10. Spiritual Warfare

In the light of the extensive influence which Satan and his demons wield over human lives, it is very important how we handle this problem in order to ward off the assault on our lives and to gain victory in the battle. The Lord has given us various commands on spiritual defence in His Word, e.g. that we should give no place to the devil and his ideas (Eph. 4:27); that we should resist him, his temptations and the deceptive efforts of his collaborators (Jas. 4:7; Matt. 24:4); that we must realise that we are engaged in a spiritual battle in which we should make use of spiritual weapons (1 Pet. 5:8-9; 2 Cor. 10:3-5); that we should be soldiers who put on the full armour of God, and above all, that we should be empowered by the Holy Spirit to successfully fight the good fight of faith (Eph. 6:10-11; 1 Tim. 6:12).

Unfortunately, Christians are not unanimous in their views on how this battle should be fought, since not all of them have the correct dispensational understanding of the Bible. A large number of Christians do not realise that the kingdom dispensation, in God’s plan for humanity, will only be introduced after the second coming of Christ, since He first has to return as King of kings to destroy the kingdom of the Antichrist, bind the devil and restore the throne of David in Jerusalem.

Those who do not entertain a futuristic view on the revelation of God’s kingdom, wrongfully conclude that the devil is currently bound in a pit, that the church has been empowered to destroy all the vestiges of this evil kingdom in society, that Christians should display great powers and that they should rule as kings in the present time. They use unbiblical methods of strategic spiritual warfare, particularly during transformation meetings and prayer marches, to try and expel the devil and his demons from a particular city or country. Firstly, we will briefly review this deceptive practice before discussing the biblical form of spiritual warfare, which is primarily aimed at the needs of individual believers.

Strategic spiritual warfare

There is a growing movement among Christians who are committed to using prayer and strategic spiritual warfare to break down demonic strongholds over cities and even countries, thereby ousting the devil. These strongholds are associated with so-called territorial demons (Otis, 1997). Specific societal sins are linked to these strongholds, e.g. foreign religions, witchcraft, ancestor worship or crime. It is believed that when these evil strongholds have been destroyed and their power has been broken, the spiritual blinding of the people will disappear, leading to a great Christian revival in which virtually all people in a particular city or region will come to repentance. The entire community will then experience a Christian transformation, superstition and poverty will vanish and prisons will become empty, etc.

The pioneers of the transformation movement are George Otis of the Sentinel Group in America (Malan, 2000), and Peter Wagner of the World Prayer Centre in Colorado Springs (Wagner, 2000). Around the turn of the century, Peter Wagner took a prayer group to Turkey to overthrow the strongholds of Islam in that country, and then declared the country free from oppressive demonic influences. Subsequently, neither the spiritual situation nor the grip of Islam has changed in that country, and therefore the expected revival and Christian transformation have never occurred. Similar actions were undertaken without success in South Africa and many other countries around the world, which have only given rise to false expectations.

As a first step, spiritual mapping is done in which the typical sins of a community are determined and described. These sins are regarded as spiritual strongholds which must be pulled down in faith in order to liberate that society. After allegedly breaking the strongholds of evil, gatekeepers are appointed to take up position on important access routes and at airports, in an attempt to keep demons from returning to the liberated areas and again control over them again.

Strategic spiritual warfare is among the various forms of so-called kingdom now theology. These people take promises meant for the revealed kingdom of Christ after His second coming (i.e. the thousand-year reign of peace) and wrongly apply them to the church dispensation. Among these promises are that the devil will be bound and therefore unable to deceive the nations (Rev. 20:2-3), sin, crime and warfare will vanish (Jer. 3:17; Isa. 2:4), the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord (Isa. 11:9), entire cities and countries will serve the Lord (Zech. 8:20-21; Isa. 19:23-25), and Christians will rule on earth together with the Lord Jesus (Rev. 5:9-10; 20:6).

Certain church fathers and theologians have proclaimed the wrong view that the kingdom dispensation during which the devil will be bound, will not follow after the second coming of Christ, but applies to the period between His first and second coming, i.e. the church dispensation. According to them, the devil in now bound and it is the Lord’s will that the world should be taken over and ruled by His church. We need therefore only to be awakened to this vision and to start driving the devil away from planet earth in order to establish a Christian world. For this purpose the Lord will call prophets and apostles to unite Christianity, and to perform great signs and miracles to demonstrate their supernatural power.

