Category: Spiritual Warfare

Christmas: Remembering God’s D-Day

When Jesus was born, it marked God’s invasion of the earth, his D-Day, so to speak. God the Father sent his only begotten Son into enemy territory to conduct a secret mission that would win the war against Satan and his henchmen and liberate all captured lands.

After Adam and Eve betrayed God in the garden, the Lord promised that one of Eve’s descendants would one day crush Satan. Speaking directly to the serpent, God said:

15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NASB95)

This promise indicated that the Lord would preserve a God-fearing line of humans from which the Messiah would one day spring.

Upon hearing this, the serpent, or Satan, set about to try to prevent this prophecy from coming to pass. He instigated Cain’s murder of Abel in the hope of cutting off the line of promise. He tried to corrupt the entire human race through evil angels having children with human women, producing the Nephilim. It got so bad here on earth that God decided to more or less start over using Noah’s line.

Eventually God moved forward with the plan and revealed himself to Abraham, reiterating the promise that one day a godly descendant would be sent to save us.

17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:17–18 (NASB95)

Satan therefore became an inveterate enemy of Abraham’s descendants in the hope of stopping God’s promise, but he was unable.

Eventually, King David was told that one of his descendants would rule  on God’s throne forever.

16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ” 2 Samuel 7:16 (NASB95)

The Messiah would be no ordinary king. His rule would be eternal.

Eventually, in God’s perfect timing, God incarnated the eternal Logos inside Mary’s womb. This was the promised descendant, an alien being unlike any other, a true God-man, born of God by the Holy Spirit, as God prophesied through Isaiah. His father was Abba. His mother was Mary.

When Jesus’ birth date came, it was God’s D-Day, his invasion of the earth by an unstoppable person who would crush Satan and redeem those who put their faith and allegiance in him.

As the angel told Joseph:

...“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20b–21 (NASB95)

Not many realized what happened, besides Satan. Joseph and Mary knew. God informed the shepherds in the field. The magi from the East knew, probably being familiar with Daniel’s prophecies. But the people that should have been in the know were oblivious. The Jewish scholars and religious leaders were consumed with their own agendas and missed God’s.

Just knowing a lot about the Bible is no guarantee that we will understand what God is doing. If the heart is wrong, we will miss out.

This is a principle of God stated by Jesus.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. Matthew 11:25–26 (NASB95)

We probably all know the story of how Herod deduced the age of the Messiah through the information gleaned from the magi and consequently murdered all the boys two-years old and younger born in Bethlehem, another attempt to kill the promised Messiah.

Jesus grew to manhood out of the limelight and hidden from the murderous designs of Satan and those who served him. Finally, in God’s perfect timing, Jesus was introduced to the world by his cousin John the Baptist, who through revelation recognized him as the Messiah. From that time forward, God’s plan moved inexorably toward the crucifixion, God’s secret plan to defeat Satan and rescue humanity.

When Jesus rose from the dead as the Lord of Lords, Satan knew he was ultimately defeated, but that has not stopped him from battling to the very end. He is such a liar by nature, he has probably convinced himself that there is still hope that he can unseat God from his throne. He has not given up on his plan, and he still has lots of willing people who have decided to stick with him instead of being reconciled to God.

Nevertheless, now as before, God’s plan is unstoppable. God laughs at Satan’s vain attempts to usurp the throne.

2 The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Psalm 2:2–4 (NASB95)

Eventually, just as Jesus promised, he will return to this earth as the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel. He sill raise the dead and judge everyone who ever lived. Every knee shall bow before him and every tongue confess that he is  Lord. Those who love and serve him will receive blessings and an eternal reward. Those who hated him will be consigned to the lake of fire.

Now is the time to be reconciled to God. Today is the day of salvation. Do not delay. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for coming to the earth to defeat our oppressor and reconcile us to your heavenly Father. I repent for living a self-directed life and acknowledge you as my Lord and Savior. I receive all you died to provide for me. I give myself to you. Use me as you see fit. Amen.

