Preparing For Spiritual Warfare
One of the most important passages in scripture is II Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Cross reference this with James 1:12-14: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
Add those two together, and the primary battlefield is your mind. Yes, Satan exists, but all Satan does is play upon what you already have in your mind, your natural desire to defy and rebel against God and to elevate and worship yourself in God’s place. All Satan does is present to you the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and you react according to your own internal desires to pleasure yourself. The battle is not so much against Satan but your own heart: Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” One of the things that our deceitful heart does is tell us that things are not sins when they are, and that we are honoring God when in fact we honor ourselves. While the Holy Spirit is trying to convict us regarding our sin, our heart is trying to tell us that we are inherently good and righteous, and that we can “honor God in our own way.”
So, how do you win this battle? Read your Bible, and compare the Truth of your Bible with the lies in your mind. If you reject the lies in your mind, then Satan will have nothing to grab hold to. And that is key to becoming a spiritual warrior. It is only when you succeed in driving Satan out of your head by first becoming aware of, exposing, and opposing your own delusions and vanities that you are able to take the fight to Satan yourself.
And that is why reading your Bible is the key. Not only must you study all of the scriptures on a regular basis, but to be a spiritual warrior you need the Psalms and Proverbs. The Proverbs of wisdom help you distinguish between the foolishness of your own mind and the righteousness of God’s Spirit when you are discerning thoughts. Once you have done that, the Psalms of praise show you how to make prayers of confession to ask God to Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ for you. Proverbs: identify the imaginations. Psalms: how you should pray and ask God to cast them down.
Keep in mind: spiritual warfare is not salvation, which only happens once, or filling with the Holy Spirit, which should happen from time to time. It is a continual basis: the battle never ends, because though when you were saved your spirit was cleansed and the Holy Spirit indwells you, your flesh still exists and you still live in a sinful world. The very notion that you can be as Christ on the cross and say “It is finished” and move on to bigger and better things is in itself a vain imagination of your own inherent righteousness and a desire to reject God’s rule over your life. So are the notions that because you recently received an anointing or filling of the Holy Spirit, that you have done a lot of Bible reading lately, that you have had a revelation from God or a great blessing or miracle, or “you just feel so good inside and are so excited” that you are ready to turn on your praise music and go break down strongholds and take on prince demons. That is precisely when you are most ripe to the temptation of your own flesh, because that is when you start to become convinced of some notion of righteousness or power within yourself rather than relying on God and giving Him the praise.
You actually see prominent preachers do such a thing on television: they cavort about and carry on talking about “Oh, I feel the anointing on me this evening! The Holy Spirit is moving in this place tonight! Because of HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW, the blind are going to see, prophecies and visions are about to come down from heaven, the lame are going to walk, and the captives are going to be set free!” And when the preacher screams that out, everyone starts thinking about what they want from God and how God has to give it to them because they are so righteous and because they are following a pastor that is so anointed so they get “slain in the spirit” in anticipation of receiving their bounty from heaven, and then they get up again in the same as they were condition as they were in before they People, of all the accounts of healings and miracles that we read about in the Bible, how much of it matches this spiritual activity that we witness.
Truthfully, very little of it does. If you read the scriptures, you will see the people whom God used to do these great healings and miracles often under extreme duress beforehand and often receiving great persecution afterwards. Jesus Christ was sent to the cross after raising Lazarus from the dead, Stephen was martyred after working miracles (Acts 6 - 7), and Paul and Silas were viciously beaten and cast into prison after casting a demon out of the slave girl (Acts 16:16-24). Whenever you do something for God it comes at a cost, so the people that you see acting in such a manner are either A) not showing you the cost or B) not paying a cost because God is not whom they serve. So, the next time that you feel that the time is ripe for you to go cast out some devil because you feel so mighty, powerful, and good inside, read Lamentations! That will remind you whom you are serving, and the cost of serving Him.
God is not an action movie, fantasy novel, or video game. He is your master, and He alone has the right to either destroy you for eternity or to permit you to worship and serve Him forever in Heaven. Spiritual warfare is a serious endeavor for the truly committed and sincere of heart only. Your goal in spiritual warfare should not be to glorify yourself, to help or free people, or to battle Satan: it should be to glorify God. If that is not your only goal, then you will be as Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24) or the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-16)! But think not that this applies to spiritual warfare alone: anything that you do it should be for the glory of God alone, and if you have any other motivation you are doing only harm to yourself and others despite your many works.
