Spiritual Warfare 101 ~ Part Two

1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “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…” Ephesians 6:13 says to withstand. Strong’s definition: vigorously opposing, bravely resisting, standing face-to-face against an adversary, standing your ground.

Salvation is eternal. Philippians 1:28 says, “And not in anyway terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”

Spiritual warfare is part of our progressive sanctification. It is God’s effective tool to strengthen our faith. It takes warfare to reveal the hidden chinks in our armor. Unresolved issues are chinks that the enemy targets. 

Within every believer is the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the dead. We stand against a defeated foe. His power is deceptive temptations that entice us. We must bring truth into our hearts to stand and keep on standing.

Spiritual Warfare 101-Part One

I was meditating on Colossians 1:16. It says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” 

Just camp on this verse for a moment. All means everything without exception. Why would God create these adversaries for His purpose? No purpose of His can be thwarted. Job 42:2.

Ephesians 3:10 says that He uses His church to display His manifold wisdom before these wicked entities.

Paul wrote extensively about God’s armor. We are to use it to stand against the evil schemes of the enemy of our soul. Ephesians 6:12 says, “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.” His creation for His purposes.

Praying In The Spirit ~ Part Three

Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought…” That is why we need to be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as we pray.

Part of spiritual warfare is standing in the gap as stated in Ezekiel 22:30. The enemy looks for ways to break through against us. Isaiah 7:6 says, “…let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them…” In context this was written about Judah, but we can apply it personally.

In Galatians 6:1 Paul wrote that we are to restore one caught in sin, “…in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” We don’t know when the person will be triggered to fall back into sin. The Holy Spirit does and He can alert us to pray in the moment of the need. Our part is to be attentive to His leading.