Spiritual Warfare

A. THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE…

If we were able to peer into the atmosphere around and above us with spiritual eyes we would probably see as much, or more, activity in the spiritual realm as we are able to see in the natural world with our physical eyes.

I believe there is a fierce spiritual battle going on constantly between the armies of God and those of satan.  Satan is still furious with God for banishing him from the Kingdom of Heaven and relegating his activity and authority to the kingdom of earth and the atmosphere over it… even though it was his own fault.

Because satan can not retaliate directly at God, in his rage he prowls around searching for any way he can find to get even. When God created Adam and Eve in His likeness and image, satan saw his perfect opportunity.

If he could in some way, or even many ways, mar God’s prize creation, and thereby limit man’s potential from achieving God’s lofty vision for us, he could, figuratively, slap God in the face.  Thus, indirectly, he would be getting back at him.  This thought can be illustrated by depicting two boys playing sandcastle.  One becomes angry at the other, but instead of punching him out, he kicks and destroys his sandcastle.  He got back at him as effectively as attacking him physically.  Maybe more so.

That is the type of activity, I believe, we would see in the spirit realm.  A constant flurry of fury, attacking us individually, the family (God’s mini-church, and the universal Church of Jesus Christ. As satan launches his missiles at us, God’s military of angels are out in full force defending us and doing battle to destroy the works of the devil, even as Jesus did while he walked the earth (Acts 10:38).

This supernatural activity can be manifested in many physical forms as satan works through circumstances and people to attack us: e.g., sickness, relationship problems, accidents, losses in finances and business.  As John 10:10 states, his mission is to “steal, kill, and destroy,” so he prowls around like a roaring lion seeking opportunities to devour.

We see this conflict between good and evil historically: in the Old Testament, between the heathen nations and the children of Israel; in the New Testament, in the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of his day (Lu. 11:37-54).  We have seen it repeated many times: on a grander scale with Martin Luther, the many martyrdoms, and the persecutions of believers in many countries today; but also in the intricate details of every aspect of our daily life…it is constant, unrelenting.

To not understand this concept in its vast panorama and specific extent of activity is to miss the real dynamic of what is actually happening in our lives, and why it is taking place.

On a more dramatic scale, seeing what we have experienced with terrorism in recent years helps us understand the nature and character of spiritual warfare, as we see the unmitigated, blind rage and unbridled, hateful obsession and passion to annihilate in inhuman, cold blooded, ruthless fashion.  Terrorism, by its nature, is a very descriptive personification of satanic fury and demonic activity.

To understand what our military did initially in Afghanistan illustrates both the tenacity of the enemy, and the nature and persistence of spiritual warfare as well.  There was a strategic attempt to bomb-blast every cave where the enemy was hiding (so typical of spiritual strongholds).  But as fast as they did so, the enemy attempted to regroup and reoccupy the caves.  So our soldiers had to keep returning and repeating the process.  The enemy refused to give up, even after he had been defeated.

That is exactly what happens spiritually.  Satan is defeated and all his demonic forces are disarmed (Col. 3:15).  They are all under the feet of Jesus, and under our feet as well because we are seated with Christ in Heavenly places (Eph. 2:6).  But they refuse to lie down and give up.

I used to get so weary of constantly having to do spiritual warfare, over and over again.  But in recent years, after seeing the correlation between terrorism and spiritual warfare, I am determined with new resolve and passion to not grow “weary in well doing,” but to continue to press in every day.  Yes, “D- Day” has occurred and we are on the winning team. However, we must continue doing “mop-up operations” as we head towards “V-Day.”

B. STRATEGIES OF THE ENEMY…

Typically, the enemy’s strategy of attack on us is a “victimization process,” that he strategically designs for us by:

1. Observing a weakness or vulnerability in us and taking advantage of it,

2. Locating a gifting or strength, and perverting it, or

3. Creating a situation where he can establish a new problem.

In all of these situations, he causes a defeat or failure, he plants a lie, he inflicts a wound… where he can then deposit a residue of pain, uncertainty, guilt, conflict…anything that would make us more vulnerable to future attacks and manipulations.  He establishes a beachhead from which he can encroach into other areas of our lives.

C. CLARIFYING ISSUES REGARDING SPIRITUAL WARFARE…

Demonization vs Demon Possession…
I do not believe demons can “possess,” or co-inhabit a believer with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  However, once a foothold has been established in a believer through a traumatic experience (like death, divorce, wounded spirit, etc.), the enemy can manipulate and oppress from the outside, with similar effects.

Blood-line or Generational Curses…
This may be too strong and/or inadvisable terminology, as it may conjure up inaccurate or unacceptable concepts in certain people’s minds, causing them to reject unnecessarily a truth they might otherwise receive if couched in different terms.

The thought I am attempting to convey is that the strategy of the enemy is to victimize us as individuals, and then leave a residue of pain or lies within us, that make us vulnerable to future attacks and manipulations.  As we respond to these over a process of time, our reactions become habits…strongholds, if you will.  As we continue in these habits, we also model the behaviors to our children.  Thus it becomes generational, or blood-line.  My conviction is that somewhere along the way, these become demonic assignments.  In other words, satan assigns a specific demonic entity or a family of demons over a family to harass them in a specific way.

So, besides parental modeling, we also may have a demonic influence in the home affecting and influencing the parents and children on a regular, on-going basis. This type of activity can play out in any number of areas of our lives: spirit, mind, emotions, will, body, relationships, time, responsibilities, finances, spiritual calling, giftings, anointing, ministry, etc.