Because of their unbiblical understanding of spiritual warfare, several of this movement’s leaders have been caught up in extreme charismatic thinking and practices. Their revival vision is based upon a dramatic display of extra-Biblical revelations and signs, and as a consequence, they have become primarily focussed on experiential theology. They are also expressly ecumenical as their final objective is the founding of united city churches. In this regard, Peter Wagner even refers to the post-denominational church of the 21^st century, into which all churches will converge. He also refers to an “apostolic revival” in which the Lord will raise up specially anointed apostles and prophets, endowed with special powers to rule over the united city churches. To this end, there should often be mass-meetings in stadiums and other large venues where Christians can be conditioned to work together and forget about their theological differences. The entire movement is built upon compromise, in the interest of the vision that the united church of Christ should at this time take control of the world and rule over it. (For more information on the New Apostolic Reformation, see Simpson, 2012).

However, the fact remains that we are sojourners and pilgrims in a world which lies in the sway of the evil one (1 John 5:19). We will not conquer the world and rule over it, but instead be hated and persecuted by the world (John 15:19). The spiritual warfare as discussed in this chapter, has a personal relevance in that the Lord delivers individuals from sin and temptations, and gives them strength to remain standing. They will not take over the world, but will shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Phil. 2:15). We are not kings and rulers, but soldiers for the cross. While we become more holy, the world will become more evil (Rev. 22:11).

The Battle against the Evil One

Every Christian who has been delivered from the bondage of Satan through rebirth is engaged in a spiritual battle against the power of the evil one. Not a single Christian is exempt from this battle. In order to prevail in this battle we should consciously resist evil in the power of the Lord:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day” (Eph. 6:10-13).

The armour of God is a standard spiritual ability with which all true believers are equipped to enable them to fight the good fight of faith. Paul does not refer to it as a special gift which is reserved solely for those who have a deliverance ministry to deliver people from demon possession. He had in mind the usual daily battle of the believer.

Although this battle is fought on a spiritual level, it is nevertheless a very real battle against a big and formidable force of demons under the command of Satan. The comprehensive nature of the spiritual battle is evident from the fact that it is fought against believers from five fronts. In each case the enemy adopts a different guise and uses another strategy to accomplish his seduction and subversion. Satan or one of his collaborators may come as adversary, tempter, deceiver, robber or accuser.

In each of these five areas we must be able to clearly identify the guise and strategy of the enemy in order to be able to offer effective resistance against him.

Adversary

In the first and most important instance the devil is described as the Christian’s adversary who is bent on his ruin or detriment in every area of his life: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Pet. 5:8-9).

This position of confrontation is unavoidable: the devil is our adversary who opposes us in every possible way and also places stumbling-blocks on our way. Our command is to resist him in faith and in so doing also to become his adversary. We should not shut our eyes to encounters of this nature by arguing them away. Many people ascribe problems of this nature to negative circumstances or other causes, and fail to recognise the role of the enemy of their souls. Such people do not pursue spiritual solutions to their problems. They hope for the best and accept defeat in a fatalistic way, but they remain losers in the battle.

The intensity of Satan’s opposition knows no bounds, because as a murderer, he is devoted to killing people. Wars, disasters, accidents, incitement to suicide, and various other means are employed by him to give vent to his aggression and murderousness. He does not have unlimited powers over people, however, from within the boundaries of his restrictions, he relentlessly pursues his objectives. In addition to sudden, violent attacks, he also uses an array of slower methods to achieve his purpose. Many people’s lives are ruined over a long period of being enslaved to liquor, tobacco, drugs, sexual perversions and various other addictions.

Countless problems, obstacles, disappointments and irritations are employed by Satan to discourage Christians, to persuade them to abandon their efforts in the service of the Lord, and to sink into a dark pit of depression. Among such problems are conflicts between family members, friends, colleagues, and others. The harsh and incessant criticism of those who hold different religious or ideological persuasions may also lead to their despondency. Often this leads them to accept defeat by burying the differences and by no longer contending for the truth, in an attempt to maintain good relations and to lessen animosity.

