Victors In Spiritual Warfare
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Watch In Prayer
Watch In Prayer
Introduction
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8
8 I have set the Lord always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Cast your cares on the Lord; he will sustain you and never let the righteous be shaken. (Psalm 55:22
22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
I can do all this through him, who gives me strength.
(Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Both the Old and New Testaments convey to us that there is
a secure, immovable, invincible place of victory for God's people. God plans that those who belong to Christ will always be able to do God's will. No enemy can interfere with that plan unless believers allow that enemy to rob them of their victorious stance. This book aims to help believers grasp a prayer practice that will enable them to walk in victory.
The reader will find occasional references to my book, The Adversary, the prequel to this book. It was written in response to many requests for an additional, practical "handbook" on spiritual warfare.
The emphasis of this book is prayer, a discipline that is often disgracefully neglected among evangelical Christians. One report has indicated that even "the average pastor surveyed prays only three minutes each day." Sadly, though that statistic dates back to 1979, it still holds today. We are in serious trouble if that presents even a partial picture of what is happening in the church’s prayer life.
The most critical phase of prayer is intercession. What a work God has set open for those who are His priests-intercessors!
We find a remarkable expression in the prophecy of Isaiah; God says, "Let him take hold of me," and again, "There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee." In other passages, God refers to the intercessors for Israel. Have you ever taken hold of God? The church and the world need nothing so much as a mighty Spirit of intercession to bring down the power of God on earth. Pray for the descent from heaven of the Spirit of intercession for an excellent prayer revival.?
Not a Passing Fad
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she entered my office, and her countenance betrayed her anxiety. Her voice had the same quiver of fear I had noted when she had called for an appointment. Nancy' was the daughter of missionaries, a brilliant student, and a beautiful nineteen-year-old.
After a few moments of prayer, she opened her heart. "Pastor Bubeck, I've been tormented for several months now. Almost every night when I try to sleep, a fearful presence seems to close in on me. I’m so afraid, I’ve even seen ghostlike apparitions in my room.”
"I'm seeing a whole new side to the Christian life that I've never seen before. Why is it that in the nineteen years of my life I've scarcely heard about spiritual warfare?" I detected a note of resentment, as though she felt cheated as a Christian.
Many believers want an answer to that question.
Why all of this renewed interest in Christian circles concerning demons and Satan's work? Is it just another passing fad? Does it center too much attention on the devil? Is it a subtle attempt of Satan to turn believers away from the vital work of evangelism?
Satan's work certainly is not a passing fad. He has always hated all believers with a "cruel hatred," the kind described in Psalm 25:19
19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Satan's kingdom is engaged in a relentless effort to destroy Christians and their effective fulfillment of God's will. There are several reasons the battle is becoming more open today.
One reason for the increased overt activity of Satan in the lives of Christians is that the subject of aggressive spiritual warfare has often been neglected, mainly in evangelical circles. Believers in America have been lulled into passively assuming their victory over Satan instead of aggressively applying it. When the Lord first led me into a deeper study of how the believer
defeats Satan's power, I discovered that most of the sound doctrinal books written on the subject were very old. Evangelical seminaries and Bible schools have prepared their graduates to battle for the fundamentals of the faith but have provided little insight into how to battle Satan, a personal enemy.
Thankfully, today there are an increasing number of solid, biblical books and seminary courses addressing the topic of spiritual warfare. But, unfortunately, many Christians still dismiss the importance of understanding our authority and victory over the evil one.
Another reason we see the battle more clearly is that we live in the last days. First Timothy 4:1 declares, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." Such verses in the Word are to be taken soberly. The aggressive, overt activities of Satan and demons are to be much more pronounced as the end times close in upon us:
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
A third reason for increased awareness of the battle is that sin abounds daily. The more wicked humans become, the more openly and obviously, the power of Satan will be displayed. This is particularly true of sins that involve occultism and sexual promiscuity. A society that is deeply characterized by pornography and other sexual sins, drugs, alcoholism, sorcery, witchcraft, and open Satan worship is a society that will see much open and apparent activity of demons.
What are believers to do in preparing themselves to meet the challenge? This book encourages believers to use warfare prayer-which I define as focusing biblical truths through prayer against the schemes and deceptions of the enemy-and other practical means to ensure victory in the following ways.
First, believers must personally avoid and diligently guard their families from any involvement in occult practices. Ouija boards, séances, levitation, transcendental meditation, tarot cards, horoscopes, and the like should be totally avoided.
Indulging curiosity about such things is like walking unarmed into the enemy's territory.
Deuteronomy 18:9-13
Second, we must also ensure we do not develop an excessive curiosity about Satan's workings. Books and films that describe the practices and orgies of witches' covens and Satan worship are out of place for believers. On the pretext of becoming informed, some well-meaning people are doing a dangerous disservice to the Christian community. Knowing the details of the rites and rituals of witchcraft is harmful and totally unnecessary. Most of us would readily see harm in a Christian's reading pornography or viewing pornographic films to understand that area of sin better, but we may fail to see harm in curiosity about witchcraft and Satanism.
