to

the Biblical evidence regarding Satan and demons.

The Process of Elimination

Before assuming that one is dealing with spiritual warfare, one must eliminate natural

phenomena. There are at least six conditions which must be eliminated before one deduces that satanic

forces are at work. Any or all of these may be confused with spiritual, satanic influences.

First, one must investigate the existence of physical sickness. Depression can be linked to many

physical or psychiatric conditions. For instance, the persistence of a low grade fever can make one feel
depressed. In the same vein, persistent pain causes depression. The onset of Alzheimer’s disease often is

accompanied by deep depression: One of this writer’s family members actually became suicidal when

Alzheimer’s descended upon him. One recalls the biblical example of the women with a hemorrhage

who followed Jesus. (Luke 8:43-8)

Second, another cause of depression is Emotional Disturbance. Stress may cause emotional

disturbance, as in the case of a friend who is passing through difficult times in his pastoral ministry.

Anger can almost eat one up: Fear can be paralytic. While teaching at a Bible college in England I

encountered a student who was literally paralytic because of a prolonged bout of fear and panic.

Third, personality can be affected by mental retardation. While serving in central Connecticut

we ministered to the residents of a local group home. This ministry grew rapidly and permanently as

several became believers in the Lord. Very often these dear folks exhibited characteristics of irritation,

anger, frustration, and withdrawal. They are not demonically influenced but rather mentally challenged.

Fourth, mental illness is often confused with demonic activity. A victim of bi-polar disorder may

exhibit the symptoms of spiritual depression. A paranoid person appears to be haunted by demonic

powers. Schizophrenia sometimes also looks like demon control. While serving in England one of our lay

leaders was a victim of manic/depression. He was helped by proper medication and for many years has

functioned as a Christian leader.

Fifth, sometimes clinical depression is mistaken for demonic activity. The cause is not always

easy or in fact possible to determine. Symptoms can be overwhelming. No amount of counseling can

“talk them out of it.” In fact, Christians sometimes try to pray them out of it, which can be futile,

frustrating in the extreme. They appear to have a spiritual problem, but it goes far deeper than this. One

remembers a well-known Christian educator who slipped into clinical depression and only emerged after

prolonged medical help. He was in no way “spiritually oppressed.”

 Sixth, a final situation which is often confused with satanic oppression or possession is the socio-

pathological condition or symptoms. For instance, sexually abused people appear to be demonized.

Likewise an alcoholic or drug addict may be under the power of demonic forces. A friend of mine is an

alcoholic, He has made a profession of faith, and only the Lord knows if it is real. As long as he is in

prison, he is sober and spiritually receptive. Once he returns to society, however, he almost immediately

falls back into alcoholism. He is not, however, demonized or satanically oppressed.

Before entering into spiritual warfare, it is essential to determine if any of the above conditions

obtain. They may require anything from medical care to counseling or psychiatric treatment. It is most

helpful if one can guide the person to help which will alleviate the situation. To attempt to counsel, pray,

or command a demon to leave them is counterproductive.

Recognize Satanic Activity

In the New Testament there appear to be three levels of satanic activity, which are variously

described by various teachers, preachers, or missiologists. The first discernable level of satanic control in

the New Testament is called demon possession. This is most clearly seen in the story of the Gadarene

demoniac. (Luke 8:26-39) Several characteristics identify such a demonized person.

First (verse 27) there is anti-social behavior. He is naked and uncontrollable. He does not fit into

the social structure of the community. He has been exiled to the cemetery. Many times people who are

possessed are not capable of contact with so-called normal people.

 A second characteristic is the isolation and verbal abuse (verse 28) which surrounds this person.

They speak from the fullness of their hearts, and this speech is usually abusive and vile. This is one more

reason why they cannot be admitted to normal social relationships.

Third, demonized people often display superhuman strength (verse 29). This is seen in drug

addicts in our day. The strength of a demonized person is even greater than that of a drug addict. It

usually takes several people to restrain a demonized person.

All of this cuts one off from society. Jesus found the demonized man roaring around the local

cemetery. It was there that Jesus delivered him, sending the legion of demons into a herd of pigs.

The above characteristics were seen several years ago in a Bible college student in Germany. She

came to the Bible College under the control of Satan with the expressed purpose of destroying that

center of Christian learning. She was antisocial and verbally abusive, furthermore she possessed

superhuman strength. As far as we know, she was never delivered. She preferred to serve Satan.

A second level of satanic control is oppression. This is particularly common among previously

possessed people. In Acts 10:38 Scripture speaks of those who are “oppressed by the devil.” The Greek

word, katadunasteuo, paints the picture of one under the power of another. This is a perfect word for

oppression n.

The devil often oppresses people with insurmountable, on-going, life-long depression. They are

quite literally overpowered by the devil. Never do they seem to be free, even though they have a

personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

My first encounter came during college days in the United States. A second encounter arose

during our first term of missionary service in Germany, where I met a man oppressed by the devil. As a

child he had suffered from incurable illness. His mother had, as if often the case, taken him to a sorcerer
who healed him through the power of Satan. The price exacted for this healing was a contract signed in

the child’s blood devoting his soul to Satan. Despite a conversion experience the now grown man felt

oppressed by Satan. As I prayed for him he was freed, and this freedom lasted for his entire life.