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Defensive Warfare

When a soldier is sent into war, he is issued protective gear. In modern warfare this may consist of a helmet, boots, a belt for carrying a canteen, mess kit, ammunition, basic medical supplies, grenades, a knife, and a gun of some sort. In some cases, a flack jacket may be included, especially when shrapnel from exploding shells and grenades is expected. At other times, gas masks and haz-mat suits might be included. It depends on what he is expected to encounter. Roman soldiers, which were the norm in Paul’s day, carried different weaponry, which is mentioned in Ephesians Chapter Six. Some equipment is also for offense, but all of it can be used defensively. In war, soldiers are expected to defend the ground they already have conquered and to take new ground as directed. The general objective is to stay alive in the process, but at times one may be expected to sacrifice his life to save others or achieve victory. Spiritual warfare has similar goals.

The Bible teaches us that Satan roams the earth looking for people to devour. (1Peter 5:8) His desire is to kill, steal, and destroy by any means possible. (John 10:10) He is after men, women, and children. He does not care whether we have declared ourselves as official combatants or not. The more naive, vulnerable, and unprepared we are, the better. He loves to use “should be” protectors, such as parents and teachers, to betray little ones and open them to attack. He is vicious, unscrupulous, and unrelenting.

As soldiers, our first order of business is to learn how to protect ourselves.

Chapter Six of Ephesians contains a classic passage on spiritual warfare quoted below.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10–20 (NASB95) —

God has given us spiritual armor and weapons that we use to protect ourselves, defend ground, and advance against the enemy. Whenever new ground is taken, we must always be prepared for a counterattack. Flanking, or coming around behind, is an age old tactic used to encircle and destroy an enemy. We cannot afford to make advances without watching our backside, so to speak. We must realize that the enemy loves to attack us when we have just won a victory and have let our guard down.

Here are some salient points about each part of our armor, mainly from a defensive standpoint. I plan to address the offensive nature of warfare more extensively in the next article.

The Battle Is the Lord’s

The first important principle is for us to realize that this is, at its core, not really our fight at all. It is God’s.

We fight in the strength of his might, but we do fight and put our lives at risk. When David went up against Goliath, he understood that his victory over that giant would be through God’s help. Nevertheless, he had to face him and risk death to experience God’s victory. We do well to adopt this great warrior’s mindset as illustrated in the passage below.

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45–47 (NASB95) —
Stand Firm against the Devil’s Schemes

The next thing we need to keep in mind is that we are up against a superior tactician. He lacks wisdom but is very cunning.

He has observed and plotted against people for millennia and knows what works. Therefore, we must rely upon God’s wisdom when we go to battle. This wisdom is found in the Bible and is directly available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must know the scriptures and be alert to the Spirit’s guidance.

Since the devil cannot bring a curse against us for no reason, he schemes to bring God’s judgment and discipline upon us by leading us into sin.

Some of the devil’s schemes involve luring us into sexual sin, idolizing riches over God, loving power and prestige over being God’s servant, bitterness, pride, envy, etc. He also likes to spring traps on us when we presumptuously venture outside of God’s will. Another scheme of the devil is to attack at the beginning of our ministry or even when we are mere children. We see this in the life of Jesus and other key figures such as Moses and King David. As someone wisely said, the best time to kill a bear is when it is a cub. Here are some wise words from the apostle Paul.

But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:10–11 (NASB95) —

We need God’s wisdom and good counsel from others to achieve victory over the devil’s schemes.

Prepare plans by consultation, And make war by wise guidance. Proverbs 20:18 (NASB95) —

If we keep in mind the cunning treachery of the devil, we can set up defenses that thwart his plans.

God is always wiser and more creative than the devil, who lacks wisdom and the ability to foresee God’s creative counterattacks.

During Absalom’s rebellion, King David understood that Ahithophel’s counsel could be his undoing; so, he sent his good friend, Hushai the Archite, to persuade Absalom to reject Ahithophel’s counsel. By appealing to Absalom’s vanity and desire to assure himself a victory, he led Absalom to reject Ahithophel’s counsel which led to Absalom’s ultimate defeat.

