Spiritual Warfare 2
There are several reasons as to why ministers speak concerning spiritual warfare. One of those reasons is that if one continues sinning, he is in danger of falling. I don’t speak of partial falling away solely if there is such a thing. I am referring to backsliding, apostasy, or losing salvation assurance.
The parable of the sower stands out to me the most here. Go here.
How can the evil one grind someone down until they are ready to reject God?
Well. It happens more often than not when the person has not been discipled or mentored by a strong group of Christians. The soil where a seed is planted must be prepared beforehand. The seed may be cast on the soil of their heart but if we as Christians have not allowed the Lord to use us to till the soil then there is generally a slim chance of the seed taking root.
It is quite the spiritual warfare setup when ministering to or evangelizing the lost. Satan wants to keep them from embracing Christ. He knows how damaging one born again person does to his kingdoms.
Discipled, mentored, Holy Ghost baptized Christians are able to take authority and dominion over the kingdoms of darkness. Satan knows that. True Christians can operate in Godly authority and dominion and literally strip Satan and his demons of their weaponry, devices, controls, authority, dominion, and holds. The key is to be led of the Holy Spirit.
Interestingly enough, when a Christian is struggling with sin or an issue, they cannot properly operate in their authority and dominion. The enemy uses things as a loophole or foothold which almost always hinders the struggling Christian’s fight against him.
For example, will Satan listen to a struggling Christian who is a drunkard or will he call the person on their sin? Below is a list of some of the things Satan uses to disarm and bind Christians.
1) Pride, conceitedness, vanity, addiction to popularity, gossip
2) Fear, anxiety, worry, the past, imagination, rejection
3) Hatred, anger, wrath, unforgiveness, violence, rape, abuse, profanity
4) Sexual perversion, lust of opposite sex, lust of same sex, pornography, masturbation, fornication, sodomy, lesbianism, sexual experimentation, adultery, beastiality
5) Greed, selfishness, jealousy
6) Sadness, depression, loneliness
7) Occult, horoscope, false religions, religious experimentation, horror movies, ouija boards, spirit walking (astral projection), idolatry
8) Drug abuse, drunkenness, partying
9) Liberalism, possession of or viewing inappropriate literature, music, and or objects
10) Lying, hypocrisy, slander
Satan and his demons use these things in an attempt to gain or sustain legal rights in someone’s life. Christians and the backslidden are, more often than not, victims of one or several of the 10 points. I refer to this as points of entry or areas of legal rights. When we sin, Satan is given legal rights to areas of our lives.
No wonder the New Testament speaks so much of living holy and submitting to the will of the Lord daily.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Phillipians 4:8-9
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: we are not ignorant of his devices.
2 Corinthians 2:11
We should continually close doors that the enemy has gained in our lives. He uses these things to hinder God’s work in us and the work we’re supposed to do for the Lord.
All these things are especially important when doing deliverance ministry (casting out demons, freedom from the occult, remedying sexual perversion). A Christian who is not “abstaining:” will have no authority when operating in this type of intense spiritual warfare. You must be “clean.” Nonetheless, some Christians are given a “grace period” in where God will show Himself strong in and through the Christian’s life to demonstrate His grace and longsuffering. But, it is written that He will not always strive with man. As I said, it is a grace period when it happens that way. We must never abuse His good graces.
I encourage every reader to begin examining themselves to close every door to the enemy.
Obviously, this article is intended to help take our eyes off of ourselves and our sins. The more we allow sins, the more we become self conscious or conscious of self. The more doors we slam shut, lock, and give to God, the more we become God conscious and far more abiding in the grace, abundance, forgiveness, and power of God.
-Jeremy Brown 2004