A third level of satanic control is depression. A cased study in depression is the book of Job.

Satan targeted Job for special attack. (Job 1:9-10) Satan afflicted Job with financial loss, loss of his family,

and the loss of his health. Still the Lord never abandoned him, and Job found restoration in the end.

Satan tempted Jesus. It was the application of biblical truth that caused Satan to be completely

defeated. Satan was vanquished by the Lord, who quoted the Word of God. (Matthew 4:1-11)

Incidentally, this is a strong argument for memorizing Scripture.

Christians are likewise victims of satanic schemes and attacks. (Ephesians 6:11-12) We are

instructed to resist Satan on the basis of God’s Word. (1 Peter 5:7-8) This is not some sort of super-

spiritual Christian activity; it is the normal procedure of a biblical Christian in combat with the evil one.

“Satan always stands at the gate of the garden of prayer,” a Bibl teacher once said in my

hearing. I know he was correct. For instance, a missionary was studying a foreign language in an isolated

situation. One day a prostitute came to the door and tempted him. It was his strong habits of spiritual

discipline which enabled him to resist this blatant temptation.

A well-known evangelist taught me the life-long habit of never being alone with a woman other

than his wife. This even extends to riding in elevators. He also made sure that his hotel room has a

shared and open door, to a Christian brother’s room next door. This man of God took no chances when

facing the schemes of the evil one.

In conclusion, there are three frequent symptoms of a satanically controlled person.

17. Persistent, compulsive, sinful behavior which binds the person is often a sign of satanic

influence. Such behavior might include addiction to profanity, drugs, anger, and

promiscuous sex.

18. Uncontrolled anger, destructive behavior, and self-destructive, suicidal tendencies may also

be a product of satanic influence. (Be it noted that not all suicidal tendencies are demonic in

nature.)

19. An inability to listen to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is sometimes also a symptom of

satanic possession or oppression. This was seen by a possessed boy in Germany and a young

woman who suffered from possession in Switzerland.

Discussion Questions

6. How does the nature of Satan as a liar (John 8:44) condition our evaluation of spiritual warfare?

7. What are some conditions which may be confused with satanic activity, and how can they be

dealt with?

8. What does the story of the man at Gadara (or among the Gerasenes) teach about the nature of

demon-possession? (Luke 8:26-39)

9. Have you ever known a Christian who was “oppressed by the devil? (Acts 10:38) If so describe

him or her.
10. How does one differentiate between satanic depression and depression among otherwise

normal people?
 6

THE POSITION OF SPIRITUAL VICTORY

At this point we turn to the issues involved in achieving victory in spiritual warfare. There are

several aspects of this warfare; however, the basic premise is our union with the Living Lord. This union

with Christ is absolutely essential. Outside of Him there is no victory to be had. Only defeat can

characterize the person who is outside the Lord.

 Union with Christ is the first, most basic step to spiritual victory. It is not, however, the last step

to spiritual victory. This is true in every part. We cannot pick and choose the parts of Christian living we

wish to have.

The point of departure for spiritual victory is self-examination. In this lesson we shall evaluate

our own position in the Lord. Incidentally, we will also discover why we do not always experience

victory.

The Nature of this Union

Union with Christ is the source of strong defense. As the Apostle Paul stated in Romans 8:31: “If

God is for us, who can be against us.” No enemy is more powerful than the Lord. By definition all

persons and powers in the world are created and therefore finite and limited. Only the Creator is infinite

and uncreated. As the Apostle John phrased it: “Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.”

(1 John 4:4)

Not only is the Lord our defense: He is our enabler. According to Romans 8:37 He makes us

“more than conquerors.” To the Philippians Paul wrote: “I can do everything through Him that gives me

strength.” (Philippians 4:13) There is no challenge which we face that goes beyond the bounds of His

power and might. He never, so to speak, throws us in over our heads.

Several years ago I was speaking at a youth weekend in Switzerland. A young woman came

seeking to be saved. She hailed from an unspeakably bizarre occult background, and she frankly

wondered if release was possible. I sent her to a side room with several women students from the Bible
school. Later I learned that the Swiss girl had been completely released from her bondage. The Lord

made those Bible college students to be “more than conquerors.”

The reason for our victory is the triumph of Christ. As the Apostle Paul put it: “And having

disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the

cross.” (Colossians 2:15) the cross was a public humiliation for Satan and his powers. They designed to

kill Christ, but He rose from the dead.

This is why the cross is a hated symbol wherever Satan rules and reigns. A friend was preaching

on the streets in Milan, Italy. When he drew the cross on his sketch board, the crowd erupted in jeers.

Another time, a woman screamed for the man to remove the cross from the sketch board. The cross is a

lasting affront to Satan and his forces.

Spiritual victory is not a matter of magic formulas. It is part and parcel of the Calvary triumph of

the Lord Jesus Christ. As we take our stand with and in Him, victory is assured.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

We often portray the Holy Spirit as an amorphous force, something like the wind. However, the

Bible ascribes personality to the Spirit. He is the third person of the Trinity. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit

is powerfully at work in the life of the believer. This is our guarantee of spiritual victory.