Identify the Combatants

Friendly fire is always a hazard on the battlefield. In spiritual warfare, it is important for us to know who is and who is not the enemy. Paul wrote that we do not battle against people, but against an implacable spiritual enemy. People always have the possibility of switching sides before death. Fierce enemies can become strong proponents of the gospel, as happened with Paul. This is one reason Jesus told us to love our enemies, meaning other people who align themselves with wickedness and against us. We are never supposed to love evil spirits, however. We hate them with a perfect hatred, as did King David.

Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? 22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies. Psalm 139:21–22 (NASB95) —

When humans give themselves over to evil and harden their hearts against God, they may become enemies with whom we must fight. This often happens when nations go to war or when our families need defending. In WWII, Hitler aligned himself with abominable lies and drew power from occult sources. He and his henchmen used the German people to help carry out their evil scheme to subjugate the world. Many of the German foot soldiers had no idea what they were doing spiritually, but they became enemies which had to be destroyed in order to keep evil from prevailing in the world. Absalom gave himself over to evil when he turned against his father, King David, and tried to wrest the kingdom from him. God used General Joab to put an end to his life, which was the only possible solution with such an evil and implacable enemy. Such punishments are in the domain of governments. We are not to take vengeance into our own hands. However, self-defense is always justified, except perhaps in the case of when we are persecuted for our faith in Jesus, when we are told to “turn the other cheek.” Being able to forgive a persecutor because we recognize he or she is deceived and being manipulated by Satan takes great faith and courage.

We are encouraged to direct our warfare at the real enemy – spiritual wickedness in every form, from principalities and powers to demons oppressing individuals.

Stand Firm

We put on the armor of God in order to be able to withstand enemy assaults. Those of us who are born again are able to stand because we are seated with Christ on God’s throne (Ephesians 2:6). God has invested us with Christ’s authority which is enforced by the power of the Holy Spirit. God has given us authority over the powers of darkness and promised us that nothing can harm us. (Luke 10:19) We war against Satan and his minions in the authority and power of God. The battle is the Lord’s.

God permits us to be tested whether we will allow Satan’s lies and attacks to move us away from our faith in God’s love and faithfulness.

Satan tries to force Christ’s followers to blaspheme and deny their allegiance to Christ. Retaining our confession of faith in the face of tribulation makes us overcomers who will be richly rewarded.

