Here are some Biblical facts about spiritual battle:
Satan
exists and is real (Matt.4:10 ) -- he is talked about in the Bible as if he
does exist...it’s a ‘given’ that he is real.
He is created but
he is not co-equal with God.
He is limited (Job 1:6-2:6), “like a
mad dog on a chain.”
He is not all-powerful, he is
not all-present, but he does have a whole
host/a world system of co-workers to
assist him (Eph.6:12).
The
Bible doesn’t give us clear teaching on ‘satanology’ as it is written to a
people who already are aware of his existence.
We
tend to be ignorant in general of the spiritual world.
Satan
and his spirits are cosmic, invisible and totally evil.
Spiritual battle’ is a multi-dimensional SIN issue which can be evident on 3
fronts:
●a battle from
within -- a battle of the flesh and/or the mind (Rom.8:7-8,
Eph.4:17-24, 2 Cor.10:3-5) -- actual or imagined
battle,
(it is often
played out in the following areas: immorality, impurity, sensuality)
●a battle from
without -- a battle in the world/world system/culture/society
/relationships (1 John 2:15-17, Eph.5:7-10, 2 Cor.2:11, Eph.4:26-27)
(it is often manifested in
strife, jealousy, dissensions, etc.),
●a battle with
cosmic powers -- evil, supernaturalism (Eph.6:10-19, Rev.12:3-9),
idolatry, sorcery, etc.
The
entire human race is ruled by satan through:
●attacks the minds
of the unbelievers (Matt.13:19, 2 Cor.4:3-4, 2 Thes.2:9-10),
●attacks believers
(Lk.22:31, 2 Cor.11:3, Eph.6:12).
We give him an
“opportunity” or a foothold in our lives through:
-unforgiveness
- 2 Cor.2:11 and
-unresolved
anger - Eph.4:26-27.
Our present reality
is that we are within a war between 2 kingdoms -God’s
kingdom and satan’s kingdom (satan
cannot attack God, so he attacks
God’s
people).
Satan
is already defeated/Jesus Christ is victorious:
Luke 10:18 Romans 8:37 1 Cor.15:24,27 2 Thes.2:8-11
1 John 3:8 Rev.12:11 Rev. 20:10,15
Satan’s
tactics:
●His names (which
reveal his strategy and his character):
'dragon' - Rev.12:3-4 (to
the Greek mind, a dragon was cruel, a dread and
a hostile power)
'devil' (‘the adversary’)
- Matt.4:1-11, 1 Peter 5:8
'evil one' - Matt.13:19
'murderer'/'liar'/'father
of lies' - John 8:44
'accuser' -
Rev.12:10
'satan'
(‘deceiver’) - Rev.12:9
'ruler of this world' - John 14:30
'schemer'
- 2 Cor.2:11
'strongman'
- Matt.12:29
'prince of power of the
air' - Eph.2:2
'angel
of light' - 2 Cor.11:14
●His motives: to kill, steal, destroy - John 10:10.
●His ‘fiery darts’
when attacking believers (Eph.6:16):
-doubt (James
1:6) - he is master at planting seeds of
doubt,
- feeling forsaken
(Psalm 139:9-12,17-18; Rom.8:35-39) - he
can tempt us to
think that even God has withdrawn
His love for us,
- feeling
unacceptable to God (Rom.5:6-10, 8:1; 1 Peter 2:4),
- not feeling
forgiven (1 John 1:9) - remind yourself: ‘Lord, this sin just
proves that I needed a Savior. Thank You for dying on the cross for me!’,
-criticalness,
slander, bitterness (Heb.12:15, Eph.4:31),
-“if only...” (Ps.84:11) - makes me hope in something other
than God,
-immorality (1
Thes.4:3-5, Col.3:5, 1 Cor.6:11) - ‘lust can never wait to take,
but love can always
wait to give’,
-worthlessness
(Is.43:4,1 Peter 2:5, Eph.2:10, 1 John 4:7-21LB ) - remind
yourself that you’re
worth just as much to God as Jesus is worth to Him.
Our
response as believers in the battle:
●resist firm in
faith, resist and flee (1 Peter 5:9, James 4:7),
●realize your
position in Christ (Eph.2:6) - you are assured victory over the
enemy,
●realize you are
fighting in God’s strength (Eph.6:10),
●realize that His
angels are assigned to you (Heb.1:14),
●clothe yourself in
the armour of God daily (Eph.6:10-19).
Where the battle is played out:
●The battle against
the flesh/mind - confess all known sin immediately, give the
enemy no opportunity (do not allow bitterness, anger or
unforgiveness to
continue); “take every thought captive” (2 Cor.10:3-5).
●The battle against
the world - renew your mind constantly, keep short accounts
with God and others, (Rom.12:1-2, 1
Thes.4:1-8, Eph.4.1 - 5:14).
●The cosmic battle –
-rely on the
supremacy of Jesus’ name (Lev. 10:17, Phil.2:9-11),
-rely on the power
of the atoning blood of Jesus (Col.1:13-20, Rev.12:11),
-rely on the immanent
presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:6-7, Eph.5:18),
-invite the Holy
Spirit to manifest Himself as:
→light to penetrate darkness (I John 1:5)
→truth to expose deception (John 16:13)
→fire to destroy impurity (Mal.3:3),
-rely on the power
of faith (Eph.6:16, Rom.4:20-21),
-resist the enemy
(James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8-9),
-rest in the
assurance that the battle is the Lord’s (1 Sam.17:47,
2 Chron.20:15).
He
will break and lift the oppression in His way, in His time (2 Thes.3:3,
John
17:15) our power to ‘bind the strongman’
(Matt.12:29, 16:19) - our power
and authority over
the enemy comes as we take our stand in the name of Jesus.
Relevant Scripture:
2
Chron.20 Ps.35:1-10 John 17:15 2
Thes.3:3
1
Pet.5:8-9 1
Kings 19 Ps.91,
97 Rom.16:20
2
Cor.12:7-10 1 John 4:4 Dan.10 Ps.118
2
Cor.2L11 James
4:6-11 Col.1:15-20 Ps. 18
Luke
9:1, 10:18 Eph.6:10-19 Rev.12:7-11 Eph.1:18-22