So, if you are serious about spiritual warfare, you will on a daily basis measure your mind against the Bible’s wisdom, pour your heart out to God in confession (the prophets such as Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Habbakuk also had outstanding confessional prayers), and THEN go about the business of binding, rebuking, and casting out demons. This must be done so that your mind will be made suitable to the work of God in spiritual warfare, both in discerning what God wants done AND how God wants it done. If you do not know what God wants you to do and how God wants you to do it, you will certainly fail. When coming into the Promised Land, the children of Israel had to know both that it was God’s Will for them to take Jericho, AND that it was to be done by marching around the city blowing trumpets. Why? Because this was the manner in which God wanted to be glorified, lest it be said that the children of Israel overcame Jericho because of their many numbers and with Joshua’s military strategy. (As it is, skeptics are now reduced to trying to claim that the walls of Jericho were knocked down by a timely and fortuitous earthquake.) So, before you initiate any warfare activity, cast down your imaginations that these things are being done by your own power or righteousness.
July 20, 2007 at 10:38 am
Lucky: Try reading your history. Jewish, Greek, and Roman historians have all verified that Jesus Christ existed, and that he was executed by the Romans by crucifixion on a cross, and that he had a small band of Jewish followers that spread like wildfire. And do you know anything about Jewish history and culture? Their entire culture is based on monotheism, and to this day they are convinced that their God caused the destruction of their nation because they started worshipping other gods. So, even from the perspective of someone who does not believe in God, claiming that Jesus Christ is Horus is historically and culturally foolish. Didn’t you see that attempt on the History Channel (or Discovery Channel) or whatever to prove that they found his tomb? Even if you are going to claim that sure, maybe he was a real person, but the deity stuff was borrowed from Egypt and applied to him. The problem with that is that it takes CENTURIES for that stuff to develop, where Jesus had HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS WITHIN A FEW DECADES OF HIS DEATH! Also, this calendar myth of Horus of whom you speak (yes, I went to college, and studied Horus), gods in that region would die in the fall and resurrect in the spring of each year to explain crop cycles. 1) That is NOT a part of Jewish religion or culture, which is based around one God who never dies and 2) Jesus Christ’s “death” only happened once, and 3) His “death” was only the death of his physical body … His spirit never died, so in truth He never died! You very people who claim that Christians “uneducated” are the ones who have no knowledge of Jewish history or culture. Did you know that instead of being total stories of completely made up people - which describes all other religions - the historical figures referenced in the Bible (kings, emperors, even relatively obscure people such as governors and generals) have been historically verified? Yes, archaeology has proven that Pontius Pilate existed. So, are you saying that the gospels claim that Pontius Pilate sent Horus to the cross? And again, there are the secondary sources, historians that were not only not Christians but did not think of them. Do you honestly think that the Greek, Roman, and Jewish historians were speaking of an Egyptian sun god when they were writing about historical events in their time period? Do yourself a favor: read about the NON CHRISTIAN HISTORIAN Flavius Josephus http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/josephus.html, and see how utterly foolish it is to claim that first century Jews would have been worshipping Horus.
August 3, 2007 at 8:23 am
I LOVE THE LORD.
August 15, 2007 at 2:08 am
Hi healtheland…
I read two of your posts on spiritual warfare…excellent teaching!
Looks like you may have stirred up an unclean spirit by posting the truth.
Some years ago i worked in a deliverance ministry…not because i believe we [the Body of Jesus Christ] should ‘have’ to have specific ‘ministries” which deal exclusively with deliverance, but because its needed; Needed because of the lack of teaching most believers today have not received, on their God given authority in Jesus’ name, or their blindness to the battle.
I pray your posts on this topic, opens the eyes of all those who happen upon your teachings!
God bless…
August 15, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Pjmiller: Thanks for the encouragement. Do you have any of your teachings and experiences on spiritual deliverance on your weblog? If so, I would like to be able to link to them!
August 15, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Afternoon healtheland!
No, i haven’t put up any posts on my personal experiences when working in deliverance on my blog yet..i say yet, because im still praying about doing it. Blogging is still kind of ‘new’ to me…so im still feeling my way around.