The devil can also launch attacks on your economic interests and material possessions in order to harm and impoverish you, and break down your morale. All the multiple ways in which he can attack you, whether they be through people or through circumstances, should be resisted in the name of the Lord and the battle against him should be continued. Never acknowledge defeat, but endure and remain steadfast in your faith. Follow the example of the Lord Jesus, who never succumbed to the pressure against Him: “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin” (Heb. 12:3-4).

Tempter

The devil tempts people to commit moral sins by enticing them through their fleshly lusts. Due to the fallen nature of humanity, which is the result of our first parents having been deceived by the devil, “the heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9) and is inclined towards sinning. The following are examples of some of the sins which Satan may tempt our unregenerate, fallen nature to succumb to:

narcissism, pride, love of money, stealing, bribery, fornication, lying, unfaithfulness,

evil desires, gluttony, covetousness, adultery, slander, anger, wrath, filthy language.

 A prayerful and holy life surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ is needed to overcome these and other temptations: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41).

Do not yield to temptations, but submit yourself to the Lord and resist the devil. The Lord Jesus will understand your problem, and is also able to help you because He Himself experienced and overcame temptations:

“For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18).

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16).

We are also repeatedly admonished to deny ourselves and crucify the old nature, lest we be an open target for moral sins (Luke 9:23; Gal. 6:14). If we fail to surrender the old nature to be crucified, victory over temptations will continue to elude us. Paul impressed it upon the Ephesian believers:

“...that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22-24). Without a complete surrender of this nature you will continually experience an inner conflict with your old self, and will thus be unable to successfully resist the tempter.

Deceiver

Another guise in which Satan fights against believers is that of deceiver. This refers to religious deception and fraud. He exploits people’s ignorance and presents them with all sorts of religious lies in order to lead them astray. Apostatising is the inevitable consequence of this deception: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1).

Apostatising of this nature is the order of the day in Christian churches (2 Tim. 4:1-4), while religious lies remain the basis of the non-Christian religions of the world. In the end-time, the spirit of error will be particularly active in deceiving humanity into honouring and following the Antichrist and his false prophets: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many” (Matt. 24:4-5).

Peter says: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Pet. 2:1-2).

Destructive heresies are introduced into various theological faculties of prominent universities, by which pastors are already being deceived during their student years. It is presently a common phenomenon that the virgin birth and deity of Jesus, His resurrection from the dead and the promise of His second coming, as well as the divine inspiration of the Bible, are openly and blatantly denied by a large number of theologians. Another lie which is often heard is that all religions are worshipping the same God, and are therefore awaiting the same world messiah. This lie also comes from the father of all lies, and is used to prepare the way for the coming of the Antichrist as the universal messiah of all faiths.

A lack of knowledge of what the Scriptures say is the breeding-ground for religious deception. However, it is not necessary to live in ignorance since the full truth on spiritual matters has been revealed in the Bible: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). If we would only allow Him, the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and also proclaim to us the things to come (John 16:13).

The nominal believers of the end-time have been deceived by Satan, and because of their own negligence they have lost the battle against religious fraud and lies. They have gathered around them a great number of false teachers, turned their ears away from the truth and now believe in myths (2 Tim. 4:3-4). They are not waging a spiritual war against the spirit of error, and have already been taken captive by the enemy (1 John 4:1-6).

Robber

It is one of the most important strategies of Satan to rob Christians. He is intent on impoverishing them spiritually as well as materially. In stead of allowing people to grow and mature up in their faith and become strong in the Lord, he tries to render them embittered and disheartened, thereby inducing them to backslide: “...looking diligently lest anyone should fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up should cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb. 12:15).

When the devil robs you of your spiritual peace and weakens your faith, you may become embittered against your circumstances, towards other people and even towards God. This disposition may cause you to backslide, to discontinue your spiritual ministry, and also to lose the rewards of faith which, according to 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 22:12, you could have received for a dedicated life of service to the Lord: “Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Rev. 3:11; cf. Rev. 2:25).

John also warns that we should be on the look out for the robber who will do everything possible to rob us of our reward: “Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward” (2 John v. 8).

Apart from the spiritual damage which the Robber can cause, he is also out to rob you of your money, possessions, health and many other things. He knows that when he succeeds in doing so, you will be restricted in the extent to which you can serve the Lord and provide financial support to His work on earth.