First, the Spirit is in control. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Because the Spirit owns us, He must of

necessity control us. The end result is the glory of God. To withdraw ourselves from the Spirit’s control is

to live a spiritually subnormal existence. Some people accept Christ by faith, but they “feel” that the
Spirit is present. This is false. We must accept the Spirit by the same faith that we do when we “receive”

the Lord. The Spirit is not just resident in our lives: He is President in our lives.

Second, the Spirit is effective in producing fruit. (Galatians 5:22-23) The fruit of the Spirit is both

singular and complex. When the Spirit produces fruit in a person’s life, these are the expected

evidences. The Spirit works in a believer’s life and the list of characteristics in Galatians flows from the

Spirit’s work. When there is a crop failure it is the fault of sin in the believer’s life. The Spirit is not the

cause. One recalls a mature Christian couple who experienced incredible antagonism in their marriage.

They realized that they were involved in spiritual warfare and dealt with is accordingly. Soon the tension

broke: Unity was resumed.

Third the Spirit keeps us safe by sealing us. (Ephesians 1:13) This sealing protects the believer

when she stands before the Lord. (Ephesians 4:30) My wife led a teenaged girl to the Lord. Years later

that young woman publicly professed he faith in Christ. Two decades later she is still living for the Lord.

It is the Spirit who has sealed and protected her.

Fourth, the Spirit exerts His power by filling the believer. (Ephesians 5:18) This is a repeated

experience: It occurs many times in the life of the believer. It is also a volitional experience. One can

either receive or reject the Spirit’s filling. Unfortunately most believers want the power of the Spirit

without submitting to the Spirit. Dozens of preachers have fallen during recent days, because they

sought spiritual power without purity. The two are mutually exclusive. You cannot have true spiritual

power without purity.

Fifth, the Spirit enters us when He enlivens us. (Romans 8:11) Just as the Spirit raised Christ from

the dead, so He lives in believers. More precisely it says, “He gives life to our mortal bodies.” The

resurrection of the Lord is rendered analogous to our spiritual rebirth. Many people achieve great

change without being born again. This is seen in such organizations as Alcoholics Anonymous and
Weight Watchers. However, when the Spirit enters one’s life He produces a total change. Many

examples of this came out of the drug and gang culture of New York City during the 1960s, among them

were Nicky Cruz and Raul Gonzales. They are still living by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sixth, the Spirit alone empowers our praying. (Romans 8:26-7) Our prayers are often ill-

conceived and poorly enunciated. We do not know what to pray; neither do we know how to pray. It is

the role of the Spirit to align our prayers with the will of God. For this reason we pray: “Your will be

done, on earth as it is in heaven.” A friend prayed that the Lord would spare the life of his newborn,

severely handicapped baby. That baby persisted in a vegetative state for more than thirty years. That

prayer may well have been ill-conceived.

The Holy Spirit is the mainspring of our Christian faith. He is not an optional extra for super-

saints. He is absolutely necessary to the normal Christian life. Especially in times of spiritual warfare do

we understand the indispensable nature of the Spirit’s work on our behalf.

Steps to Fullness of the Spirit

For the purpose of our study we list five steps to the fullness of the Spirit. These are, of course,

somewhat artificial. The Spirit is not bound by this list, or any other list. He is absolutely sovereign. He

can and will fill and revive anyone He wishes to touch. Having said that, perhaps these guidelines may be

instructive.

First, the Spirit works through regeneration. John 1:13 reminds us that we are born again by the

Spirit. Human birth does not produce eternal life, only being born by the Holy Spirit does this. Jesus

reinforced this truth in His conversation with Nicodemus. He emphasized the need of being born from
above, born of the Spirit. (John 3:3, 7) After many years of involvement in evangelism and discipleship

ministries, I must testify that the Holy Spirit saves people not according to our program but according to

His. After a much disrupted evening at a coffee bar in Brigenz Austria one woman reported that she had

been saved that night. It certainly was not my little talk that did it: It was the work of the Holy Spirit

from start to finish.

Second, the Spirit moves us to repentance. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) As the Spirit moves us to

repent of sin we are warned not to put out the Spirit’s fire. The primary cause of spiritual lethargy and

lukewarm faith is the rejection of the Spirit’s work. Hundreds of churches are spiritually dead, because

one or many Christians have rejected the Spirit’s call to repentance. Responding to the Spirit frees Him

to work again. A pastor recently led a couple from a motor cycle gang to the Lord. They looked rough

and crude, but they wept openly as the Spirit transformed their lives.

Third, the Spirit works when we yield to Him. (Romans 12:1-2) In Belfast, Northern Ireland the

Protestant and Catholic communities had “no-go” areas. During the Troubles, opposing forces were not

permitted to enter those areas. To do so would court disaster. Unfortunately Christians often set up

“no-go” areas in their lives. The Spirit may enter the religious area, but not the business area or the

social area. Fullness of the Spirit requires the abolition of all such “n o-go” areas. Every area of our life

must be open to the Lord.

Fourth, expect the Spirit to be active, to work. (Ephesians 4:30-1) The Apostle warns us not to

grieve the Spirit who sealed us. Immediately thereafter we are instructed to get rid of all malice. Malice,

like any other sinful attitude, grieves and blocks the Spirit’s fullness in our lives. It is impossible to say, “I

forgive, but I cannot forget.” When we give room to sinful attitudes this grieves the Spirit. He is not free

to work in our lives.

