Some Keys to Successful Spiritual Warfare

 Below is a list of principles that will be helpful in your walk with the Lord and in facing the adversities and difficulties of life.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10

Realize we are on a battleship and not a cruise ship.

We must face “Og” (the enemy at the border), cross the Jordan, and deal with “giants” in the land we will possess. Christians often tend to expect victory without battle...and if there is adversity, they tend to expect battle without victory. If we continue and stand in faith, we will see battle...but also victory.  1 Cor 15:32; 16:9

 

Don’t be disillusioned by adversity, hardship, and struggles of battle.

We are called to patiently endure and persevere. In the beginning we stand with untested faith. We are often naïve to the potential carnalities and failures in ourselves and others.

Those who don’t face these issues redemptively risk becoming “burnt stones,” afraid to try again. We must not allow perplexity and disillusionment to direct our path. We must arise in faith and keep going. Our hope and confidence in God causes us to be resilient.   Acts 14:19-20; 2 Cor 4:8-9.

 

Realize that in your walk with God, you have to deal with people.

Psalm 18:1-3, 43, 47-48.
The human factor complicates matters, and requires more faith on our part. We deal with spirits from a position of spiritual authority, but we face men from a different perspective. We have no authority or control over another person’s will. We can cast out demons; we cannot cast out people. It takes faith and godliness to deal with people.

Therefore, demons hide behind and work through people. Dealing with people puts us in the position of having to call on God, stand in faith, walk in the Spirit, and persevere trusting God to give us wisdom and grace, and help.

 

When David played his harp, the evil spirit fled…but Saul did not. In dealing with Saul, David had to call upon and trust God, flee to the strongholds, and persevere as he waited for God to judge Saul. David could lift the sword and fight and defeat Israel's enemies, but in dealing with Saul David had to call upon God, stand in faith, walk in the Spirit, trust God for wisdom, grace, and wait for God to act. 

Dealing with people puts us in the position of having to “fight according to the rules” while the enemy and his crowd cheat and “hit below the belt,” which makes the person of integrity feel at a disadvantage. (Is 59:15). It forces us to fight spiritually. It places extra demand for faith on our part, since we are not to “get in the flesh” using carnal weapons. This takes the battle out of our hands and places it in God’s hands.  2 Corinthians 10:1-6.

 

Be prepared for intensities, complexities, perplexities, anomalies, and surprises. 

It is not unusual for us to go through times of distress or perplexity when we will experience things we did not expect, when the pangs of distress press upon us.

Sometimes we say to the Lord, “Where did you go?” (Psalm 13). 

In our discouragement and dark moments we are disappointed and lose hope and think the Lord is not aware of what’s happening. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus felt their hope was lost. (Luke 24:21). They did  not recognize the risen Lord Jesus standing in front of them.

Sometimes we feel like “the wretched man.” (Romans 7:24,25; Luke 22:31-32, 60-62). Israel felt the Lord has forsaken and forgotten them. (Isaiah 49:14).

Like John in prison we say, “Are you the one or do we look for another?” (Mat 11:3).

John the Baptist had experienced the prophetic word (Luke 1:76-80). He had seen the glory of Jesus’ baptism (John 1:29-39). He gladly gave his “flock” to Jesus and was willing to lay down his preeminence because he knew Jesus was the Christ. (John 3:22-30). Yet in his dark moment of prison doubt and facing death he sent to Jesus asking, “Are you the one, or do we look for another?” (Mat 11:2-3). Jesus sent word back to John telling him of all the great miracles that were taking place. We must not allow the struggles of battle to diminish our faith.

 

The Lord is merciful. He knows our frame and understands that we are but dust (Ps 103:14). To all these questions He proclaims His love and faithfulness and brings us through if we persevere in faith. He will come and will not be silent.

 

We must be faithful in all conditions, from the distress of the pit to the glories of the peak, and everywhere in between. David wrote Psalms from the mountain and from the valley. The anointing was upon him even when it felt like the Lord had forgotten and forsaken him. Jesus may be for a moment out of your sight, but you are never out of His sight.

Sometimes we face contrasting extremes simultaneously. We experience trials that make us feel God has left us while at the same seeing great demonstrations of His presence and miraculous help. Circumstances change, but our God does not change. His love is truly steadfast and endures forever. Jesus said, “Lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age.”

 

Have a heart for God’s purpose rather than a self-centered focus.
 A self-centered focus will “sideline” you from the real battle. Self-centeredness distorts perception. It causes you to be focused on yourself without actually seeing yourself. It will be a distraction from your ability to see reality, the heart of God, and the real needs and situations around you. 

 

Trust in the Sovereign God who is able to procure, and secure, to uphold and defend. We must always remember that God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think. Is anything too hard for the Lord? No! HE is God almighty. His greatness is beyond our ability to comprehend. It is unsearchable.