The devil is indeed a thief who is committed to breaking in and stealing in order to rob people in various ways of their possessions and heritage. The Lord Jesus said: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Are you alert against the cunning strategies and clever schemes of the Robber? Are you mindful of the damage which he can cause to us if we do not live vigilant and conscientious lives? If you follow a permissive and careless lifestyle by leaving a backdoor or window open to the Robber, he will enter in and cause havoc in your personal life, your household, your marriage and your work. This may cost you dearly, causing you to end up in a wilderness of defeat and despondency.

Accuser

One of the important activities of Satan is that he acts as accuser in the spiritual war which he wages against Christians.

In the first place he accuses them at the throne of God after he has successfully tempted or deceived them. Satan has access to the throne of God, and this situation will continue until the middle of the tribulation period when he will be finally cast down: “...the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down” (Rev. 12:10).

As far as these accusations are concerned, the Bible gives us the following assurance: “And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2). But we should ensure that we walk in the light by immediately confessing all the sins which we commit (1 John 1:7). In this way, Satan is deprived of any influence that he may have gained over your life.

In the second place the devil also accuses Christians before unsaved, secular authorities to which Paul refers as “this present evil world” (Gal. 1:4). Here, we are hated and persecuted. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). That is the consequence of Satan’s accusations against the children of God. His purpose with this strategy is to bring Christians into disfavour in order that they may be deprived of privileges such as Christian education and religious freedom.

In the third place, Satan accuses one believer before the other in an effort to sow seeds of discord and disunity among the brethren by driving in wedges between them. We should not entertain grievances or yield to vindictive thoughts of this nature, as that would play into the hands of the enemy in undermining the world of the Lord. Resist all incitements of this nature and guard the peace and unity among the true brethren in Christ, “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also must do” (Col. 3:13).

Rather assist a brother who is faltering: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). We must indeed convince, rebuke and exhort where necessary but that should be done with all long-suffering and teaching (2 Tim. 4:2). Do not allow the devil to influence you into rejecting, hating or persecuting the brethren. If you do, you will weaken Christianity by engaging in infighting. If we allow this to happen, we will only harm ourselves and never win the war to which we are committed.

In the fourth place, the devil will also accuse you personally and try to instil a guilt complex in you. Not only does he accuse you of recent sins, but also of sins which you committed long ago and for which you have already been fully forgiven. He does this in an attempt to revive old problems, grievances and sins, and to use them to condemn you and render you with a deplorable self-worth.

He will tell you how bad you are, how unpardonable your sins are, how irrevocably you have sinned against the Holy Spirit, and how miserably you have failed in your service to the Lord. In this way he intends to burden you with guilt, destroy your faith and render you completely depressed, disheartened and powerless. The suggestion is instilled in you to withdraw from all activities and keep a low profile so that more able people can do the work. When the unfortunate victim accepts this advice, the accuser of the brethren has succeeded with his purpose. The purpose will be to ensure the withdrawal of another soldier from the battlefield to isolate himself somewhere to meditate on his failures, weaknesses and deprivation in life. A root of bitterness will spring up in his heart and it will be sustained by renewed fleshliness and negative thoughts.

Stand on the promises of God in His Word, put your trust in Him, and thus shield yourself against the fiery darts of the wicked one. We must learn how to distinguish between Satan’s false accusations through which he wants to undermine our faith and discourage us, and the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit who wants to lead us to greater holiness.

The Battle for the Mind

From the preceding description of the spiritual war it is quite obvious that the attacks of the enemy are comprehensive. The effects of this battle often extend into the physical realm where they manifest as adverse circumstances in our daily lives. These circumstances are always aimed at discouraging us and weakening us spiritually. The victory must, therefore, be gained in the spiritual realm if we are not to be paralysed by the enemy and surrendered to the bondage of sin. This is essentially a battle for the spiritual control of the mind and body. Paul says:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

From this description of the spiritual war it is obvious that the enemy’s strongholds in our lives are the result of vain reasoning and fleshly exaltation that arise from evil, misguided thoughts. If the strongholds of sin are to be pulled down and eliminated, every thought must be taken into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Should this not be done, the enemy of our souls will gain a large measure of control over us by establishing wicked and uncontrolled thoughts or desires in our hearts and minds.

