Spiritual Authority - Week 3
Spiritual Warfare
Authority - Week 3
When you think about Spiritual Warfare, what verse usually comes to mind…Ephesians 6:10-18, right? This is Paul’s description of the enemy, and the “Armor of God.” This is a powerful passage of scripture, but only if you do something with it. It is so much more than just reciting the words. This passage is essential in equipping us for battle; and spiritual warfare is exactly that….a battle.
Spiritual warfare is the encapsulated ministry of Jesus. Matthew 4:23-25 states thatJesus went about all of Galilee. He taught and proclaimed the gospel and healed every sickness and disease, and He set the demoniacs free. He then delegated that same authority to his disciples, so that they could carry on His work.Matthew 10 speaks of Jesus calling His disciples to Himself, and giving them authority over unclean spirits…to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Every follower of Jesus should have the ability to cast out a demon through the authority, the victory and the blood of Jesus Christ.
Elements of SpiritualWarfare
We may need to engage in spiritual warfare at any time and in any place. How can we, as Christian men, best prepare ourselves for spiritual warfare? Along with putting on the full“armor of God”, there are three main elements of Spiritual Warfare that will help us to prepare our hearts and our minds. They are as follows: 1)crucifying the flesh, 2) controlling your mind, and 3) dealing with theDemonic.
Crucify the Flesh
The flesh (that must be crucified!) is the sin principle that exists in our fallen human nature. In this world we live in fleshly bodies; and the body, being weak (Mark 14:38), is the gateway to sin. Our bodies, though not sinful in themselves, naturally crave comfort and pleasure, and they, too, often succumb to temptation… producing the “works of the flesh” (Galatians5:19–21). Sin entrenches itself in the flesh, which becomes dominated by iniquity of all kinds. It is the sinful passions and wayward deeds of the flesh that Christians must crucify. The devil’s attacks against us would not work if our flesh didn’t cooperate with them. Living “dead to sin” renders us incapable of responding to temptations of the flesh.
Colossians 3:5-7
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.
ControlYour Mind
Permitting any area of your mind to go unchecked or unguarded opens the door for an attack of the enemy. We must guard our minds and not allow the devil to take our thoughts where he wants them to go. This is one reason it is so important for us to know God’s word. If we find ourselves thinking impure or unclean thoughts, we can rebuff those with God’s word, much like Jesus did, when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. We must apply the truths of IICorinthians 10:3-6, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
II Corinthians 10:5-6
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
Deal with the Demonic
When we are confronted with the demonic, we must not shy or slink away in fear (IITimothy 1:7). We must deal with it in confidence, knowing that, in Christ, the victory has already been won, and we have authority over demonic powers, with the backing of heaven. The “key” is walking in the Spirit. Only the Spirit can crucify our flesh! It is God’s Holy Spirit that gives us the power to walk in obedience…to allow Christ to live His life through us (Galatians 2:20). It is the Spirit that “guides us into all truth” (John 14:13), giving us the understanding of God’s Word, so that we can “resist the devil” and “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (See II Peter 1:2-4). It is the power of the Holy Spirit, that “raised Christ from the dead”, that dwells in our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11)...and that power is greater than any demon!
I John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Matthew 10:7-8
Go, preach, saying, “TheKingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give.
Demons
Paul strongly implies that the fallen angels who rebelled with Lucifer have now been carefully organized into a hierarchy of satanic power, around the world. TheGospel writers also use different Greek words to represent the spiritual powers that are under Satan’s control. These are daimonion (demon), ponera (evil spirits), and akatharta (unclean spirits). Scripture is unclear of the specific origin of demons; however, we do know that they play a significant role in Satan’s on-going effort to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John10:10), as he opposes the Kingdom of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!Whether due to “generational iniquity”, curses, involvement in the occult, or trauma, demons must have a “legal” right to oppress a Christian.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Demons are spiritual beings, not just ideas or indefinable forces that operate from within the mind of man. They are living, functioning, spiritual beings with a mind, personality, and will of their own… all of which are dedicated to the service of Satan. Jesus never treated a demon as anything else but a living entity in opposition to the interests of God and man.
Demons have many characteristics, which I will not go into detail here. However, the most important characteristic to remember is this; THEY ALL HAVE TO BOW BEFORE THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! No matter how much power a demon may think it has, it was still defeated at Calvary and led captive before the hosts of heaven. (Colossians2:15) Scripture very clearly conveys the truth that Satan was defeated whenJesus rose again from the dead; and that Satan is firmly under the feet ofJesus. That means, for those who are in Christ, Satan is also under their feet.And if Satan is under our feet, then every demon in hell is as well!
Philippians 2:10
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth.
Every single being (including demons) will have to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus. It is only in His Name that we have the power and authority over them, and they know they must submit to His authority when it is declared through the lips of believers.
Curses
We, as believers, have the authority to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8), such as soul ties, demonic domination, compulsions and all kinds of curses. All curses are spoken and originate with a person. There are two kinds of curses…formal and informal. Formal curses originate in satanic cults, freemasonry and witchcraft, and are sent to a person or people group. Informal curses are careless words, usually spoken in anger. (Things like, “I wish you were dead”, “I hate you”, “you will never amount to anything”, “you are worthless”. Curses must have somewhere to land. If it is a causeless curse, it will not land. What gives curses a landing place are things like unforgiveness, anger, rejection, lust and hate. Those open a door and give the curses a “legal” right to land.
Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
Jesus not only bore our sins on the cross, but He also bore our curses. Anyone nailed to a tree is cursed (Galatians 3:13); and there, on that tree (the cross), He bore our curses for us. He took the rights away from the enemy, but we need to exercise that right.
TakeGround!
When dealing with curses and the demonic, how do you take ground back from the enemy? The following are five important steps to taking ground back from the enemy, in Jesus’ name.
1. Repent - even if sins against you, the generational curses of your family, were horrible, and you were abused, you still need to repent. You may have made vows or judgements as well. You will need to humble yourself and repent.
2. Forgive - forgive your ancestors if you are experiencing generational sin. Forgive anyone who abused you (physically, sexually, mentally, verbally) when you were a child…whether a parent, a coach, a trusted family friend or even yourself. This forgiveness will not be based on feelings but on being obedient in the name of Jesus Christ. Say specifically, I forgive__________. You must be specific when forgiving and do not speak in generalities. The enemy is a stickler for details.
3. Renounce and Rebuke - We need to then renounce the sin and the oppressing spirit (i.e., the “spirit of fear”, or the “spirit of lust”,etc.) and rebuke the enemies’ power over you because of the sin, the vow, the soul tie or whatever it is, in Jesus’ name. Because you have repented and forgiven, they no longer have any legal ground in your life.
4. Pray for Healing - It may then be necessary, with the same authority, to pray for healing of the bruised and wounded soul or heart. Pray that memories of things which can bring back torment and anxiety would be erased. You have broken the source of that power, but now pray for healing so that it has no more power to bring pain again.
5. Bless - Where there have been curses, there is now a void. It is important to bless in the opposite spirit. Where there has been bondage, bless by speaking freedom.
Questions:
1. How do you prepare yourself for spiritual warfare? Share with your group.
2. How do you take ground back from the enemy in your life? Are there any of the 5 steps that you have not considered in the past? What would it look like if you did?
3. I have personally had to deal with some generational curses in my life. What curses have you dealt within your own life and what did that look like?
Activation:
In your quiet time with the Lord, ask Him if there is any area of your life that you need to take ground back from the enemy. Maybe you already know of an area. Walk through steps 1-5 with Him or invite someone you trust to walk through it with you. Share your experience with the group next week.
Spiritual Authority - Week 3
Spiritual Warfare
Authority - Week 3
When you think about Spiritual Warfare, what verse usually comes to mind…Ephesians 6:10-18, right? This is Paul’s description of the enemy, and the “Armor of God.” This is a powerful passage of scripture, but only if you do something with it. It is so much more than just reciting the words. This passage is essential in equipping us for battle; and spiritual warfare is exactly that….a battle.
Spiritual warfare is the encapsulated ministry of Jesus. Matthew 4:23-25 states thatJesus went about all of Galilee. He taught and proclaimed the gospel and healed every sickness and disease, and He set the demoniacs free. He then delegated that same authority to his disciples, so that they could carry on His work.Matthew 10 speaks of Jesus calling His disciples to Himself, and giving them authority over unclean spirits…to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Every follower of Jesus should have the ability to cast out a demon through the authority, the victory and the blood of Jesus Christ.
Elements of SpiritualWarfare
We may need to engage in spiritual warfare at any time and in any place. How can we, as Christian men, best prepare ourselves for spiritual warfare? Along with putting on the full“armor of God”, there are three main elements of Spiritual Warfare that will help us to prepare our hearts and our minds. They are as follows: 1)crucifying the flesh, 2) controlling your mind, and 3) dealing with theDemonic.
Crucify the Flesh
The flesh (that must be crucified!) is the sin principle that exists in our fallen human nature. In this world we live in fleshly bodies; and the body, being weak (Mark 14:38), is the gateway to sin. Our bodies, though not sinful in themselves, naturally crave comfort and pleasure, and they, too, often succumb to temptation… producing the “works of the flesh” (Galatians5:19–21). Sin entrenches itself in the flesh, which becomes dominated by iniquity of all kinds. It is the sinful passions and wayward deeds of the flesh that Christians must crucify. The devil’s attacks against us would not work if our flesh didn’t cooperate with them. Living “dead to sin” renders us incapable of responding to temptations of the flesh.
Colossians 3:5-7
So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.
ControlYour Mind
Permitting any area of your mind to go unchecked or unguarded opens the door for an attack of the enemy. We must guard our minds and not allow the devil to take our thoughts where he wants them to go. This is one reason it is so important for us to know God’s word. If we find ourselves thinking impure or unclean thoughts, we can rebuff those with God’s word, much like Jesus did, when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. We must apply the truths of IICorinthians 10:3-6, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
II Corinthians 10:5-6
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
Deal with the Demonic
When we are confronted with the demonic, we must not shy or slink away in fear (IITimothy 1:7). We must deal with it in confidence, knowing that, in Christ, the victory has already been won, and we have authority over demonic powers, with the backing of heaven. The “key” is walking in the Spirit. Only the Spirit can crucify our flesh! It is God’s Holy Spirit that gives us the power to walk in obedience…to allow Christ to live His life through us (Galatians 2:20). It is the Spirit that “guides us into all truth” (John 14:13), giving us the understanding of God’s Word, so that we can “resist the devil” and “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (See II Peter 1:2-4). It is the power of the Holy Spirit, that “raised Christ from the dead”, that dwells in our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11)...and that power is greater than any demon!