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Revelation 12:11 (NLT) —
The Spiritual Armor
  • Truth is the first piece of armor mentioned, which is not surprising since Satan’s main weapon is deception. Unless we learn to rely on God’s truth more than on anything else, we are liable to be duped. Eve trusted in what she beheld and felt more than upon God’s words, leading to her downfall. If we determine to put our faith in God’s Word, we will have to learn to ignore what seems to be contradictory evidence. Jesus trusted in his calling and identity as the Messiah despite being ridiculed, tortured, and nailed to a cross, knowing that he would be raised from the dead. (Hebrews 12:3) We are encouraged to adopt the attitude of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who declared that God would keep them from dying in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, but even if he did not, they would not worship his image. Trusting in God’s Word against the pull of contradictory evidence makes us overcomers who refuse to commit Eve’s sin of disloyalty to God.
  • Righteousness is the second piece of armor. Satan accuses us before God day and night. Our sin earned for us condemnation and death, but Jesus took that upon himself, liberating us from all guilt and punishment. This is called justification. Only God has the authority to condemn us, but he is now the one who justifies us. Nevertheless, Satan seeks to drag us away from our place of faith and confidence and convince us that we are still unacceptable before God in order to destroy our confidence and boldness. We must learn to stand in the truth of justification if we are to be overcomers.
  • The gospel is our third piece of armor. Understanding, believing, receiving, and sharing the gospel is both a defensive and offensive weapon. The gospel is a proclamation of freedom through Christ from the devil’s tyranny. We first believe and receive its message. Then we pass it on. This is one of those cases in which the best defense is a good offense. If we actively share the gospel, we will be insulated to a great extent from the devil’s attacks upon our minds and hearts. We will experience push back in other ways because the devil will always resists the gospel.
  • The shield of faith negates the attacks of the enemy. When evil words are spoken over us or evil circumstances befall us, faith enables us to see things from God’s perspective and keeps our focus on him and his love and faithfulness to his promises. A shield keeps the arrows of the enemy from penetrating to our heart where faith resides.
  • The helmet of salvation protects our minds from fear and hopelessness. The battle is primarily fought in the mind (a part of the soul, which also includes our will and emotions). If Satan’s lies reside in our minds, we will have difficulty believing God and his promises. Once we cast down such logical strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4), we can fortify our minds against lies ever again getting a foothold by wearing the helmet of salvation, which is related to prayer. Paul promised that if we take everything to God in prayer, he will guard our hearts and minds. (Philippians 4:6-7)
  • The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. It is both a defensive and an offensive weapon. The Word of God includes the gospel and all of God’s promises. There is a prophetic element to the Word of God. When it is authoritatively proclaimed through confession, preaching, prayer, and prophecy, it releases the power of God to fulfill God’s purposes. (Isaiah 61) It will not return without accomplishing everything God intends. (Isaiah 55:11) Jesus used it to defend himself against the devil’s temptations and lies, and so can we. Every time the gospel is preached, the Word of God advances the kingdom. The gates of hell shall not be able to withstand it. (Matthew 16:18)
  • Prayer is the final piece of armor. Jesus told us that the “flesh is weak,” which is a big reason for us to pray that we might not enter temptation. (Matthew 6:13, Mark 14:38) Prayer keeps us in right relationship with God and reminds us how dependent upon him we are, which is a key to our strength. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Conclusion

Whether we like it or not, we are at war with the enemies of Christ. Even though he rendered Satan powerless at Calvary, he did not annihilate him. Rather, he left our spiritual enemies in place for the time being so that we can share in the final victory. In unity with Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church will arise to crush Satan under our feet, thus fulfilling the prophecy given in the Garden. (Genesis 3:15)

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —
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The God of Peace Leads Us into War

War and peace seem to be polar opposites, but the Bible puts the two together more than once. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), but he is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5) who leads us into battle. In order to bring peace, our Lord had to go to war against and defeat God’s and our archenemy, Satan, the tyrannical prince of darkness.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Revelation 19:11–16 (NLT) —

God first revealed himself as the God of peace (Jehovah-shalom) to Gideon the same night that he called him to provoke all the worshipers of Baal by ripping down the symbols of their idolatry (Judges 6:24-25).

We should never assume that being a peacemaker requires us to retreat from conflict with the enemy.

The God of peace commanded Gideon to begin the process of bringing peace by angering the entire local populace. The Baal worshipers wanted to put him to death, as they always do, but God rescued him from their hands (Judges 6:30-32). Soon after, the God of peace commissioned Gideon to lead the fight against a vast horde of Midianites who had invaded the land and terrorized the populace. This man, who was so intimidated by these conquerors that he threshed wheat in a hidden wine press in the valley, was put in charge of leading God’s army into battle! Once God convinced Gideon through two signs that this commission was real, he reduced his army to 300 men, just to make it obvious that victory would come from the Lord, not man.

Victory always comes through the small “remnant” who fearlessly follow God despite their small numbers.

The night before the battle, God reassured this reluctant hero that victory would be his through a dream. The rest of the story is part of Israel’s glorious history in the time of the judges. God conquered Israel’s enemies through a most unlikely leader in a seemingly impossible fashion, just to prove that he is God and to bring peace to the land.