 Fifth, continual filling involves living in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-6) We must crucify our sinful

nature. (Verse 24) This is a frequent theme in the Apostle Paul’s writings. Then he adds: “Live by the

Spirit.” (Verse 25) We must allow the Spirit to work in all His fullness in our lives. In spiritual warfare

psychological defenses are useless. Only the Spirit can give us victory. In 1984 I visited a church in rural

Kenya. The spiritual power of that little church was remarkable. Believers consistently submitted to the

Holy Spirit. They were victorious in the midst of spiritual warfare against the animistic forces of Africa.

The point is simple: Spiritual warfare must be fought in the Spirit. Physical strength is easily

neutralized in spiritual warfare. No one is intellectually strong enough to withstand the Evil One. Neither

is there safety in numbers. Great numbers are often defeated at one time. (One thinks of the major

cultic movements in the world, such as Eastern Lightning in China.) Only the Spirit can lead us into

spiritual victory.
 Discussion Questions

20. Why must we rely on union with the Lord for spiritual victory? (Philippians 4:13; Colossians

2:15)

21. What are the differences between sealing by the Spirit and filling with the Spirit? (Ephesians

1:13; 5:18)

22. Why do most Christians not exhibit the fullness of the Spirit in their lives? (Galatians 5:24-5)

23. What is the most difficult step for you in being filled with the Spirit?
 7

DISCERNING THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES

THE Scriptures alert us to spiritual attack, which can come by various means. Usually these are

noted as attack by the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The world system around us attacks us by always

trying to make us conform. (Romans 12:2) the media, peer group, and even educational processes
attempt to coerce us into cooperation with the world. The world may take various forms. It may be

philosophically conservative or liberal. It may be socially sophisticated or crude. It may be financially

wealthy or poor. The temptation to conform is ever-present.

The second avenue of attack is the flesh. In the New Testament one finds continual references

to the sinful nature. (Romans 8:1-9; 1 John 2:15-17) Spiritual life must counteract out sinful nature. Our

sinful nature can and will affect every area of our lives. It motivates sexual promiscuity. It also

contributes to our craving for food, tobacco, alcohol, and even drugs. Our sinful nature predisposes us

to lavish all kinds of care on ourselves, rather than looking out for others. The sinful nature enables a

person to use other people for his or her own pleasure and advancement.

The third great enemy of spiritual life is the Devil himself. Scripture reveals him to be the

tempter, always trying to lure us into his lifestyle. This occurred even in the earthly life of Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 4:1-11) Not only does the Devil tempt us, but he also resists every attempt at spiritual growth.

Did you ever wonder why it is so easy to miss prayer meeting, or Bible study, or a discipleship

appointment?

Against this array of devious opponents there are strong spiritual weapons. First, however, we

must discern spiritual attack when it occurs. Of special help is the handbook of Scripture, especially

Paul’s pointers to the Ephesians believers. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

Deploying our Defense (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13)

 About two centuries ago Matthew Henry together with other scholars wrote his famous Bible

commentary. When he came to Ephesians 6 he wrote this classic line: “Spiritual strength is necessary for

spiritual warfare.”

First, we learn that power resides exclusively with the Lord, not in us. “Be strong in the Lord and

in His mighty power.” (Verse 10) There is no strength apart from the Lord. He alone can empower us to

discern the Devil’s schemes and resist them. (Ephesians 1:19; 3:16, 20)

From our perspective we have the spiritual armor. (Verse 11) This will be the theme of chapter

8, where we shall address the practice of putting on the armor of God each day. Be it here noted,

however, that the means for protecting us from satanic attack are at hand. The Lord intends for us to be

sheltered from the evil one, not exposed to his attacks. John Calvin said: “Don’t hang your [spiritual]

armor on a hook.” Make use of it every day to withstand the evil one and his many-faceted onslaughts.

It is the Lord’s intention that we stand firm against spiritual attack. (Verse 13) Over and over

again the word of this passage is “stand firm.” Stand against the evil one. (Verse 11) Stand on the known

ground of faith. (Verse 13) Stand when evil days come upon us. (Verse 13)

Implicit in the above are some principles of action: These are essential when we are under

spiritual attack. First, we do not run from battle, constantly fleeing before Satan. Second, we do not fight

spiritual battles with worldly defenses: You cannot out-run, out-think, or out-argue Satan. Third, do not

give up the wear when you lose a battle. We must always remember that the Lord is greater than Satan

and that He will always be the ultimate winner.

The Christian’s Adversary (Ephesians 6:11-12)

 The Bible teaches that Satan is a real being, but that he (notice the small “h”) is limited. Only the

Lord is unlimited, infinite, and all-powerful. Satan always schemes against us. N other words, he fights

dirty. Count on this! He works through crafty people. (Ephesians 4:14) Even as far back as Genesis 3:1

one reads that the serpent (who represented Satan) was craftier than any other wild animal.