I have posted some things on a Christian board i help out on; Kinda easing into it. Here:
http://p201.ezboard.com/fprophecyfellowshipfrm30
I’m KYHunter. If you see anything there you feel might be of help, please feel free to grab it.
Its not an easy topic to present…especially in light of not knowing the maturity of those reading, or how in depth to go, in presenting details. You understand?
For instance: say a person [reading] has been plagued for most of their life with a spirit of fear. They read of certain deliverance sessions in which yes, the person is finally delivered by the power of God, but the ‘details’ [horrific] prior to the moment they ARE set free, can be something this spirit of fear they are in bondage to, can use to produce more fear…even terror. Ultimately taking them deeper into bondage.
I pray that makes sense?
Its sad, because setting people free is one reason Jesus came…AND its part of our commission as well, in following his example. But because somewhere down through the Church age, [btw, from my studying, up until around 250-300 AD it was talked about freely and openly] this particular part of our calling was hidden, or ignored, most believers today have little or no knowledge of either the spiritual battle or, their responsibility in this area.
Frankly it gives them the heebie-jeebies. lol
If you doubt it, take notice of how many members replied in any of the threads [at the link] which got into the subject a little deeper then normal.
We know truth sets one free–but its knowing when to offer it and how much at a time, that has always caused me to hesitate in writing about the personal first-hand experiences, except in a limited way.
August 23, 2007 at 11:53 am
I came upon your website today and saw the weatlth of materrial on a number of topics. Just wanted to say that you may enjoy a book I wrote on divine healing. Check out my name, Paul Zinter, at Amazon, for the book, “A Time to Heal.”
Paul
August 23, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Paul Zinter: Ah, another Zulon Press guy. Thank you for the recommendation of http://www.amazon.com/Time-Heal-Biblical-Ministry-Healing/dp/1602665621/ref=sr_1_1/t/105-5284233-1908404?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187887737&sr=1-1, and be strong in the Lord!
August 23, 2007 at 4:02 pm
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SYLVIA BROWNE?
September 6, 2007 at 8:19 am
Fight the good fight of faith..We are soldiers in the Lord’s Army. May God bless your ministry..
September 10, 2007 at 9:45 am
MY PRAYER IS ALL PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THE UNDESTANDING THAT JESUS EXIST!! ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION” WHAT REALLY HOLDS A CHAIR TOGETHER?” WE CAN LOOK AT UPHOLSTERY DESIGNING AND WHAT NOT, BUT IT IS THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST THAT HOLD EVEN THE THING THAT YOU THINK MAN MAKES HOLD TOGETHER! YOUR VERY LIFE IS NOT YOUR! IT BELONGS TO JESUS. SO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THE TREES GIVES US ALL THE OXYGEN WE NEED? SIKE!! YOU THOUGHT WRONG IT IS THE VERY LUNG OF JESUS BREATHING IN US THAT GIVES US LIFE! I AM A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN AND HAVE BEEN FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW ALTHOUGH I AM ALSO A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IT DOES’NT TAKE ALL OF THIS BICKERING TO KNOW IF GOD IS REAL AND DID HE HAVE A SON NAME JESUS!! I MAY NOT BE A SCHOLAR BUT I DO KNOW THIS (PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11) WHEREFORE GOD ALSO HATH HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, AND GIVEN HIM A NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME, 10- THAT AT THE NAME OF JEUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW OF THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND THINGS IN EARTH, AND YHINGS UNDER THE EARTH;11- AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD,TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER!! I WISH I HAD TIME TO EXPOUND ON MORE BUT I HAVE THINGS TO DO, I WILL PRAY THAT ALL WILL COME TO YHEIR SENSES AND JUST HAVE FAITH!!!