So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon. Judges 8:28 (NASB95) —

But why would God reveal himself as our peace while simultaneously calling us to war? Perhaps the answer can be found in these famous words of another man God called to war. God commissioned Jehu to destroy the family line of King Ahab, who led Israel into the terrible sin of worshiping Baal. Once again, we see that Baal worship is Israel’s worst sin and those who led her into it her worst enemies.The same is true today. The evil spirit behind that false God is still with us. His goal of destroying God’s people is still paramount. His followers must either repent or eventually be destroyed by God.

Queen Jezebel was the chief influencer behind the throne and the ring leader of Baal worship in Israel. Jehu fearlessly carried out this assignment of carrying war to the followers of Baal, even though he was not what most would consider to be a godly man. (Can anyone say Trump here?) As he approached the city in which Queen Jezebel lived, he was asked by those aligned with her if he came in peace. His answer is revealing.

King Joram demanded, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” Jehu replied, “How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?” 2 Kings 9:22 (NLT) —

The evil spirits behind Baal worship, including Satan himself, cannot be tolerated at all because they relentlessly strive to dominate and stamp out the worship of the true God. There can be no compromise or “just getting along.” Jesus made it clear that this is the case.

But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 ‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. Revelation 2:20–22 (NASB95) —

There can be no peace until Baal worshipers either repent and turn to the true God or are destroyed.

Peace can only come through total victory over Satan and those aligned with him. That is why the God of peace calls us to war.

Elijah was another man God called to confront the spiritual darkness behind Baal worship. On Mt. Carmel. following God’s awe inspiring demonstration of  his preeminence over every pretender to the throne, including Baal, Elijah put to death all the priests of that evil deity. (1 Kings 18:40) Elijah did not finish the work, however, because Jezebel still lived. Her demise was left to Jehu. Interestingly, the final act of killing her was done by the emasculated eunuchs who served her.

When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window. 31 When Jehu entered the gate of the palace, she shouted at him, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You’re just like Zimri, who murdered his master!” 32 Jehu looked up and saw her at the window and shouted, “Who is on my side?” And two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 “Throw her down!” Jehu yelled. So they threw her out the window, and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. And Jehu trampled her body under his horses’ hooves. 2 Kings 9:30–33 (NLT) —

If we consider that Jehu is a type of Christ, in the sense of being prophetically commissioned to conquer Jezebel, it is instructive that he asked those previously under that woman’s power to assist him in taking her down. Paul reveals that we who have been previously enslaved by Satan will assist Christ in his final victory over that enemy and his followers in this remarkable promise.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —

Once again war and peace are joined together. This verse is linked to the first messianic promise in the Bible, which God gave to us via what he told the serpent in the garden.

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (NLT) —

The offspring of Eve are those who are born again by faith in the promised Messiah (Galatians 4:28-29), our Lord Jesus. The offspring of the serpent are those who are spiritually aligned with Satan through Adam’s fall (John 8:44). Every person is in one camp or the other; although, some children of Satan are blissfully unaware of their allegiance, while others are fully devoted to him and his plan for world conquest and the enslavement and destruction of humanity. This messianic promise was partially fulfilled when Jesus, Eve’s ultimate promised descendant, was struck by his tormentors, who were inspired by Satan, and put to death on the cross. After Jesus triumphantly rose again from the dead, he disarmed Satan, rendering him powerless to stop the advancement of his kingdom. (Colossians 2:13-15)

After Jesus’ resurrection, he commissioned his church to go into the entire world making disciples and planting his kingdom assemblies everywhere (Matthew 28:18). He promised that the gates of hell would not be able to resist it.

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18–19 (NASB95) —

This promise aligns with the book of Daniel, where we are promised that Christ’s kingdom will prevail over every other.

During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. Daniel 2:44 (NLT) —

Paul’s assertion in Romans 16:20 reveals that God chose to use his church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to finish the job that Jesus began. Even though Christ’s work was “finished” through his death and resurrection, the outworking is still in the future. This is the way God often does things. His kingdom is here but not yet in its fullness. Before God is finished, Christ’s kingdom will come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Revelation 12:10)

Since God’s purpose is for us to reign with him forever (Revelation 3:21), he will use us to deliver the final blow to Satan himself and his ugly horde of rebels.

Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 1 Corinthians 6:3 (NLT) —

Spiritual warfare and the crushing of Satan are connected to our destiny to share the throne with our glorious Savior, the Prince of Peace!

We are currently engaged in warfare that will bring peace to the earth by the elimination of God’s enemies by those who have chosen to bow their knee to the Lord. This warfare by and large is spiritual; although at times it will include physical combat. What is described in Revelation and the prophets includes bloodshed and death. In the present, however, we battle primarily against spiritual wickedness using spiritual weapons.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) —

As was Gideon, we are called to go up against a formidable enemy, one over which we cannot possibly win without God’s help. Even though God promised Gideon victory and was with him in battle, he still had to put his life on the line. So do we. The following verse explains what we are called to do.

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Revelation 12:11 (NASB95) —

The early church overcame by fearlessly proclaiming the gospel and laying down their lives when necessary. We do not know what lies ahead at the close of the age, but we do know that Christ will be triumphant and God is going to crush Satan under our feet one way or another. With that confidence, we can fearlessly face the future in anticipation of Christ’s complete victory that will usher in eternal peace.

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The Great Deception behind Spiritual Warfare

In order to properly understand the nature of spiritual warfare, it is necessary for us to come to terms with the enormity of the deception that has been perpetrated on us by the father of lies. (John 8:44) Jesus told us that Satan has no ability to abide in the truth because he is a liar by nature. He detests truth because that is a defining characteristic of God and reveals his own horrible character. Jesus also told us that Satan’s desire is always to kill, steal, and destroy, even when he promises otherwise. He was the first “bait and switch” con artist. He is not some reformable “Grinch” who is out to steal Christmas. He is a malevolent being who wants to hurt God somehow by destroying us, the crown of creation. (Psalm 8:5)

We humans were always meant to be children of God who would not only fellowship with him but also co-rule with him. (Romans 8:29-30) God’s plan for humanity was to bring us to the throne of God, where we will function as co-heirs with Christ and participate in governing the universe. (Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:1) This was more than Satan could bear. The Scriptures indicate that he tried to usurp God’s throne (Isaiah 14:13), but was cast out of heaven instead, taking with him one-third of the angels (Revelation 12:4,9). We are not told when this happened, but we assume it was before the creation of man. When God created Adam and later Eve, Satan determined to do everything within his power to thwart God’s benevolent intention and destroy his creation.

The Bible tells us that Satan can only do what God allows; so, mysteriously, God allowed Satan’s plan to come to pass in order to accomplish a greater purpose, which Paul referred to in his writings.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. Ephesians 1:9–11 (NLT) —

God always surprises with unanticipated creative ways to accomplish his purposes, which are always far more glorious than we suppose.

The most powerful weapon in Satan’s arsenal is deception. He is the Great Liar, who is self-deceived and deceives others. The most effective liars have first deceived themselves. He promised Eve that she did not need God but could be like him in her own right, knowing good from evil, as if this defined godhood somehow. The promise was empty because humans were created to be God-dependent. Jesus said it beautifully. He is the vine. We are the branches. Apart from the vine, the branch is incapable of staying alive or bearing fruit. Adam’s and Eve’s sin of disobedience, which was a declaration of independence from God that betrayed an ugly disloyalty to their Creator-Sustainer, introduced death and destruction into their lives and somewhat crippled the entire universe, exactly as Satan planned.

Nothing quite so clearly indicates man’s relative importance in God’s plan than what happened to creation when he renounced his dependence upon God and ceded his God-given authority to Satan!

