Learning Spiritual Warfare

Preparing for Battle

How can we be conquers as Jesus calls us if we do not know the basics needed to confront and stand against our enemy in this world. If we then do not know and thus we are not conquers, we then become the conquered. The scriptures point out what we have at our disposal in the arsenal of spiritual weapons. Here are some of the scriptures that lay down the essentials to be conquers and not the conquered.

Luke 11:14-22: Jesus is addressing the issue of spiritual warfare, especially verse 22 Jesus shows that those that do not strengthen their armor and build upon their foundation that when someone (Demon) stronger than them comes and overpowers them that they will lose all their armor wherein they trusted. We need to continually strengthen, fortify and repair our armor all the time, for we are always under attack even if we may not even know it at times. When it comes to taking the fight to them (Demons), for they will not go peacefully, they will go with a fight and will try to overcome those that come to throw them out.

Romans 13:12: Here Paul speaks of the armor as light. In the spiritual realm it is light. The stronger our armor the brighter it is and the demons will know you by it as well.

2 Corinthians 6:7: In this reference the armor is called the armor of righteousness and Paul points out two things which are not mentioned by name, but we know what he’s talking about, the sword (right hand) and shield (left hand). Paul brings out a good point when he calls the armor the armor of righteousness for when we sin or do something wrong it puts a kink in your armor. That is why we need to continually strengthen, fortify and repair our armor.

Ephesians 6:10-18: Paul is breaking down the essentials for what we all need and should have. These are truly what we need and most have when confronting the enemy. Our armor is not just defensive but offensive as well. We are to push forward in our efforts and never turn and run.

Matthew 17:21: We learn that the two most important weapons when confronting demonic forces are prayer and fasting. Do all demons need both to overcome them? No. In some cases just prayer will work, in others prayer and fasting. Some may even require a lot more fasting. Jesus is laying down the essentials for spiritual warfare for us.

Matthew 6:16-18: Jesus is now showing us what not to do when fasting. We should not make a spectacle of our fasting, as Jesus put it. We should appear as if we are not fasting. We fast not for the sake of men, but for God. We are sacrificing something to show the severity and importance of the issue in which we are asking God to intervene for us.

James 5:15-16: We need to focus on abounding in righteousness. Prayer is powerful above words that are spoken. Prayer can, as Jesus put it “move mountains”. When we pray, let us do it earnestly with all faith and doubting nothing.

1 Peter 3:7: Be careful not to think yourself better than others as to avoid having your prayers fall flat before they even leave your lips. We as Pastors, Youth Ministers, Teachers, or leaders in any area of the Body of Christ are held to a higher standard. If you do not have your house in order, then do not think you will be heard.

Luke 18:9-14: Clearly shows in verse 14 that those that exalt themselves will be humbled. This humbling is speaking about their prayers that they had given. The Pharisee’s prayers were brought down while that of the Publican was brought up. Again our prayers will be nothing but hot air if we are not humble in our lives as servants of the Lord.

So arm yourselves to be warriors of the Lord and conquers of the enemy and let us not be found to be the conquered.