Key Text: 2 Corinthians 10:1-11
How many of us know that we are in a war, in a spiritual war? The Bible teaches that there are spiritual powers working in our world, affecting organisations, cultures atmospheres as well as individuals. The Bible also teaches that, as citizens of heaven we must exercise discernment so that we can stand against these powers and schemes that come in different guises.
Because they come in varied guises there are various strategies that we can use prayer, word of God, love, fasting, healing, praise , adoration, declaration and the demonstrable power of Holy Spirit at work in our lives.
Questions To Ask Holy Spirit
- What is the enemy strategy against this person or place?
- What might God’s better plan be for this person or place?
- What can I now do both prayerfully and practically, to thwart Satan‘s plan and to welcome God’s better purposes into this person place or situation?
However the schemes and plans come to us, there is one dark thread running through them all ‘The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy…I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’ John 10:10
Our strength in spiritual warfare, our effectiveness, is no greater than our ability to control our thoughts. 5b…take every thought captive to obey Christ. Imagine that you are in a battle and you capture the most zealous, fiercest opponent. Whilst in captivity, we then manage ‘turn them’ so that they now believe in our cause and fight for us. Their energy, ferocity and zealousness that was warring against us, is now fighting with and for us. That’s what it means to take every thought captive to obey Christ.
So when someone comes against us and we think badly of them, turn our thinking into a prayer of blessing for them. And so the thinking that would otherwise have worked against us, is now working for us. It is always best to go into battle for breakthrough with others.
God has strange ways of winning wars.
In Joshua chapter 6 we see Joshua sending the priests with trumpets up front in the battle of Jericho. That’s an unusual thing to do…unless you don’t like the worship team. But it wasn’t about the music it was always about the presence of God. Establishing His presence because where His presence is, kingdom has come.
There are still walls of resistance in the minds of people today and just like Jericho they need to be pulled down. What are these mental walls? Reasonings that are opposed to the truth of God’s word. Pride of intelligence that raises itself up. Paul was not attacking intelligence but intellectualism. the attitude that makes people think they know more than they really do.
Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done,’ because it isn’t a foregone conclusion that kingdom will always be present.
We are told that Jesus lives to intercede for us Hebrews 7:25whilst Holy Spirit prays for us in wordless groans Romans 8:26 because there are things God longs for which have not yet happened. It is also the Father’s desire that everyone come to repentance 2 Peter 3:9 and yet people clearly do not. So there is a war going on.
Quote:‘Since there is no neutral ground in the universe, there can be no neutral people. Every one of us must pick a side. No one gets to be a conscientious objector. – C.S. Lewis
Even in our hearts we are at war with ourselves For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:17
Gods war plan is not like man’s war plan. It includes the leading of the Holy Spirit. An army in a natural battle would never advance without proper reconnaissance.(What lies ahead, resources will encounter, physical landscape et cetera) In the same way when we have the leading of Holy Spirit going into battle, we have the best possible advantage.
Holy Spirit is described in scripture as ‘The Commander of the Lord’s Army’ Joshua 6:14
Holy Spirit can reveal to us God’s perfect will, purpose and plan for any situation and can tell us how to advance. He imparts instructions to leaders of His church (which is the body of Christ) following the spiritual hierarchies. Holy Spirit has access to all information and operates in the spirit realm, in order to tell us the perfect plan of action and anything about our enemy.
To be effective in spiritual warfare, there are three things we need to know:
- Know our enemy
- Know our authority
- Know how to fight
2 Kings 6 Gives an example of Holy Spirit knowing everything about our enemy.
Because Holy Spirit knows the heart of God and the things God knows, He is known as the counsellor.
John 14:26 AMP: But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name (in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf), He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.
Holy Spirit encourages us and strengthens us for battle by affirming who we are in Christ, a child of God and an heir with Christ. This about knowing our authority.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Romans 8:14-17
We don’t need to be reminded that we are children of God every day but we do need to be reminded of our inheritance every day. (Israeli Soldiers before the wailing wall are reminded what they are fighting for) Perhaps the reason the we are separated and isolated is because we are not prepared to fight to stay together.
We have the advantage with the leading of Holy Spirit. Isaiah 59:19 So they shall fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun; for he (our enemy) will come like a rushing stream, which the wind (breath) of the Lord drives.
Banners were used in ancient military tactics for communication. The Holy Spirit raises up the war banner in our spirit for us to have strategic advantage in the fight.
The power of Holy Spirit is dynamic, fast moving, stronger and better than the enemy. If we align our hearts and minds with the word of God, then our enemy doesn’t even bother to show up.
God is sovereign over all things, our success in our spiritual battles is often up to us (free will), to hand over control to God as Holy Spirit strengthens us in the battle. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5 Amp
Daily we are moving to a day of Shalom when God yes and God snow will be unopposed and undefeated. Revelation 12:10-12 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered Him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short.