God gave Adam authority over creation (Genesis 1:26, Psalm 115:16). When Adam aligned with Satan, his authority was stripped and ceded to his new “god,” the Great Liar. Now that Satan had mankind under his evil thumb, he began his campaign to pervert and destroy what God so lovingly created. Over the years he developed a two-pronged lie with which he shrouded humanity from God’s truth. One segment of society has fallen for the lie that they can be “gods” simply by declaring allegiance to the father of lies. Many of these people willingly embrace death in order to enjoy the temporary benefits of power, pleasure, and wealth. Many of those in power or who have gained fame have made this trade off. The rest of us have been told, by a variety of means, that we are relatively worthless, “useless eaters,” climate destroyers, descended from apes via evolution (thereby having no eternal significance or destiny), and deserving of being eliminated from the planet.

Yuval Harari is a chief guru for the godless globalists who work for Satan. Here is a quote of his that reveals how anti-God and anti-God’s plan these people are.

“I strongly believe that given the technologies we are now developing, within a century or two at most, our species will disappear. I don’t think that in the end of the 22nd century, the Earth will still be dominated by Homo sapiens.”

God created us to rule, but Satan wants to reduce us to abject slavery, irrelevance, and elimination through sin and deception.

The beginning of our standing up against Satan and his schemes is to embrace Truth and reject lies. Jesus’ claim to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life strikes a dagger at the heart of the devil’s plan.

Jesus came into this seemingly hopeless situation to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and rescue for God a people who would fulfill his original plan with this added bonus. Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, those who put their faith and allegiance in him are forgiven of their sins, declared “not guilty” in the court of heaven, restored to a right relationship with God the Father as beloved sons and daughters, and given all the privileges or being heirs of God through our Lord Jesus the risen Messianic King and coming Judge of the all who ever lived.

Instead of just being humans, through the new birth we become part of an entirely different species, Humanity 2.0. The Second Adam has given rise to a redeemed and remade edition of man that is conjoined with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). This elevates humanity even higher than at creation!

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NET) —

The first installment of this great salvation is called the new birth by which we are recreated in our spirits and become joined to the Holy Spirit. This makes us sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. The second installment is called transformation, the process whereby the Holy Spirit changes us in our thinking and doing so that what is true because of the new birth becomes more and more lived out in our daily lives. The final installment will be the resurrection from the dead. When Jesus finally returns to judge the living and the dead, he will raise all people, some to eternal life and others to eternal destruction. At that point, those who follow Jesus will receive glorified bodies to complete what was begun at the new birth. We will co-rule with Christ over all creation for eternity.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT) —

The glorious truth which is foundational to spiritual warfare is that human beings have been elevated by God to a place of great honor, authority, and significance through Christ.

Sadly, many in the church remain somewhat ignorant of our true identity in Christ and the authority that has been placed at our disposal as Christ’s representatives. The entire creation groans in anticipation of being set free from satanic bondage when we are resurrected from the dead (Romans 8:22)! The angels have been assigned to help us, the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14). We can become more effective in spiritual warfare when we wake up to who we are in Christ and begin to use the authority God has given to us. The battle still rages even though victory is assured. Soon God will crush Satan under our feet. What a magnificent promise that begs for us to step up to the plate and hit it out of the park.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —

God’s grace will see us through.

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Maturity through Warfare

Spiritual warfare is a reality, whether we think so or not. It affects us whether we acknowledge it or not. We are in the battle whether we are actively fighting or passively hiding our heads in the sand. We see it clearly played out in the Bible in the lives of kings and prophets. We have a clear reference to it in the Book of Daniel when that prophet was told by an angel that his prayers for Israel’s restoration to the land were heard immediately, but an evil spirit hindered the response from getting to him.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Daniel 10:13 (NASB95) —

Jesus told a parable about kings going to war and the need for his followers to count the cost of entering the warfare involved with being his disciple. (Luke 14:31-32) Paul wrote about our warfare in greater depth in his letter to the Ephesians.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:12–13 (NASB95) —

Satan managed to seduce one-third of the angels to follow him into death and destruction. Then he came after Adam and Eve who were created to co-rule with God. Since our first parents were able to reproduce (co-create), Satan took down the entire line of descendants in one fell swoop. Since then, every one of us is born into this world marred by a sinful proclivity to live in isolation from God, the source of all life and happiness. By doing this, our adversary negatively affected creation in general.