The names applied to Satan reveal the devious means by which he operates. First, he is called

“the accuser of the brothers [and sisters].” (Revelation 12:9-11) He constantly goes about reminding us

of our past sins. He also continually accuses others and causes us to accuse them. I realized this many

years ago when I heard the elders of a fine evangelical church falsely and maliciously accuse a Christian

brother of false doctrine and practice. Satan causes us to accuse one another. In effect, we can thus

accomplish his devilish work.

Second, he is called the adversary. (1 Peter 5:8-9) He resists every effort at spiritual growth.

When we try to deal with sin in our lives, he makes us feel foolish. When we crave the Word of God, he

makes us lethargic. When we long to pray, he makes us busy, harried. When we seek fellowship with

believers, he makes us grouchy and difficult. When we try to witness to an unbeliever, he makes us

tongue-tied. He is constantly opposing every aspect of our spiritual progress.

A third activity of the devil is summed up in the name, “tempter.” (Matthew 4:1-11) When he

tempted David the man of God, the king fell into lust, lying, and murder.

(2 Samuel 11:1-27) Even the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan, whom He resisted by quoting the

Scriptures. (Matthew 4:4, 6, 10) Satan constantly tries to tempt us to sin, but the Lord has provided for

our spiritual victory. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 He gives us three principles of spiritual victory over

temptation. (1) No temptation is novel: Some one somewhere has faced this temptation before. (2) God
is stronger than the temptation; He is faithful to stand with us. (3) There is always a way to escape, if we

will only avail ourselves of it.

The Christian’s Battleground (Ephesians 6:12)

Why is it so difficult to live the Christian life? It is because we face opponents in the spirit world.

This is spiritual warfare. It is not intellectual or emotional warfare. Neither is it physical warfare. It must

be fought in the spiritual plain. To engage Satan on another plain than the spiritual is to face defeat. One

sees this in the ill-fated attack of the Seven Sons of Sceva at Ephesus. (Acts 19:13-14)

Spiritual warfare actually occurs on two levels. First, it occurs here on earth. (John 14:30; 16:11)

Satan is called “the prince of this world.” He engages believers in battle all the time. The mediocre

spiritual lives of most believers are moot, tragic testimony to this warfare.

Satan also does battle in spiritual realms. This is called “the heavenlies.” (Matthew 25:41

Christians are seen to be battling “the devil and his angels.” (Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4) Satan commands an

army of fallen angels, who like him challenged the sovereignty of the Lord. These are spiritual (or

perhaps spirit) angels from the headquarters of evil. C.S. Lewis discussed these in his fictional boo,

Screwtape Letters.

Additionally, we must consider the nature of these unseen, satanic forces. They are evil. (John

13:2). It was the devil who prompted Judas to betray Jesus. It is the devil who sows seeds of anger in the

home. He fosters deceit in the business world. He drives wedges of schism in the local church. His native

language is lying, and his dialect is gossip. He is constantly at work to destroy all that God has built, be it
the church, the family, or a nation. Perhaps this helps us to understand the escalating divorce rate, the

moral failure of pastors, and the secularization of government.

Another characteristic of satanic forces is error. (1 Timothy 4:1) The Apostle spoke of deceiving

spirits entering into the local church. He called their teaching, “doctrines of devils.” Cults cleverly twist

Scripture to make it saw what they want it to teach. Even professing believers push legalism, and this is

an attempt to devalue the cross of Christ by hinging salvation on our good works. Salvation by grace is

sometimes seen as almost a heresy, because the grace of God is so free, so enormous, so contrary to

our perverted reason.

A final aspect of these forces is their perpetuation of sickness. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).Paul

called his illness, “a messenger of Satan.” (2 Corinthians 12:7) Some illnesses are spiritually beneficial:

Many are plain, direct attacks by the evil one. A friend was preaching and writing about Satan and his

incessant attacks on believers. My friend did not suffer, but his wife was stricken by ill health. Satan

attacked her instead of him.

In conclusion we consider three main avenues of resistance against Satan and his forces:

First, we must realize that Satan is a defeated foe. At the cross Christ dealt Satan a death blow,

and he is “living on borrowed time.” (Colossians 2:15)

Second, Satan is finite while God is infinite. The Apostle John wrote: “Greater is He that is in you

than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) We combat Satan with the Word, as Christ did. We read it,

memorize it, and meditate on it each day. This is our primary source of defense against Satan. We

rebuke Satan when we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The name of the Lord is our defense. A

further step is the enlisting of prayer partners with whom we can oppose the evil one.
 Third, we realize that we are now “more than conquerors through Him that loves us.” (Romans

8:37-39)
 Discussion Questions

24. What three avenues does the evil one us in attacking us, and what are practical examples of

each one?

25. What is our source of spiritual power for doing battle against Satan? (Ephesians 6:10-11)

26. How do the descriptive names of Satan apply to us as believers? (Revelation 2:10-11; 1 Peter

5:8-9; Matthew 4:1-11)

27. Why did Paul call his sickness, “a messenger of Satan?” (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)

28. Have you experiences this type of sickness?

 8

PUT ON THE SPIRITUAL ARMOR

“The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance,” declared the

Mayor of Dublin, John Philpot Curran. What is true of the political and social sphere is doubly true

spiritually. Christians must be eternally vigilant in their warfare against the evil one.
 The necessity of personally appropriating the spiritual armor is a relatively new aspect of my

own spiritual discipline. I first encountered it in a book written by Mark Bubeck, the Adversary: The

Christian versus Demonic Activity (Chicago: Moody Press, 1975). In this helpful little book Mark Bubeck

urges Christians to take seriously and prayerfully the provision of God’s panoply (armor), as it is found in

Ephesians 6:13-17.

