SPIRITUAL WARFARE
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Sunday evening Service, August 16, 2009
Preached by: Carolyn Sissom
Spiritual Ministry is a term which deals with ministry that meets the needs of man through the anointing and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. It is the Gospel of the Kingdom in supernatural demonstration and power.
It is the gospel in action. This is Jesus as the Commander and Chief of the Armies of Heaven.
Spiritual Warfare is warfare against the principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world in the realm of the spirit. It is accomplished through spiritual weapons of prayer, praise and the Word of God.
The high praise is that heavenly praise that mingles with the angelic praise and the worship that is constant in the heavenlies. (Ps. 149:6-9; Rev. 8: 1-5).
Hebrews 4:12: For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
This is a prophetic unction and is accompanied by Discernment. The Greek word is “Diakrisis” and means “a distinguishing, a clear discrimination (seeing through), discerning, judging, separation, determination, or decision.” This is insight or perception given by god through the Holy Ghost to an individual. It is a spiritual penetration into the underlying roots of problems, bondages, or oppressions of another person or persons. In spiritual ministry, discernment is usually given by the Spirit through the revelation gifts of the word of knowledge, the word of Wisdom, or the discerning of spirits. (1 Corinthians 2:8-16)
“Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil?”
The Knowing Ministry of the prophet operates in conjunction with discernment. The Knowing Ministry is again the three revelation gifts of the Spirit; namely, the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, and the Discerning of spirits. (1 Cor. 12)
Eph. 6: 10-18: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take to you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The flaming sword is the sword of the Spirit as the Word of God. The fire of the Spirit sets the Word a flame and makes it come alive. Thus, the flaming sword is the anointed Word.
The flow of the Spirit and anointing of the Lord is like a river. To flow with God in any area or dimension of ministry is to move with the mind and Spirit of God in that particular time and purpose. It is not something that is worked up but it is knowing His mind and then flowing with Him in smooth co-operation. (Is. 2:2; 60:5; Jer. 31:12).
We can direct and speak and send the word in prayer and spiritual ministry to a person or persons that are not present with you in your prayer closet or the church service. There is no distance in prayer. (Ps. 107:20); Mt. 8:8; 1 Tim. 2:1-4).
People who do not have the mind of Christ and the heart of God can pray soulical prayers and get in to spiritual witchcraft. This type of praying is not from the Holy Spirit and will not be honored by the Lord against those whom the Lord has chosen.
If you curse someone who is blessed, the curse will fall back on the sender.
Numbers 22:12: and God said to Balaam, You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people: for they are blessed.”
Once you have been apprehended in this spiritual power, we are in active duty. We are involved in warfare. Different strengths are needed prior to taking up arms. We have to have the Faith to war in “His might”. Whatever area of weakness in one’s soul will make people vulnerable to an attack. This is why the battle must be done in the Spirit and why we must die daily to the carnal soul.
God’s servants are always led, directed and guided by the Holy Spirit as to what we are to do and to say (also when and how to do it or to say it). It is emphasized that the leading of the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God are always in a complete agreement in Spirit and Letter.
(Rom. 8:14) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father”
We are to arm ourselves with every spiritual weapon in God’s arsenal, so that we may be able to encounter and survive the cunning assaults and stratagems of the devil.
Until we learn how to use our spiritual weapons against satan, we remain his easy victims. Millions of unchanged lives certify this bitter fact. See that this warfare is not against people, but against demonic spirits. The tempter is satan. He is a supernatural being and extremely clever yet makes the same mistakes over and over and over again.
There is a military and militant side to the Christian life. We cannot go in to spiritual warfare to “play nice”. We are dealing with satan. He does not play nice.
The Lord Jesus Christ is Love and Holiness. However, satan is mean.
Our fight is not with flesh and blood, people or anything human and physical. We’re struggling with an unseen empire of highly organized satanic beings. Arrayed against us is a kingdom of evil rulers, who control the darkness of this world. There are dignitaries in command of entire armies of evil spirits who cannot be perceived by our senses since they operate in the spirit-world.