October 1, 2007 at 3:11 am
There are different callings. There are some God chooses to have a “deliverance” ministry. Although we are all in a battle, according to Ephesians 5, there are some who He equips to stand in the gap. They suffer more, as did Paul, for the sake of the Gospel and the Kingdom. Some are under greater attacks because of the mandate on their life to usher in His Presence as their life is one of dying to self and the flesh, living close to Him in a the Holy of Holies. Its a walk of dwelling in His Presence, full of His nature and power. Its a place where angels dwell and cry holy, holy, holy….. With the passion for the lost and those heading for eternity without Him, there is a constant opposition to get you to give up. When you know who you are, because of the blood of Jesus with the authority to take His authority wherever you go (manifest His Kingdom rule over darkness), you are a constant target of principalities that are in opposition of His Kingdom over nations and in high places. He anoints you to bring beauty for ashes and set the captives free. Because Christians are working out their soul salvation, strongholds from prior to salvation can still have them bound. As Jesus was led into the wilderness and tempted by the enemy, after coming through, it was with power. When you walk in the spirit and/or His Presence, you are very sensitive to spirits that oppose Him, either on people, in a room, or in a nation. As a preacher, I’ve struggled with spirits who physically try to cover my mouth or come against my voice, try to destroy the microphone while preaching and more. I’ve seen people bound by spirits, and the Lord draws me to take authority over those spirits and draw them into His Presence. The love of God desires that His people walk in maturity and aware of the battle, no more playing. The Kingdome of God suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Paul reported, the Holy Spirit told me to go here and that much opposition (chains) awaits me. We’ve already won, but we gotta go through, constantly taking victory for the Glory of God!
October 4, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Can the admin of this site delete the previous comment, the one with the video? It’s to protect you from the lies of the evil one. I found it very satanic. Thanks for your time.
December 21, 2007 at 7:18 pm
the grace of jesus the anointed one be with you. Heb 12:1-3 sal 23. col 2:14-16
January 31, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Shirley,
God bless you.
B
February 3, 2008 at 1:06 am
Shirley,
I am one that once held high post and asteem, both in the work place and at church (leading worship praise,announcements, visitors).
Then, my father was murdered (the person(s) have not been apprehended).
I was strickened with a mutiple myeloma cancer several months later.
I thought I had faith up to those points, yet was looking for an explaination, an answer to why.
It has been almost 4 years since the first tragedy and have seen the closenest of death, as a family victem, and as a man close to surrender in the physical breath of life (yet there are so many with so much that have so little, and yet there are still those that have yet little, and pocess so much).
My cancer and it’s effect on my daily life, has been the greatest thing in my spiritual life and that I have had to learn, that in all things are glorified in Christ. And if I was given a choice of physical health to that of giving up my spiritual growth, I could not take physical health.
Time is short my friends. The world is cruel in it’s lies for things and truth. I feel that Christ is coming “Quickly”. I feel it strongly.
Make way world, for the Son of God cometh “quickly”.
May you all, change your life, and serve and glorify the Lord, our God, and His Son, Jesus Christ in all you do and desire.
Your friend in Christ,
Bruce
February 3, 2008 at 2:09 am
Bruce,
The only thing you omitted was encouraging those that have been steadfast over the while. I understand what you meant, however, believers certainly do not want fellow-labors to change; but rather, as Paul encouraged, to hold fast and run the good race.
Charles
February 3, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Charles,
Thank you for that. Amen and Amen.
When I wrote this it was at the end of the day and my strentgh,pain,etc had an effect on what I could normally articulate.
It’s a good race and it’s a good fight.
Thank you Jesus.
B
February 3, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I feel you Bruce. I am terribly repentful for all of the burrows in life that you have experienced. However, the fact that you can still be faithful through it all and think of others, speak volumes about your spiritual make-up.
I haven’t done so already, but, rest assured that the Men Prayer Group at my church will keep you on the several prayerlist at my church. I would like to maintain contact with you, if for no other reason than to let the “brothers” and the “deaconess” in my church know of specific areas of prayers, although God knows all, He just gives us opportunities to measure our growth in Him.
Be Blessed
Charles
February 4, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Thanks you Charles for your powerful prayers and for the saints Of God both still living, and those who are yet to be born into Christ.
I know not yet of which you repeneth, but burrows are places we hideth from God’s truth. I have been there in my life and knoweth them well.
The greatest thing that has ever happened to me in my physical and spiritual live in Christ, has been being disabled. I thought I could still remain productive in the world (find a way to gain income or living a changed live that some how God would deliver it). What I learned was much different and so much greater than what my I had been learned in the world.
Many people have said, Bruce you should write a book. I have read several, many books about what people have experienced and how God granted them vision to “what is hell, or what is heaven like”,or grace of the “breath of life” in being given life after tragic accidents or tragedy and being returned to life. I see many ministers, pastors, bishops, “those that tend the flock” on TV and heard on radio.
