Spiritual Warfare for Dummies

First off, “spiritual warfare” or power over the demonic, is reserved for those people who have taken the time to understand what this phrase means. I’m not talking about simply praying occasionally. I am talking about going to war spiritually against principalities, powers and the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6). They study the manual on “Spiritual Warfare for Dummies” or the Bible. That is they are able to understand what Hebrews 5:12-14 is referring to that says, ^“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Not everyone is in the place where they are comfortable dealing in areas that go beyond natural understanding. Maybe it is time that we start serving a little more Spiritual meat!

There was a time recorded in Scripture where the Apostles were not able to cast a demon out. After Jesus’ resurrection, they became masters of it. When asked why they lacked the ability, Jesus told them in Matthew 17:20 that it was because of their unbelief. In Mark 9:29-30, it was because they needed to pray and fast to cast out the entity. So what have we learned by these two Scriptures? That we need to have mature faith that has engaged in, not only ongoing prayer, but fasting by which we might grow spiritually through the practice of these Christian disciplines. And just as important, you must believe. If you lack faith in the practice, or faith in God’s power to do so through you, go no further…you will be unable to be used by God in this area.

Lack of faith and an anemic prayer life seems to be the primary reasons we fail in spiritual endeavors. When Jesus heard that the disciples failed to deliver the demon-possessed person, He lamented, “You stubborn, faithless [or, unbelieving] people! How long must I be with you until you believe?” (Matthew 17:17). Also, when the boy’s father asked Jesus to help him if He could, Jesus responded, “If I can?…Anything is possible if a person believes” (Mark 9:23). In James 5:16 we read, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Do you believe? And more specifically, do you believe God’s Word? Do you have an ongoing prayer life that affords meeting with God regularly? Do you deny your fleshly self through Christian disciplines such as prayer and fasting? If you can answer these questions in the affirmative, you are a candidate to be used by God in these areas of spiritual warfare. If you desire God to use you fully in the things of the Spirit, remember what we found in Mark’s Gospel…”Anything is possible if a person believes.”

Be blessed even more!!

Pastor Chris