Spiritual Warfare
Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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 6:10-12
Deliver usfrom EVIL
Satan occurs 27 times in the Old Testament and 36 times in the New Testament, sometimes translated as “adversary”. Jesus interacted with Satan and evil in preparation for His ministry, He spent more than a month in the desert battling Satan. That’s serious. God spent much less time creating the earth! During His years of ministry, Christ healed the sick, sometimes casting out demons. Demons spoke. During the Lord’s Supper, Jesus warned Peter that he’d be tried by Satan and Peter, in turn, warned the early Christians that they should, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.Resist him, standing firm in the faith,” 1 Peter 5:8-9.
a) Acknowledge that evil exists.
Belief that Satan exists is essential for the Christ follower. Satan is not just a Saturday Night Live comedy sketch. Here are some Old Testament references which describe Satan’s origin and some of his works:
“There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God, and counterclaimed by Satan.” C.S. Lewis.
b) Face the fight, rather than avoiding the battle. Sometimes it’s easier to, like Dory, “Just keep swimming!”, ignoring the fight. In the long run, with Christ’s help, you will spend less effort facing Satan, than you spend in fear and frustration.
c) Do not be afraid. The battle is won, not by you, but in heaven. Allow Christ’s death bring it’s full result on earth. (Romans 8:31-39) We are delivered this way everyday without our even knowing it!
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
d) Distinguish between the spirits. Distinguishing between spirits is in the list of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:10) . In 2 Kings 6:11-20 Elisha prays that his servant’s eyes would be opened to see angels that were there to fight for Israel. God is not into guessing games. If we ask for clarification, He will give it to us.
d) Recognize evil. Evil often masquerades as normal. Normal for others may not be normal for us. It’s important to know God’s best for you.
DELIVER us from evil.
Acknowledges that we need help.
a) We depend upon God for dependence on God. God is on our side and wants us to depend upon Him. When we rely on Him for the ability to trust Him, He is faithful. Hebrews 12:2 explains that God is the AUTHOR and PERFECTER of our faith. Remember, the Spirit prays for us when we are weak or don’t know how to pray. (Romans 8:26-27) Philippians 2: 13 reads, “For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
b) We are delivered through the test, with Him on our side, strengthening our faith that God is on our side and increasing our ability to, with the grace of God, endure evil (1 Peter 3:3-9). Admitting that our need of God is often the first step toward freedom.
c) Bind Satan. As Christ’s ambassadors we’ve been given this ability. (Matthew 18:18) At first, it may feel very strange. Say something like, “In Jesus’ name, I bind you. Because of the cross of Jesus, you must leave.”
d) “Spiritual warfare tends not to be meek and mild, but forceful, assertive, and authoritative. It is sometimes accompanied by fasting and generally requires perseverance and careful spiritual discernment.” Pete Greig
Again, no fear here. God is with you and will never forsake you.
e) Stand your ground. The victory is already won. In the moment it seems like all is lost. Not so. Christ died. It’s done. Stand your ground.
Deliver US from evil.
Acknowledges that need to be delivered
a) Pray for a deeper understanding of the authority we have in Christ: The power that overcame death on the cross is ours. (Ephesians 1:17-23) The authority over evil is Christ’s. It is important to note that as we humble ourselves, ask for help in the battle, Christ fights for us. (James 4:6-10) As we recognize Christ’s strength, we also understand our own weakness. (Acts 19: 11- 19).
b) What are the promises in the Bible? The armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18) includes one offensive weapon, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” When you are aware of something that needs spiritual warfare, go to the bible to find promises that back you up. Jesus combatted Satan in the wilderness using scripture.
References:
Greig, How to pray: for normal people, pages 187-212
Jensen Salisbury, Karen, Three Things you Need to Know about Authority over Satan. https://karenjensen.org/media-menu/blog/1602-3-things-you-need-to-know-about-taking-authority-over-satan
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