What I have seen is Shepheards of flocks in fine linen suits, speaking of worldy things and those which are saying things that are contrary to what the Bible speaks.
I am just a small man (lost 5 inches because of multiple myeloma and how it has “drieth my bones”).
Yet, in my bed i have seen countless commercials and TV shows that say, this is what we must have, buy, and buy into.
I have had to learn a hard,cruel lesson of the “world”, that being that it lies, it does not yet love you or care for you, but your Money.
So after such trial (Lord my God give me them and let me not fail You), for my affictions are mild, I seek that the this world we live in is a lie, a descentfull lie,full of untruth and abonination unto the the Lord our God. Not, that I shall seek the world, but that I shall seek,study,obey the word of our God, everyday of my life. Lord God, grant that I shall wake each morn and call on you, that I might reach you in prayer, and that I might be Yours in everything I desire and do.
God has said to me, Bruce you don’t need to write a book, nor any man. Read My word as spoken in the gospel, and testify to it as being a good truth to those that seek and shall follow it, they shall find truth. They that follow Me, will be know of Me in their love (and those that recieve It), and I your God shall never, ever leave or forsake thee.
Thank you Charles and thank you all my beloved saints in Christ.
May the Lord our God be with you in all you do & desire.
Bruce
February 4, 2008 at 10:24 pm
P.S.
Please don’t come away with a wrongful mind. Some may say that I am a dying man and will do anything to try to save himself.
I can only say this in defense:
1. Yes, I am dying of the flesh and will probably give up the ghost before some of you.
The only differences between me and all the me’s out there is that:
2. I am a sinner in God’s eye’s, and I could never get into God’s grace or holy rightensess of salvation, had it not been for a guiltless man, named Jesus Christ, who by His innocent blood I have been redeeemd.He conquered death and rose again from that stingful death and came in the flesh. My Christ has always been my salvation image.
3. Even though I was a formitable man in the “world” and a beliver and follower, and active in my church of Godly worship, I never blamed God. In fact, I was grateful that the doctors found out what the mystery illness was. The biggest blessing was in finding Dr Yousefia (a stranger)and knowledable treatment and network of doctors.
4. When all was discovered, I left it all in Jesus’ hands. I told Him I couldn’t deal with it or understand it, but I knew He could. I said” Lord, whatever you decide to do is ok with me, and I know that good things will come from it if I only let you use me”. He sure did, and He has taken care of every need these last three years.
Let God use you.
Be blesed.
B
February 7, 2008 at 7:40 pm
All glory goes to the Lord our God and Jesus Christ that maketh me whole.
God bless you seekers and beliviers in the Lord God of creation and in our saviour, Jesus Christ.
In Christ’s love,
Bruce
February 7, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Bruce,
Hi hope you are well.
I too suffer from disabilities, mine of a psychological nature. Fortunately for me I pop a pill one a day and that pretty much covers it. Unfortunately I had a relapse but I am nearing the end of my recovery. All of you please pray for me as I enter back into the work force looking for a job.
I spent the first nine months of the yaear in the spare time after my regular job writing a book. It showed my how much the Lord has taken me through.
God is good!!!
Love,
John
February 20, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Dear John,
Thank you friend. I am well. I am also blessed.
Phil 4:11 Not that I regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
I’m grateful that you will be returning to work and will keep you in my prayers John.
Your friend in Christ,
Bruce
February 27, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Dear Friend in Christ,
I come to you today with a heavy heart. Our new pastor has a new bible that he feels is one that is accurate and speaks to his heart. That translation being “the message bible”. I am saddened in that news.
I also see a US presedential race that seems to be handed to B. Obamma.
If only you out there knew how much more safe we have been with our enemy being under cover and hiding by our presence in Afghanstan and Iraq.
I see there is a new poll about world Islam and that so-called 7% (70,000,000) are only the radical, extremist.
I want to find a puritan 1700’s church now.
I’m tired and in pain, yet I can still testify to the pure milk and meat of God’s Word and the precious blood of Jesus Christ, my/our redeemer.
yfiC (your freind in Christ)
b
Sadly, I see/feel a coming attack just after the new president is sworn in next Feb.08.