Spiritual Warfare for Dummies

Let us do a case study of David in a battle with the Philistines to discover a spiritual warfare strategy.

NKJ 1 Chronicles 14:8 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim.

The Philistines represent Satan who hears that you are doing things for the King of Kings and comes searching for you.  He is going to perform reconnaissance to find the areas of your life that are not obedient to God (i.e. areas that are in unrepented sin) or areas where you are vulnerable.  The spiritual law is that if you sin then you become a slave to Satan in that area of your life.

NKJ John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

NKJ Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Satan will go to God to accuse you and God may pass judgment for Satan to launch some attack against you (God in His mercy may delay the attack even until later generations).

I interrupt this teaching after having just gone to school to eat lunch with Seth and Christabel.  Seth wanted me to take him home so we could be together.  I really wanted to do the same thing; however, that would have not been the best thing for him today.  Our Heavenly Father would like nothing more than to pull you out of the suffering just to be with you; however, that would not be the best thing for you today.  Back to the teaching.

Once the judgment is passed then God will lift the hedge (angelic shields) in a way calculated by Him to cause your spiritual growth.  It is of paramount importance that you keep God’s view of the battle and not Satan’s.  I have seen many loose the “big picture” and start fighting Satan by trying to use their spiritual weapons without first submitting to God.  That would be the “hard way” to do spiritual warfare.  Remember the steps to effective suffering start with submission.  We must first submit ourselves to God before offensively resisting the Devil.

NRS James 4:6 But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

However, this does not stop us from assuming a defensive posture against the Devil.  Notice David immediately went out against the Philistines; however, he did not immediately launch an attack.  Actually, we should be assuming our defensive posture in our prayer time by putting on the whole armor of God.  Then when Satan attacks we can stop his initial thrust by raising the shield of faith.  For example, flu starts to prowl around in my house (1Pet 5:8).  I first assume a defensive posture by stating that my Jesus conquered flu at Calvary; therefore, the blood of Jesus testifies that it has no right in my house – get! (Galatians 3:13).  Many times this will cause Satan to back off completely and look for a more opportune time to attack.  Nevertheless, I immediately submit myself to God before the next wave of the attack.

Steps to Effective Suffering that Yields Victory (2 Chronicles 20:1-26, Acts 4:1-35):

Step one, call upon the Lord and acknowledge that He in control of all things including the situation that is bringing the suffering.  (We give the battle to the Lord of the Sabaoth – the Leader of the Armies of Heaven).

Step two, bring to remembrance what God has done in the past and the promises of our covenant with God.

Step three, state the situation that is causing the suffering and why according to our covenant it is not just.

NKJ Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

See Deuteronomy 28:15-68 for the curse of the law.  Note the all encompassing sickness phrase in verse 61.

Step four, ask God to intervene and place our lives completely in His hands.  We now must wait upon the Lord in patience.  (Failure to get quiet before God can prevent progression to the next step).

As I seek His face, then the plan of deliverance is revealed (the more broken you are the sooner the answer will come).  This may include an area of your life that is in sin that needs to be repented.  To repent is to make an about face and double time away from this sin.  Furthermore, it is saying the same thing about it that God has said – that I am wrong, God is right, and thank you for paying the price for this sin at Calvary!  Oh, Father, forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1John 1:9).

Now, back to David in the battle:

NKJ 1 Chronicles 14: 10 And David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand."

Steps to Effective Suffering (cont.)

Step five, God will reveal to us His plan of deliverance.

Step six, praise God that what He has promised is as good as done (by faith).

NKJ Psalm 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

KJV Psalm 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. 4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

Praise is a spiritual weapon that God has ordained to bind the enemy of our souls.  Use it liberally.  Remember that thanksgiving is giving thanks for what God has done whereas praise is giving thanks to God for who He is to you.

NKJ Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

For example: You are the Lord of the Saboath – the Lord of the Hosts of Angels in Heaven (James 5:4).  You are the Lord my Redeemer, my Savior!

What we praise God for being He becomes to us.  When did Jesus become your Lord?

NKJ Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Step seven, act on what God has revealed to us.

Remember that submission to God always proceeds the offensive attack.

NKJ 1 Chronicles 14: 11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water."  Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.  12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

I like David’s style against the Devil – no mercy!  He defeated them and burned their god’s (and probably whipped their dogs, too!).  David whipped them so bad that he changed the name of the battleground from Valley of Rephaim (Valley of the Giants) to Baal Perazim (Lord of the Breakthrough).  This was David’s way of giving all the glory to God by changing the name of the place of battle.  Do you have some giants in your valley that need to be defeated?  Who you gonna call?  May I suggest the Lord of the Breakthrough!

Step eight, give all the glory to God for the victory!

NKJ 1 Chronicles 14: 13 Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, "You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 "And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

Here comes the second wave of Satan’s attack and we find David repeating the pattern of submission before offensive battle.

Danger, danger!  Never assume that what whipped the devil last time will work this time!  You must depend on God all the time in order to beat Satan.

God has style.  God tells David to wait until you hear His army of Angels marching on top of the mulberry trees then attack because He is already upon them.  The results speak for themselves as the Philistines were driven completely out of Judah!

A closing thought, be a prayer warrior not a prayer worrier.  Determine, if need be, you will fight this battle against Satan everyday for the rest of your life.  Satan, if you knock me down God will raise me up!  (Proverbs 22:16).