I John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Matthew 10:7-8
Go, preach, saying, “TheKingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give.
Demons
Paul strongly implies that the fallen angels who rebelled with Lucifer have now been carefully organized into a hierarchy of satanic power, around the world. TheGospel writers also use different Greek words to represent the spiritual powers that are under Satan’s control. These are daimonion (demon), ponera (evil spirits), and akatharta (unclean spirits). Scripture is unclear of the specific origin of demons; however, we do know that they play a significant role in Satan’s on-going effort to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John10:10), as he opposes the Kingdom of God, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!Whether due to “generational iniquity”, curses, involvement in the occult, or trauma, demons must have a “legal” right to oppress a Christian.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Demons are spiritual beings, not just ideas or indefinable forces that operate from within the mind of man. They are living, functioning, spiritual beings with a mind, personality, and will of their own… all of which are dedicated to the service of Satan. Jesus never treated a demon as anything else but a living entity in opposition to the interests of God and man.
Demons have many characteristics, which I will not go into detail here. However, the most important characteristic to remember is this; THEY ALL HAVE TO BOW BEFORE THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! No matter how much power a demon may think it has, it was still defeated at Calvary and led captive before the hosts of heaven. (Colossians2:15) Scripture very clearly conveys the truth that Satan was defeated whenJesus rose again from the dead; and that Satan is firmly under the feet ofJesus. That means, for those who are in Christ, Satan is also under their feet.And if Satan is under our feet, then every demon in hell is as well!
Philippians 2:10
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth.
Every single being (including demons) will have to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus. It is only in His Name that we have the power and authority over them, and they know they must submit to His authority when it is declared through the lips of believers.
Curses
We, as believers, have the authority to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8), such as soul ties, demonic domination, compulsions and all kinds of curses. All curses are spoken and originate with a person. There are two kinds of curses…formal and informal. Formal curses originate in satanic cults, freemasonry and witchcraft, and are sent to a person or people group. Informal curses are careless words, usually spoken in anger. (Things like, “I wish you were dead”, “I hate you”, “you will never amount to anything”, “you are worthless”. Curses must have somewhere to land. If it is a causeless curse, it will not land. What gives curses a landing place are things like unforgiveness, anger, rejection, lust and hate. Those open a door and give the curses a “legal” right to land.
Proverbs 26:2
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
Jesus not only bore our sins on the cross, but He also bore our curses. Anyone nailed to a tree is cursed (Galatians 3:13); and there, on that tree (the cross), He bore our curses for us. He took the rights away from the enemy, but we need to exercise that right.
TakeGround!
When dealing with curses and the demonic, how do you take ground back from the enemy? The following are five important steps to taking ground back from the enemy, in Jesus’ name.
1. Repent - even if sins against you, the generational curses of your family, were horrible, and you were abused, you still need to repent. You may have made vows or judgements as well. You will need to humble yourself and repent.
2. Forgive - forgive your ancestors if you are experiencing generational sin. Forgive anyone who abused you (physically, sexually, mentally, verbally) when you were a child…whether a parent, a coach, a trusted family friend or even yourself. This forgiveness will not be based on feelings but on being obedient in the name of Jesus Christ. Say specifically, I forgive__________. You must be specific when forgiving and do not speak in generalities. The enemy is a stickler for details.
3. Renounce and Rebuke - We need to then renounce the sin and the oppressing spirit (i.e., the “spirit of fear”, or the “spirit of lust”,etc.) and rebuke the enemies’ power over you because of the sin, the vow, the soul tie or whatever it is, in Jesus’ name. Because you have repented and forgiven, they no longer have any legal ground in your life.
4. Pray for Healing - It may then be necessary, with the same authority, to pray for healing of the bruised and wounded soul or heart. Pray that memories of things which can bring back torment and anxiety would be erased. You have broken the source of that power, but now pray for healing so that it has no more power to bring pain again.
5. Bless - Where there have been curses, there is now a void. It is important to bless in the opposite spirit. Where there has been bondage, bless by speaking freedom.
Questions:
1. How do you prepare yourself for spiritual warfare? Share with your group.
2. How do you take ground back from the enemy in your life? Are there any of the 5 steps that you have not considered in the past? What would it look like if you did?
3. I have personally had to deal with some generational curses in my life. What curses have you dealt within your own life and what did that look like?
Activation:
In your quiet time with the Lord, ask Him if there is any area of your life that you need to take ground back from the enemy. Maybe you already know of an area. Walk through steps 1-5 with Him or invite someone you trust to walk through it with you. Share your experience with the group next week.