The demonic spirit-world is in the in-part realm of the spirit (the second realm). Demons have no access to the Holy of Holies (third realm) unless the Lord gives them permission.
Huge satanic forces move against the saints. They are unseen; occupying a sphere which corresponds to their nature, just as earth and air corresponds to ours. It makes fleshly weapons useless. Behind all that is destructive and sinful in this world, Paul sees an evil armada with its commanding general.
Paul tells us in Ephesians to “stand” holding your ground, use truth as your loin-belt and righteousness as your breastplate. Truth, faith and peace are choice weapons on the battlefield of the mind. Paul has now passed to the military side of the Christian life:
(l) Arm yourselves---learn the deceptions of satan, i.e. who is he and how he operates as well as acquire techniques for resisting him.
(2) Sword – we are in a fight---God’s supernatural Word is also a damaging weapon. Weapons are used on enemies. The Word, preaching and witnessing are all weapons in our mouth. Toward God it is used devotionally, toward satan, with authority and dominion and he will flee from you.
(Vs18) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Prayer is not part of the armor. Prayer is God-ward, but directed against the enemy. Yet the armor is useless in our own strength. If you are operating in lies, deception, manipulation, etc, you are in the flesh. Meeting satan in the flesh is a joke. He rules the flesh. Prayer humbles us, restraining any arrogant blasts.
When doing Spiritual Warfare, first discern the sin that brought on the Curse which gave the devil legal entry.
One Example of Spiritual Warfare using Scorn which is a curse:
“Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you…Prov. 9: 7-10
“The proud and arrogant man – “Mocker” is his name. He behaves with overwhelming pride.” (Prov. 9: 7-10)
“A man who remains stiff necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.” (Prov. 29:1)
“Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt. We have endured much ridicule from the Proud, much contempt from the arrogant.”
Scorn was the first power and principality brought down at the Cross. Scorn stood at the Cross and mocked Jesus. The first drop of blood fell on Scorn. This is an easy one to take down.
Haman had a spirit of Scorn (Esther 3:6)
The Babylonian spirit is characterized by scorn. (Hab. 1: 5-11)
People under the curse of scorn have made their own strength their god.
(1) Break the curse by the Holy Spirit, Blood of Jesus and Faith.
The scorners are surrounded by walls of contempt and hostility.
Come against the walls by speaking to the walls seven times and they will fall. This is a spiritual principal. For example: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I speak to the wall of contempt and hostility and command it to fall.” Do this seven times.
Then you are able to deal with the spirits that associate themselves with scorn:
Ruthless, rudeness, mean, surly, miserly, ill-bred, stiff necked, stubborn, impudent, bitter, hardened, obstinate, briars & thorns, scorpions.
Bind the spirits and loose onto the people the Holy Spirit of God.
Please the seal of God which is the name of Jesus upon the person who has been tormented.
When delivered, people can choose a better way to live. They can make peace with God, themselves and others. They can also accept and make peace with their past and have a forgiving heart.
The devil will test the deliverance.
Do not deliver someone if you are not willing to help them walk out their deliverance. The devil will come back and hit them seven times harder.
Col. 2:15: At the Cross Jesus triumphed over satan disarming him and his entire band of spirits down to the last demon.
The Lord taught me spiritual warfare Himself over many decades. I did not learn from reading a book although I recommend study on this by those whom the Lord has trained. I only move in what I see the Lord do and/or the authority of the Word of God He quickens to my Spirit. For the sake of time, I have quoted in this teaching from other books.
By request, we will be continuing this series on Spiritual Warfare at our Sunday evening services beginning August 30, 2009.
Rev. Roger Teale will be ministering at both services on August 23rd.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.
Bibliography: The Tongue of the Learned by: Kelly Varner with J. H. Dutton; C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Ephesians.
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