 

Wait upon God to judge. We generally want to pass judgment and execute vengeance (But we cloak it with the desire for justice) upon our oppressors. We must trust that God is the Righteous Judge. Everyone must ultimately answer to Him. 

 

Engage the Lord.
Press into the Lord in faith, prayer, and intercession. Maintain real and intimate fellowship with the Lord in all that you face in life. 

 

Engage the Lord FIRST. 
Wrestle with God, as Jacob did, before you wrestle with the devil or other people. The main characters on the stage of your life are you and God. The devil and other people are secondary. We must make sure the slate is clean in our relationship with the Lord, and make sure we hear what He is saying to us, before we “attack” others or the devil.

 

Sanctify the Lord.
This means that in our daily life, we set the Lord apart from and above all else, so that our spiritual eyes are always on Him. No matter what people say or do, no matter what circumstances fall before us, we see the Lord. We respond to everything knowing He is watching and listening. So that in all things we try to please Him rather than reacting to people and circumstances.

 

Realize that you are in God’s hands…not in the hands of people or the devil.
Paul did not see himself as prisoner of the Romans, but rather a “prisoner of the Lord.” Joseph was thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, and put in prison on his trip to Egypt. But his testimony was that "God sent him." Because he trusted in God and saw the Lord in control of his life, God caused all things to work to Joseph’s good and God’s purpose. He became ruler of Egypt next to Pharaoh. 

 

Avoid the Victim Mentality.
A victim’s mentality places your life into the hands of other people. If others are responsible for your condition, then you will depend on them to get you out of it. You will blame them, wait for them, and sit helpless, bitter, and angry. Accept responsibility for yourself. Acknowledge your own sin, bad decisions, and wrong responses. Then seek the Lord and discover the way out. Don’t blame others. Look to the Lord in faith and rise to your destiny. You may have actually been oppressed and treated badly. Joseph experienced that. But he still fulfilled God’s plan for his life. You can too. But you will not succeed if you are hamstrung with a victim’s mentality.

 

Walk in God’s ways to accomplish God’s will.
It is not enough just to know what God wants in a situation; we must also know how He wants us to accomplish it. The devil tries to keep us from knowing God’s will. But when we discover it, the devil then offers suggestions on how to do it. We must walk in the Spirit and godliness. Often Christians think that because they are right in a particular matter, they can “throw a fit” and get “in the flesh” to get done what they think the Lord wants done. If the Lord told you that He wanted you to prosper, you would not then go out and rob a bank. You would then work and be diligent in life, you would not turn to crime. We must apply the same principle to how we behave in life, in church, and in other matters.

 

Be sober.
Sobriety means sound judgment rooted in a right spirit. When we maintain a godly attitude, we are able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and have good discernment. A wrong spirit such as hatred, bitterness, resentment, and anger, will cloud our understanding and perception. Spiritual laziness and complacency will also fog our ability to discern and see clearly.

 

Maintain a humble and contrite spirit.
The Lord will not despise a broken and a contrite heart. Arrogance and pride will cause God to resist you. Pride will bring contention. It will also make you susceptible to the suggestions of the devil. A humble and contrite spirit will be quick to repent of sin, will be teachable and open to correction and instruction.

 

Be strong and courageous.
Fear not. Know that the Lord will not leave you nor forsake you. Those heroes of faith were not always naturally strong, but rather "out of weakness were made strong" ...and that by faith. Paul tells us to be strong in the grace of God. David "strengthened himself in the Lord." We go from strength to strength" as we hunger for, seek the Lord, and walk with Him. Faith, prayer, fellowship, and the Bible are tools through which we tap into the strength God gives. We strengthen ourselves as David did, God strengthens us, and we strengthen one another.

 

Don’t be angry at God.
Do not tempt the Lord by accusing Him of evil, injustice, and unfaithfulness. Ascribe greatness to the Lord. Praise Him for His great and abundant mercy and manifold grace. Praise the Lord for He is good and His steadfast love endures forever. We often fail to recognize God's power and greatness. But also, we fail to see His kindness, goodness, and love.

 

Have an Honest heart
Spiritual fruit is borne from an honest heart (Luke 8:15), one that loves truth and faces reality. The Lord desires truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6). We must be honest with ourselves so that we do not deceive ourselves. Loving the truth (reality as God sees it) helps with our discernment and understanding. Loving unrighteousness leads to deception (2 Thessalonians 2: 9-12).   

 

Persevere, Endure, Continue
For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36). Jesus said, "In your patience you possess your souls" (Luke 21:19).

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patient endurance. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the final outcome intended by the Lord, that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful (James 5:10-11).

Jesus told His disciples that men ought always to pray and not lose heart. He encouraged them to persevere saying that God will avenge His own children who cry out to Him day and night, thought He bears long with them (Luke 18:1-8). 

We must not quit, surrender, or compromise. Those who continue  and endure will be rewarded. The Lord will not forsake His children.