Is Spiritual Warfare Optional ?

INTRODUCTION TO SPIRITUAL WARFARE

1.Why spiritual warfare ?

A.To keep our faith

Jude 3, 1 Tim 1:19 Tim 4:1 II Tim 4:7

Salvation is associated with spiritual warfare and we are encouraged to fight the good fight of faith - 1 Tim 6:12

B.To be holy

We are expected to fight against sin to point of shedding out blood.Heb 12:4

Satan tempts us to sin that we may be defiled. 1 Cor 7:5, James 1:14, 1 Thes 3:5

C.To inherit the promised Rewards

In Old Testament days, Israelites have to fight many wars to inherit the promised Land. Similarly, we have to fight and overcome our spiritual enemies in order to inherit the promised rewards. Rewards are promised to overcomes only

Rev 2:7, 2:11, 2:28, 29, 3:5, 3:12 3:20, 21:7

D.To deliver the captives

All sinners are under the slavery of Satan, soul-winning means delivering those sinners from Satan and bringing them into Christ's kingdom. Luke 3:18, Math 16:11

2. Know your spiritual enemies

Three major enemies:

• 1. Satan

• 2. Flesh

• 3. World

They are inter-linked. Satan is the enemy underneath the church. Flesh is the enemy within every believer and world is the enemy around the church.

Satan is the archenemy. His army consists of:-

Principalities

Powers

Rulers

Wicked spirits. (Ephesians 6:12)

Satan was an anointed cherub (Ezekiel 28:14) He has fallen from his place (Isaiah 14:12). Now he is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2)

‘Flesh' is also known as ‘sin' and ‘oldman' Romans 6:6, 7:20, Gal 5:17, 5:24. We all inherited this sin nature form Adam. We have the battle between our spirit and our flesh within us.

‘World' means the satanic system, which influences the visible world. It consists of three thins

Lust of the flesh

Lust of the eyes

Pride of the life.(1 John 5:17)

3.WHAT EVERY BELIEVER MUST KNOW TO BE AN OVERCOMER

Christ has already defeated our enemies on the cross.

[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them in triumphing over them in him and in it [cross] Colossians 2:15 (Amplified) .......... That by [going through] death that He might bring to naught and make of no effect him who had the power of death - that is, the devil. Heb 2:14 (Amplified)

He overcame the world and flesh too (John 16:33, Rom 8:3)

We are fighting from the place of victory as

God has made us to sit together with Christ Jesus, Eph 2:6

The position of the church is far above all principalities, powers, might and dominion. Eph 1:19

Christ won the battle for us. Today we are partakers of the victors of Christ our Head. We fight not to get into the place of victory but to keep ourselves in the place of victory. (Rom 8:37, 11 Cor 2:14, 1 Cor 15:57)

We have the authority over the powers of darkness to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgement - this hounour have all his saints. Psalms 149: 8,9

• Authority over all the powers of enemy. Luke 10:19
• Authority to trample on the evil spirits (Serpents and scorpions) Luke 10:19
• Authority to heal the diseases Math 10:1
• Authority to cast out the demonic spirits Math 10:1
• Authority to loose and bind the works of Satan Math 16:19

The more we come under the authority of God; we can exercise more the authority over the kingdom of darkness. James 4:7, Phil 2:6-11

Our spiritual weapons are powerful in following areas:-

• ¨ To pull down the strongholds of the enemy.( 11 Cor 9:45)
• ¨ To overcome the Devil.( Rev 12;11)
• ¨ To quench all the fiery darts of Satan.(Eph 6:16)

Fiery darts like physical attacks, depressions, and lofty thoughts come from the enemy.In order to defeat the temptations of the Devil and the Sword of the spirit is sharper than any two edged sword.( Luke 4:4,8, Heb 4:12, Eph 6:11-17)

Without discernment we can't identify the works of the enemy.Deception is the superme activity of Satan. He entices God's people through four major agents

• 1. Deceptive workers
• 2. Deceptive doctrines
• 3. Deceptive manifestations
• 4. Deceptive spirits

False workers are many in these days. False Christ's, False prophets, False teachers, False apostles and anti-Christ's are working inside the Body of Christ. (Math 25:25, 1 John 2:18, 1 John 4:1, Jude 4, 11 Pet 2:1, Rev 2:2, 11 Cor 11:13)

False doctrines are the perverted teachings on God's word. Jezebel gave false teaching to Thyatira church. Rev 2:20. False gifts are manifested by the seducing spirits. Human psychic power also misunderstood as the gifts of the spirit.(1 John 4:1, Math 25:24, Math 7:22-23, 11 Thes 2:9,10, Rev 16:13,14) Deceiving spirits also give misinterpretation to God's word.(1 Tim 4:1, 1 John 4:1)

Are we able to discern ? Discernment is the spiritual intelligence to detect the counterfeit workers, counterfeit teaching and counterfeit gifts and seducing spirits. The inner anointing helps us to discern. (1 John 2:27)

Without the fresh anointing we can't stand against the powers of darkness.Strength is needed in the battlefield. (Eph 6:10)Anointing gives us the strength.( Ps 92:10, 23:5 Acts 1:8, 10:38) Wait on the Lord.( Isaiah 40:31)The anointing shall break the yoke. (Isaiah 10:27) "Dunamis" is the word for the power of the Spirit. (Acts 1:18)