Due to our fallen human nature, our contact with the world and our inability to determine the origin of all ideas, there are various ways in which we can be tempted to sin:

· Wrong ideas and evil intentions may emerge from your own fleshly nature and subconscious mind. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (Jas. 1:14-15; see also Mark 7:21-23). Remember that the old man (your old, sinful nature) is completely corrupted by deceitful lusts (Eph. 4:22; Rom. 6:6). It cannot be reformed, therefore it must be crucified.

· Many of the things that you see are pleasing to fleshly desires and also lead to sin: “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:16; see also Matt. 5:28).

· Sinful thoughts are often stimulated by immoral TV shows, pornographic videos and magazines, or the conducting of immoral discussions. Do not expose yourself to these evils: “Do not be deceived: Evil communications corrupts good habits” (1 Cor. 15:33).

· Doubts, evil thoughts and sinful desires are stimulated by spiritual agents from the kingdom of darkness. They have the ability to aim fiery darts at you (Eph. 6:16), thus defiling your mind. They can also cause your thoughts to wander and render them uncontrollable when you want to read God’s Word, pray or listen to a sermon.

Have you given the enemy the opportunity to make inroads into your mind and establish strongholds of sin in your life? Please recognise that these sins may have started with a single thought or evil suggestion that you could not resist or did not subject to the authority of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Once certain ideas are established in your mind, they often tend to dominate your thinking and actions.

From the roof of his palace King David saw a beautiful woman who was bathing, and coveted her. He devised an evil plan to get rid of her husband in order to have her as his wife. He acted on the spur of the moment and did not subject his desires and plans to the authority of the clear precepts in the Word of God. In the process he transgressed the following commandments: “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. … You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife” (Ex. 20:13-14, 17).

Instead of observing these statutes, David entertained all sorts of fleshly rationalisation and evil schemes to gratify his lusts. In doing so, he allowed the enemy to erect a stronghold of murder and adultery in his life. After realising his awful sin and defeat by Satan, David was a broken man under the strong conviction of sin. He unconditionally put his trust in the Lord to forgive him for his very serious sins and to restore him to a Spirit-filled life of dedication and obedience: “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. … Blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and restore a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Ps. 51:7-12).

The strongholds of sin were immediately pulled down in his heart, and the fear of the Lord restored. Always reassert the authority of God over your mind and all the thoughts and desires of your heart. Test all your thoughts and ideas before accepting them. If they are not in full agreement with the Word of God, then reject them: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24).

Sinful thoughts must be dealt with immediately, and not be given any chance to establish themselves in your heart or mind. The fiery darts of the enemy, as well as doubts and vain arguments that exalt themselves against the truth of the Word, can be quenched by the shield of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 6:16).

If you do not shield yourself against evil thoughts, they will take root in you and eventually get to have their way with you. They will actively oppose and slowly begin to subdue the good thoughts. In the process they will defile your mind and undermine your motivation to serve the Lord by inducing you to say and do wrong things. Are the thoughts of your heart under control and well pleasing to the Lord, or are you wilfully and foolishly accommodating evil thoughts?

Spiritual Weapons

We are commanded to make use of the weapons that God has provided for us in the battle against Satan and all his evil devices. We need not necessarily be spiritually defeated or forced into retreat: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4).

There is an arsenal of at least five weapons in the armoury of light which are available to us for the waging of spiritual warfare. Not only should we become aware of these weapons but also become skilled in their use:

Faith

Our relationship of faith with the Lord should be very strong and unshakable to ensure that we will put our trust in Him under all circumstances, to make us more than conquerors in the Lord Jesus. We must know and believe that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Without faith in the Conqueror we are defenceless in the battle against sin and unrighteousness. The following scriptures underscore the fact that we are in a spiritual battle in which faith in the Lord is a strong and victorious weapon against the evil one and all his plans:

· “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5).

· “...taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Eph. 6:16).

· “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12).

· “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Pet. 5:8-9).

Are you prepared to quench the fiery darts of the devil with the shield of your faith in the Lord Jesus or are you unprotected against all the confusing, deceiving, insinuating and unclean thoughts that the devil launches at you? Take refuge in Christ against all the attacks of the enemy, as you will never overcome Satan in your own power. Faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross will make you more than a conqueror. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Prov. 18:10). Remember that you can only achieve victory in the name of the Lord – never in your own strength.