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.  Romans 8:19–22 (NASB95) —

This shows us how significant man is in God’s economy. The physical creation was made for man’s benefit and is connected to our existence. It was meant to bless us, but, when we sinned, part of God’s just sentence was for the creation to cease to function as originally intended.

God could have left us to his own devices, but according to Paul, love never gives up. (1 Corinthians 13:7) God did not give up on us. He sent his Son. We probably understand why Jesus had to fight to obtain our release from Satan’s despotic rule. Just as the Egyptian pharaoh refused to release the Israelites from slavery until he was forced by God’s mighty hand, Satan would not let us go until he was forced to do so by the resurrection of Jesus as Lord of Lords. Our Savior recaptured the authority Adam had ceded to Satan, undid the sentence of death upon the entire human race, reconciled us to God the Father, and made us children of God, heirs together of Christ’s glorious riches and honor.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13–15 (NLT) —

Perhaps it is less obvious why we born again children of God must continue the struggle after Christ’s magnificent resurrection sealed the victory. To get a better understanding of why, we should consider that God’s purpose in redeeming us was to elevate us to his throne as his mature sons (and daughters) to allow us to share in his glory.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:29–30 (NASB95) —

I think few of us have come to realize just how great an honor it is to be God’s son or daughter. By sending Jesus, the eternal Logos who became a man, to die and rise again, God made it possible for those who put their trust and allegiance in him to become one with him through the indwelling Holy Spirit. This means that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing there is because we are in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3) This means that we sit with Christ at God’s right hand. (Colossians 3:1, Ephesians 2:6) This means that what King David wrote so long ago is absolutely true.

What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! Psalm 8:4–5 (NASB95) —

Satan absolutely hates us because God graciously gave to us what he tried to take for himself – the throne of God. Of course, we are not divine, even though we are indwelled by God. This is part of the mystery. God’s glory inhabits what the Bible calls “earthen vessels.”

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NASB95) —

Even the angels, who are greater in strength and power, have been assigned to serve us!  (Hebrews 1:14) Taking all this into account, it becomes clearer why God requires us to grow in maturity as we prepare to take our place at his side.

Since we are destined for the throne, we must learn to govern and rule, and that involves learning to gain victory through spiritual warfare over the enemies of God through the authority of Christ and his Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.

God promised Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Joshua and all Israel that he would give them the promised land, but that did not mean they would be able to simply walk in to take it over without a fight. Going to war is part of what God uses to bring us to maturity.

Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; 2 only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly). Judges 3:1–2 (NASB95) —

In the Old Testament, when the Israelites fought to obtain their promised possession, they experienced God’s help. It takes faith to go into battle. It is only after we enter the fray that we experience God’s coming alongside us to ensure victory. In the last analysis, the battle is the Lord’s, but we are privileged to participate in the victory. What we learn about God in the process is part of what will prepare us for reigning with Christ.

Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle. 9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 10 Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory. Interlude Psalm 24:8–10 (NLT) —

If God simply handed everything to us without a struggle, we would never grow up.

Every good parent knows this. That is why we require our children to learn to do things for themselves. When my kids were younger, I taught them to file their own taxes, change their own oil, drive a stick shift, etc. If we had lived on the frontier back in the 1700’s, I would have shown them how to fight, too, because it would have been a necessity. Learning spiritual warfare is just such a necessity, and God is a loving Father who teaches us to fight a good fight, just as he taught King David.

Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle; 2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer, My shield and He in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. Psalm 144:1–2 (NASB95) —

Paul admonished Timothy to fight.

Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 (NASB95) —

Thankfully those words to Timothy were recorded and passed down to us upon whom the end of the ages has come. Satan is riled up knowing that his time is short. Deception floods the earth. This is the time for God’s people to arise and enter the fray in the power of God’s might, knowing that victory is assured as we do our part. And now I will close with this promise from Paul.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NASB95) —
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