One facet of all this is heredity.  Physical heredity in terms of sickness and disease, like cancer diabetes, heart problems, and so forth, are mostly, if not always a part of satan’s strategy.  The enemy begins a problem in one area, and then perpetuates it down the line, generation to generation.  Call it what you will: blood-line, generational curse, heredity, or whatever.  But if you understand the nature, the motivation, and the strategy of the enemy, and you see evidence of the pattern, then it is likely his dirty finger in the pie.

The same also applies to things like family patterns of divorce, marital infidelity, sexual addictions and perversions, financial greed or poverty, alcohol and drug addictions, anger, pride, depression and suicide.  Somewhere along the line, someone in that family line needs to recognize the pattern, identify the root of the problem, discern the enemy activity, cancel the assignment, bind and destroy the stronghold, reverse the process in his/her life and family (ancestry and posterity – in both directions), raise up a standard against it, and release the healing and restoration power of Jesus Christ into that situation, to experience the full and total redemptive purpose and power of the cross and resurrection.

That is the incredibly awesome power of knowing who we are and what we have in Christ. It is enough to send one into spiritual orbit and ecstasy once the rhema word of God reveals this truth to us.  Truly, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”.

My mother, who was a fine Christian lady, had an assignment of heaviness on her all her life.  When she died on my 39th birthday, my whole life changed radically. After suffering for ten long years, I discovered that because of my strong bond of affection with my mom, at the time of her death, the enemy’s assignment that had been on her was transferred onto me. I compare what I went through, at least in part, to King Saul’s tormenting episodes.  They seemed to come and go at will.  I also experienced times of witchcraft assignments and attacks against me.  Despite counseling with ministers and others I could not shake it until the spiritual dynamics discussed here were recognized and implemented.  In my wife’s own words, she “got a new husband at age 50.”  We could have been spared years of grief had we understood these spiritual dynamics at the outset.

Satan is defeated, yet alive and well…
Most of my life I could never understand, how, if satan was defeated and his principalities and powers were disarmed, he still had the will and power to interfere so viciously and effectively in the world and the lives of believers.

It was not until President Bush declared war on terrorism and launched a massive offensive in Afghanistan bombing the thousands of caves located in that land, that the light went on.  Suddenly, by comparing the mindset and tenacity of the terrorists to the demons we fight in spiritual warfare, it all made sense. Satan and his hordes ‘believe in God and tremble,’ they know they are defeated, that they stand no chance against the Name and Blood of Jesus and the believer wielding those weapons against them, but they will not give up without a fight.

This entire illustration also provides an encouraging strategy for the believer, and confirms the manner in which the Lord has directed my ministry in breaking strongholds in individuals, families, and churches, and taking back territory the enemy has captured in their lives.  I sometimes actually visualize the stronghold as a cave.  And, as I pray, releasing the military of God into each situation, I see that cave being blasted to bits, with the enemy scattering in all directions.

I have also adjusted my expectation level to accept the fact that victories will not always be immediate and conclusive (though at times they are).  Sometimes the situation seems to get worse, and we must re-visit the territory, and continue attacking and blasting and claiming the territory.  As President Bush has often remarked, we must understand that this is a different and lengthy process, so we must be resolute and undaunted, and persevere until total victory is accomplished.

In all of this, we must not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices (2Cor. 2:11), nor that we ‘are of God and have (already) defeated and overcome them, because He Who is in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4, Amp.).  The latter is one truth that is absolutely key in dissipating fear, in establishing confidence in who we are in Christ, and in trusting in His complete sovereign power and control.

He has indeed defeated satan, disarmed all his principalities and powers, making a show of them openly, triumphing over them through the cross and resurrection from the dead, making us more than conquerors (Col.2:15; Rom.8:37).  The enemy and all his forces are under Jesus’ feet, and under ours as well, since we are seated with Christ in Heavenly Places (1 Cor. 15:22-27a; Eph. 1:17-23; 2:4-7).

In conclusion, this is but a quick and cursory exploration of the subject matter.  Hopefully, it presents some foundational thoughts that will provide basic answers to certain questions, build confidence to step forward to the challenge, and inspire the reader to explore further these and other mysteries of the Kingdom. My central prayer, hope, and calling is to minister these truths and experiences to other believers, and train them to minister to still others in like manner.

D. A PERSONAL INVENTORY…

The following questions may generate some healthy thinking on the subject.

What types of conditions are you aware of, in general, that are considered ‘hereditary’?
Have you ever considered the possibility that these conditions could be more than just physical or natural?  That there could be a spiritual dimension to them?
Have you ever heard of ‘bloodline’ or ‘generational’ curses?  Do you have any idea what that means? What are Strongholds?  Demonic Assignments?  How do they get established?
What possible conditions/problems do you see in your family that appear to have been passed down from generation to generation?  How many generations?
How has your family dealt with them?  How are you dealing with them?  Has there been an appreciable improvement in any area?  Or are they just getting worse and more entrenched?  How does that make you feel?  Do you have any hope that things will ever change for the better?
Are you aware of any Scriptural examples where sins or spiritual strongholds were passed down from parents to their offspring?  Is Ex. 20:5 a general principle that applies here?  Is there a difference between sins of parents that they actively pursued, and victimizations that took place against them?
Do you think the possibility exists that the process can be stopped?  Reversed?
Are you aware that the antithesis is also true?  Have you ever realized Ex. 20:6 even existed?
What’s the underlying difference?  Did you notice the difference, quantitatively, in the end result?  How does ‘Heritage’ vs. ‘heredity’ sound to you?  In which camp are you?
Now, thinking in terms of ‘heritage,’ what examples in Scripture, your family, others, can you think of?