The Blood of the Lamb

It is important that our spiritual protection and victory should be based upon the shed blood of the Lamb! He died on the cross, “that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).

The blood of Jesus which He shed on the cross when He laid down His life has power over all the temptations and schemes of Satan. It can cleanse us from sin by breaking all its bonds: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7).

During the coming great tribulation when the devil will come down to earth with great wrath knowing that he has but a short time (Rev. 12:12), the tribulation saints will all die physically as martyrs, but they will overcome the Antichrist by the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11). Do you seek spiritual protection under the blood of Christ when the devil attacks you, and do you also pray for this protection over your loved ones as well as others for whom you intercede? They are all desperately in need of spiritual protection.

The blood of Christ, which is the symbol of His atoning death, gives life (John 6:53-56), it cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7), and ensures victory in the battle against the evil one (Rev. 12:11).

Christian Testimony

Identifying ourselves fully with the victory of Jesus on the cross and waiting on the Lord to fill us with His Holy Spirit, gives us confidence to openly witness to other people, to resist the devil, and the willingness to suffer for Christ: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev. 12:11; cf. Heb. 10:35, 13:13; Matt. 5:14-16).

Testimony plays an extremely important role in the life of a Christian. By so doing he confirms his faith and performs a basic activity without which his faith could have been regarded as dead (Jas. 2:14-26). Paul explains the close relationship between faith and confession as follows: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10). We confess our lost state to the Lord Jesus when we receive Him as our Saviour, and afterwards we testify about our saved state to the world.

We have a clear command to be witnesses to the Lord Jesus in an agnostic and apostate world (John 20:21; Acts 1:8). In this way many victories have been achieved for the cross, leading to the powerful expansion of God’s kingdom in many parts of the world. Without Christian witness and preaching, millions of people would still have lived in spiritual darkness, with their minds being blinded by the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4).

Prayer

A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. Intercession according to the will of God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, can really change things. It moves the mighty arm of God and brings many blessings to people: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jas. 5:16). Prayer operates in association with faith: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like the wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (Jas. 1:6-7).

To pray prevailing prayers we should “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Heb. 10:22). We should live holy lives and pray in accordance with the will of God: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

When we draw near to the throne of grace and subject ourselves in prayer to the grace and omnipotence of God, the devil will flee from us: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7).

If we ignore the attacks of the devil, simply shrug them off as an illusion, or try to ward them off by resorting to psychological or medical therapy, the problems will become more deeply entrenched, which will have even more serious consequences. If we take refuge in the Lord by taking our burdens to Him in prayer, and also ask others to intercede for us, He will certainly deliver us from evil: “…the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2 Pet. 2:9). The devil will return again later, but then we should know where our strength is: “…be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Eph. 6: 10). The victory belongs to Him who is mighty to save (Ps. 34:15; 46:1; 65:2).

The Word

The Word of God is a mighty weapon in the battle against temptation, deception, unbelief, and other attacks that the enemy may launch against us. To be able to use it we must believe it and have knowledge of it: “And take ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). It is a living and powerful word which penetrates deep into my heart to do its conviction there: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

The Bible is the final authority for truth, and in terms of its precepts all thoughts can be judged as good or evil. Because the Word is like a sword that pierces the depths of my soul, it is able to fully reveal the true nature of my thoughts and intentions. It works in conjunction with my conscience to show me what is right and wrong.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a dynamic power to salvation for everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). It has the ability to deliver every unsaved sinner who truly believes in it, from the power of Satan. The Word has an authority and power which is guaranteed by God Himself by virtue of Christ’s victory on the cross: “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20). Make sure that you experience the liberating power of the Word every day, and that you walk in its light: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).

Are your footsteps anchored in God’s Word? “Direct my steps by Your Word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (Ps. 119:133).

We can be more than conquerors in the battle against the powers of darkness if we do not deviate to the right or to the left of the narrow path of the Lord. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4).

Always remember that amidst the multiple ministries of the Holy Spirit there are two fundamental reasons why He wants to endow you with power from on high. The first reason is to empower you to be a witness for Christ (Acts 1:8). The second reason is to equip you for spiritual warfare, and with this end in view Paul says: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:10-11). It is only from the position of a Spirit-filled life that we can be strong witnesses who are able to prevail over the evil one.