A second and decisive influence came from my son, Mark, a missionary evangelist who has

served in Italy and England. He urged me to pray for the family each day using the spiritual armor as my

Biblical point of reference. Metaphorically I put on each family member the spiritual armor. Here is how

I go about this spiritual exercise each morning.

Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14)

The belt holds all the armor together. It is significant that the Apostle Paul identifies this as

truth, integrity. In other places we are instructed to “speak the truth in love.” (Ephesians 4:15) This

involves rejecting falsehood and always saying what is true, what accords with reality. (Ephesians 4:25)

This commits us to sincerity and integrity in all that we do. People used to say, “My word is my

bond.” This is not usually the case in society today, but it must be the norm among Christians.

Pray: that their lives will be marked by truth, integrity.

Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)

 The breastplate of Roman armor was made either of chain-mail or of metal plates. It covered

the front and back and protected vital organs. It was used in the same way that a bullet-proof vest is

used today by police officers.

Paul reminded the Christians that they are “created to belike God in true righteousness.”

(Ephesians 4:24) This is a fruit of God’s presence in our lives. (Ephesians 5:9)

Cults try to produce righteousness by human effort, such as missionary activity or door-to-door

canvassing. Christians know that their righteousness is a gift from God bought with the blood of Christ.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

Pray: that we shall renounce our righteousness and take to ourselves His righteousness.

Readiness of the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15)

According to the historian Josephus, Roman soldiers wore shoes studded with nails. This

enabled them to march great distances and accomplish significant feats. “Walk” is one of the key

phrases in the book of Ephesians: The Greek text is best reflected in the New King James Version of the

Bible. “Walk” in the Greek refers to our lifestyle.

So, we are to “walk” in good works. (Ephesians 2:10) We “walk” worthy of our calling as

Christians. (Ephesians 4:1) We “walk” differently that non-believers. (Ephesians 4:17) Our “walk” is

marked by love (Ephesians 5:2) and by light. (Ephesians 5:8) Furthermore, we “walk” circumspectly,

looking around to make sure we do not fall into traps. (Ephesians 5:15)
 The Scripture teaches us that the peace implicit in the Gospel marks our goings and our

comings. This peace pervades our lives. It deals with the stresses in our lives. It also smoothes out

relationships which are filled with tension and disagreement.

Pray: that the peace of God will rule in our lives and our relationships.

Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)

The Roman shield was large, approximately four feet by three feet. It was made of wood

covered over with leather to repel burning arrows and darts. Shields could be interlocked to fend off an

attack. Think of the “riot shields” police forces use to quell civil unrest.

An Old Testament picture equates the Lord Himself with our shield. For instance in Proverbs

30:5 we read: “He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” According to the Apostle John, our faith

“is the victory which overcomes the world.” (1 John 5:4)

As temptations come “with swift and undiscerned flight” (Matthew Henry) we combat them

with the shield of faith. Anger, criticism are repelled by faith that the Lord is just and sovereign. When

we link our spiritual shield together with those of others we are doubly blessed.

Pray: that the Lord will strengthen our faith as a shield against the enemy forces.

Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)

The helmet was part of a Roman soldier’s defense. It was made of leather and brass and lined

with felt or sponge. Only an axe or a direct hammer blow could split it. The Scripture teaches that it is
salvation that guards our mind from wicked attacks. (Isaiah 49:17) To the Thessalonian Christians Paul

commended the helmet of the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

The Christian’s mind is protected by salvation. An aged Bible teacher was assailed by doubt. He

telephoned another believer and repeatedly sought the assurance of salvation, which alone could

protect his mind.

Salvation produces an entire mental attitude that militates against unbelief. One sees that the

Bib le is believable. One understands that the Christian life is “livable.” One’s attitude toward others is

also transformed.

Pray: that salvation will guard our mind from the evil thoughts that frequently assault us.

Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17)

The solitary offensive weapon in our spiritual armor is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

This is the short dagger which Roman soldiers took into battle. They were schooled to use it in close

combat.

The writer of Hebrews said that Scripture is sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates to

the very heart of our existence and to every situation where it is used. (Hebrews 4:12) Paul wrote that

the Scripture was useful in correcting our lives and cutting away all that is not spiritually profitable. (2

Timothy 3:16-17)

We wield the Word of God as a weapon in many situations. First, we use it in temptation to

reject the evil one, even as the Lord used it. (Matthew 4:1-11) Second, we use it in evangelism to prick
consciences and draw people to the Lord. (Romans 10:17; 1 Peter 1:23) Third, we never, never use the

Word of God against other Christians.

Dwight L. Moody said: “A mutilated Bible is a broken sword.” So, we use the Bible in its entirety.

We use it frequently. A metal sword becomes dull with use: Our spiritual sword becomes sharper with

use.

