Understanding Supernatural Warfare

TweetWhere were you on 9-11? 

I bet you remember.  It was a shocking day. 

When your country is at war, you expect to lose some battles; you expect casualties.  But, when you don’t even know you have an enemy, it comes as a disastrous shock when you find yourself under attack.  You are at a severe disadvantage.  This isn’t just true in the political realm.  It is equally valid in the spiritual realm.  Paul said, in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Jesus gave us a mission.  We were to make disciples of all nations, all people everywhere – because everyone matters to God.  But, there is an enemy who seeks to keep us from success in our God-ordained mission.  There may be people who oppose the message of Jesus.  There may be people who mock, ridicule, and scorn.  There may be governments who persecute Christians.  But, they are not our enemy.  Paul makes it very clear that people are not our enemy.  There is a cosmic battle going on.  Spirits that are in rebellion against God are leading the resistance forces.  They are invisible, but they are real.  Jesus said about these dark spiritual forces that they seek to kill, steal and destroy.  If we are unaware of our spiritual enemy, we will be at a severe disadvantage.  Paul was not unaware.  Nor was he intimidated by these spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms – because Paul knew who Jesus was, and what He had in store for His children.

Paul had prayed earlier in his letter to the Ephesians that God would give them revelation.  Here is what he prayed: 

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know. . . his incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that can be invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:18-23).

Notice three things:

(1) Paul prays for us to have revelation so we will know the incomparably great power of God for us who believe – the resurrection and ascension power of Jesus is available for us. Too often, Christians live defeated lives because we do not know this incomparably great power for US.  We need revelation. 

(2) Jesus’ victory is total and complete.  He has won the spiritual battle and is victorious over all powers, authorities, and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Every knee bows to Jesus.  He has no competition for his throne.  Many times when I talk about the reality of the spiritual world, demons, and deliverance, Christians get very fearful.  It’s worse than sad.  It’s an insult to Jesus.  Why are we so afraid of a foe who is so thoroughly under Jesus’ feet?  We can operate in fear or we can operate in faith, but not both.  We must choose faith.  The advancement of the kingdom is dependent on it. 

(3) Jesus is sitting down.  His work is done.  He has passed on the work to us – the church.  He handed us the keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16).  We are His body, His hands, His feet, His ambassadors, assigned to do His kingdom work.  But, in order to do the work successfully, we must have revelation about this power that is available – we can’t win with human machinations, wisdom and weapons.  We need to win this spiritual battle against spiritual forces of evil with spiritual power – which God has already provided for us in Christ.

There is a cosmic battle going on for the souls of men, women and children.  God wishes that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance and faith.  He is so passionate about the salvation of humans that the Father was willing to give His Son as a sacrifice, so that anyone who trusted Christ alone for forgiveness could enter the family of God.  No price was too high for him to pay for you, and your family, and your friends.  But, there is a spiritual battle.  There is an enemy.  The enemy seeks to blind the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel.  We must engage through intercession.  We must engage the battle on their behalf.

Photo Credit:  Thiophene_Guy via Flickr