Third, we must also guard against being fearfully preoccupied with Satan and his activities, thus giving him undue prominence.
Hope and courage are vital words in spiritual warfare. Courage is not only necessary in facing our relentless foe, but it is also the believer's purchased possession. Satan would like nothing better than to fill believers with dread of him and his kingdom. If he can keep his work shrouded in an aura of mystery, or if he can cloak his programs with sensationalized hocus-pocus in the minds of believers, Satan will have accomplished one of his chief aims.
"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 5:8-9a). Satan roars to make us afraid and thus more vulnerable, but our purchased right is courage to resist him.
Fear is one of the most prevalent reasons believers may not get involved in spiritual warfare. They hope that by ignoring the subject they will avoid having to face their enemy directly. Some say to me, "How involved do I need to become in spiritual warfare when I'm not aware of any particular problem?" My response is always to remind them that they already are involved if they are believers. Whether or not we want to be involved, Satan presses the battle to us in close, relentless encounter. Ephesians 6:12 declares that ours is a wrestling battle, a close, hand-to-hand struggle with Satan's highly organized kingdom.
This personal struggle is a fearsome prospect to those who understand the formidable power of Satan’s kingdom. Yet the underlying thesis of Ephesians 6 is that every believer has the certainty of victory: "and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13). Prayer is the means by which we aggressively claim our strength in the Lord, appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit and putting on the whole armor of God. There is no substitute for a prayer life that brings the truth of God's Word into aggressive application. That is what Peter touched on when of doctrine that cannot be broken.
How courageous should believers become in applying their victory against Satan? Some evangelical Christians have resorted to exorcism of wicked spirits, even from the lives of other believers. Some cases have brought encouraging results, but at
Prayer is how we aggressively claim our strength in the Lord, appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit and putting on the whole armor of God.
other times the benefit of that practice has been questionable indeed.
A story from the Chicago Tribune
of March 27, 1975, carried this disturbing headline: "British Wife-Killer Stirs Exorcism Debate." The article reported that three hours after a man went through a seven-hour "ancient ritual of exorcism," he killed and mutilated his wife. A canon of the Church of England commented on the tragic event: “The ... meddlers will dabble about in demonism not knowing what they are doing or what might happen. The damage it can do is immeasurable.""
Similar news accounts of the practice of exorcism of demons are common and equally controversial. What ought to be the attitude of believers toward the practice of boldly confronting demonic powers? The Lord Jesus and His disciples did on many occasions, confront wicked spirits and boldly demand that they reveal their presence (Mark 5:9; Acts 16). As believers united with the Lord Jesus Christ in all of His person, position, and victory, we have authority over all wicked powers (Ephesians 1:21
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
There may be occasions when a bold confrontation of the enemy is necessary. The hour in which we live may force this work upon us. I sought to touch on some of those occasions and procedures in chapter 9 of The Adversary.
But far greater emphasis should be upon the troubled believer's constant warfare praying the use of sound doctrine in his or her daily walk and the practice of godly living.
Individual believers must know how to exercise their authority over Satan and demons in a commanding way.
Believers must see anew their privilege and responsibility of walking victoriously as men and
Believers must see women of God. No believer who willfully walks in the sins of the flesh and anew their privilege and the world can hope to escape Satan's responsibility of walking hurt and bondage
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
victoriously as men and Can you imagine women of God? what would happen to a soldier who casually strolled into his enemy's territory during the heat of war? If not
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
killed, he would soon be surrounded and taken captive. Sadly, many believers think they can carelessly engage in sin without being vulnerable to Satan's attack. Ephesians 4:27
27 Neither give place to the devil.
warns: "and do not give the devil a foothold" That's what he is looking for-a foothold to get in the door of the believer's life. He seeks to hurt, bind, and destroy us through our sins. Unless we know our way to victory, we become vulnerable.
Victory over fleshly sin comes first by admitting our old nature's capacity to be sinful. That's why lists like Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
are given to us. God isn't surprised by our old nature. He knows its wickedness, and He wants us to know it too.
The second step in overcoming fleshly sin is to count ourselves dead to the old nature (Romans 6:5-6; Galatians 5:24
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
With Christ, the "Old man" is put to death.
The third step is to walk in the Spirit and ask Him to produce within us the fruit of His fullness (Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
He will do so as we yield to the truth of His inspired Word. Moment-by-moment application of our victory works wonders in defeating sins of the flesh.
Victory over the flesh, the world, and the devil is all provided for us. Appropriating that victory and walking in it is our responsibility. Willfully doing otherwise will lead to disaster and may require a fierce battle with Satan before freedom returns.
I believe that one of the greatest needs for the church is that believers be aware of the seriousness of our battle against Satan and the practical, spiritual help that brings us victory. Such victory must be part of our daily spiritual walk. This book will help believers in victorious warfare, living and prayer.