Wearing the spiritual armor is an absolute necessity. If one does not consciously put on the

armor, several dangers arise. An unprotected Christian becomes a deserter in the spiritual war: He goes

over to the enemy as a traitor.

Christians also can easily be wounded, and they will spend all of their time nursing past wounds.

This action takes them away from the battle.

Christians are sometimes asleep on guard duty. They are unaware of the battle. Most Christians

are surprised to learn that there is a spiritual battle.

Christians are sometimes partially armed. They are vulnerable to attack.

The Apostle Paul summarized in these words: “Our salvation is nearer now than when we first

believed. The night is almost over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and

put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12)

Pray: that we shall use the Word of God as a weapon against the attacks of Satan.
 Discussion Questions

29. Why is defensive armor so necessary in the Christian life? (Ephesians 6:10-11)

30. How do we renounce our righteousness and cling to the righteousness of Christ? (2

Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:3-4)

31. How does faith protect us like a shield? (1 John 5:4-5)

32. What kinds of evil thoughts are repelled by the helmet of salvation?

(1 Thessalonians 5:8)

5. How can we practically pray that the armor will be applied to ourselves and to our loved ones?
 9

Warfare Praying

The main arena of spiritual warfare is prayer. Praying is one of the most frequent areas of defeat

for most Christians. Fir instance, many Christians devote less time to prayer than they do to attending

public church services.

Most Christians say that prayer is powerful. However, they employ other means of solving the

problems in their lives. Prayer is regarded to be “the court of last resort.” If all else fails, pray!
 Christians also lose many spiritual battles because of a lack of prayer. The average believer is

defeated and spiritually harmless, because she lacks the disciple of warfare praying.

Most churches find themselves in a holding pattern because of a lack of prayer. It has been

reported that the average pastor spends only a few minutes each day in prayer, and this is also true of

the elders and deacons in our churches. It is no wonder that the churches are usually effete and weak.

Most marriages are less than satisfactory because of a lack of prayer. The most frequent

complaint heard from wives about their husbands is this: He seems to be incapable of intimacy. This is

by and large true. One reason is because the partners seldom if ever engage in prayer together.

The battle for spiritual survival is not fought in the seminaries or even in the pulpits of our land.

It is fought in the area of prayer. American churches have more gimmicks than a science museum, but

they have a dreadful lack of prayer. The result is real or imminent spiritual defeat.

Prepare for Warfare Praying

Two attitudes prepare us for warfare praying. The first is an attitude of submission. The Apostle

John emphasizes this in all of his writings. For instance in 1 John 2:3 he writes: “We know that we have

come to know Him is we keep His commandments.” A similar statement is found in 1 John 4:3, where it

says: “This is love for God to obey His commandments.” In the Gospel of John there is a companion

statement from the mouth of Jesus Himself: “Whoever has my commands and keeps them, he it is who

loves me and the one who loves me will beloved by my Father, and I will love him and show myself to

him.” (John 14:21)

 Obedience to the Lord is essential for prayer. Disobedience invalidates prayer. I recall a woman

who prayed that she might be freed from her husband so that she could marry her teenaged lover. She

actually expected God to answer that prayer!

A second attitude is moral purity. James urges us to pray, and as a preparation he writes:

“Cleanse your hands, and purify your hearts.” (James 4:8) The Psalmist instructs would-be worshippers

to come to the Lord with clean hands and pure hearts. (Psalm 24:2-3)

One must wonder how often our worship is invalidated by our sin. At the very outset of prayer,

it is important to prepare our hearts and to come clean with the Lord. Historically Roman Catholicism

has linked confession with the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. It is important that we confess our sin

and honestly get right with the Lord before we pray. We do not come to an earthly priest to confess our

sin: We do it in the quiet of our prayer time.

Breaking Down Strongholds

In his discussion of spiritual warfare the Apostle Paul writes: “The weapons we fight with are not

the weapons of the world. On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2

Corinthians 10:4) There are many spiritual strongholds which must be demolished before we engage in

warfare praying. Here are three of them.

First, there is the satanic stimulation of our environment. In his helpful book, Victory over the

Darkness (Ventura, CA: Regal, 1990, page 161, Neil Anderson writes: “The essence of all temptation is

the invitation to live independent of God and fulfill legitimate needs in [or by using] the world, the flesh,
or the devil instead of Christ.” The point is made that this is the way we lived before we came to know

Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-2)

A second stronghold is temptation. In fact, many perceive this as the main expression of spiritual

warfare in their lives. One is tempted to immorality, or to worldly power struggles, or to anger, or

jealousy, or mistrust. The Apostle Paul makes the point that temptation should and can be resisted. (1

Corinthians 10:13) The Apostle John underlines this by saying that temptation is all around us. (1 John

2:15-16)

In today’s climate there are abundant illustrations. One thinks of the drug dealers walking along

the streets of any cities, even small ones. My wife headed a crisis pregnancy center, and the women

who came to her have fallen into the temptation to sexual experimentation. Temptation can be resisted.

The stronghold can be torn down.

Third, there is the bondage of habit. The Apostle Paul speaks of yielding ourselves to be

instruments of sin. (Romans 6:11-13) This is giving into detrimental habits. Someone said that a habit is

an act that has been repeated for six weeks. In Victory over the Darkness Neil Anderson writes about a

woman who became depressed every time she heard a siren. She had been raped 20 years previously

while a siren was wailing n the distance. Here she had become the innocent victim of a habit

engendered by a horrible sin against her.

So we engage first of all to break down strongholds. They hobble our spiritual lives. We resist

any power play by the evil one, so that we may know the victory of the Lord in our lives. I remind you: A

good habit is formed by six weeks of repeated action.

Understand Warfare Praying

 Let me first of all suggest some of the characteristics of warfare praying. First there is

persistence. In Isaiah 62:6-7 the prophet speaks of a watchman who prays night and day. There is no

letting up in this kind of prayer. Recently a relative of mine professed faith in Christ. This was the direct

result of 48 years of prayer on his behalf.

To quote V. Raymond Edman, the saintly former President of Wheaton College: “It is always too

soon to quit.” This is particularly true in the area of warfare praying. One of Satan’s simplest attacks is

persuading us to quit praying.

A second aspect is reasoning with God. Do you recall the story of Genesis 18 where Abraham

reasoned with God in prayer? He was petitioning the Lord not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

Abraham argued with the Lord until the Lord agreed to spare the city if a handful of righteous people

could be found. Alas, there were too few righteous to spare the city.

In Matthew 15:22-27 we find the story of a Canaanite woman, who reasoned with the Lord. She

persuaded the Lord to heal her child, even though the Lord declared that He was sent primarily to the

lost children of Israel.

It is right to reason with the Lord. One of the great heroes of prayer was George Muller of

Bristol, England. He reasoned with the Lord in prayer. By this means he saw the Lord provide the

financial needs for his large social work of caring for orphans, and he also gave generously to the

missionary venture around the world. Muller never asked for money. He just reasoned with the Lord.

Third for lack of a better word this is called “shameless” prayer. In Luke 11:5-9 there is the story

of a neighbor who comes in the middle of the night to seek help. His erstwhile friend sends him away.

However the neighbor persists until the friend relents and gives him some bread. This is shameless,
impolite, and almost rude. The Christian is taught by this story to hang on in prayer, even when it seems

inappropriate. It is always right to pray.

A faithful paraphrase of the great prayer verse from the Sermon on the Mount would read like

this: “Ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking.” (Matthew 7:7)

George Muller, who was mentioned above, prayed incessantly for his brother to be converted.

Muller prayed throughout his life for this unconverted brother. At long last Muller died. Soon thereafter

his brother became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Did God answer? Indeed He did.

Gifting for Warfare Praying

Many spiritual gifts enable us to engage in warfare praying. The first gift is discernment. The

Apostle John warned the Christians: Do not let anyone lead you astray. (1 John 3:7) Later he instructed

the same Christians to test the spirits, see whether they come from the Lord or from the evil one. (1

John 4:1-2)

It is essential that we do not judge on the basis of emotion. Our emotions are notoriously fickle.

Neither do we judge on the basis of Christian consensus. Christians can and do perpetuate unspiritual

practices. Nor do we judge on the basis of our own religious traditions: Traditions can have serious holes

in them. We judge by spiritual discernment, discernment given us by the Holy Spirit Himself.

A man came to see me one night after a service. He was a recently converted homosexual.

Immediately he felt it was right to sever his homosexual connections. Then the local “Christian

homosexual association” contacted him and said, “You can be a Christian and a homosexual.” He knew,
by the Spirit, that he had to break with his homosexual past. I urged him to walk in the Spirit, not to

obey the sinful lusts of the flesh.

A second spiritual gift is the absolute control of the Spirit in our lives. Paul tells the Roman

Christians they are no longer slaves of sin. (Romans 6:6) As believers we reject the law and place

ourselves willingly under the control of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:10, 14) We do not live according to the

sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:5-8)

Too often we are tempted to slither out from under the Spirit’s control and live by our sinful

nature. The business person says: “How can I survive in the business world, if I do not enter into the

dog-eat-dog mentality of business?”

The academic says: “How can I be intellectually respectable if I submit to the Bible as my sole

authority?”

The teenager complains: “My friends will laugh at me if I attend the youth group.”

Warfare praying is predicated on the truth that we live according to the Spirit. We cannot live

like the world and expect spiritual victory in our prayer life.

Third we adopt a spiritually enlightened approach to life. John instructs us how to “walk in the

light.” (1 John 1:7) The darkness is fading away, and the Light of the Lord is persisting and growing and

expanding. (1 John 2:8)

Often I see people come out of the drug culture and profess faith in Christ. Soon, however, they

slip back into the black hole of drug abuse. They are not willing to utilize spiritual discernment, but

rather they hang around with the old, drug-using gang. They reject the control of the Spirit and submit

rather to the dominance of drugs. They reject the light of God’s Word and retreat into the darkness of

the drug culture.

 We live in a world of extremes. Two such extremes are Rationalism and Mysticism. Rationalism

says we learn everything by our senses: Mysticism seeks knowledge through intuition. Both are wrong:

Only the Spirit leads to truth.

Rationalism adopts the attitude of agnosticism: Truth cannot be known. Mysticism seeks truth in

monism: All is one and one is all. The Spirit says Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.