I know most Christians are aware of Spiritual Warfare, but the disconnect is really evident though when we get into talking about the realities of demonism, witchcraft or simply the active efforts and manifestations of all that opposes the Kingdom of God if we really want to call it what it ultimately is. It is a bewitching of sorts I imagine or perhaps we just have adopted “it’s all ‘movie magic’” seeing it as just imaginative, unable to intellectually accept the possibility there is a Biblical reality.
Waking up the church to this reality seems daunting. I know as soon as I bring the topic up I see eyes glaze over and I get the ‘Jim’s getting wierd’ look – it concerns me. Thankfully the three of us that make up the inner leadership of our church are deep diving into the spirituals and letting the prophetic and discerning gifts manifest themselves. We acknowledge it’ll be the Holy Spirit to open eyes so we as leaders need to take on the spiritual authority God has given to us to engage the battle in prayer and in consecration of our own lives.
I would like this discussion to focus on practical steps or insights into ministry on these matters. Whether it be in some form of deliverance ministry, warfare prayer, etc. What I don’t want to get into is a theological debate on what people believe, it is obvious from my research that God is doing things through some means that I don’t or haven’t necessarily agreed with but the testimonies are undeniable. The ones who write books on these things (Rick Joyner, C. Peter Wagner, etc) have been labeled and cast aside yet they are writing on the subject no one wants to talk about yet people are being delivered from severe spiritual bondage. Many of us have many doctrinal issues with them, but setting my concerns aside for a moment, there is some foundational truth in what they are presenting as there is with most movements or philosophies of ministries.
Again I would like this discussion to focus on practical steps or insights into ministry on these matters.
One of the things that has caught my attention over the years is how we treat certain passages in the Bible when we come to them.
Eph 6:10-20. There is often the hurry up through 10-12 as introduction and spend time doing a deep dive on the armor of God. Which we should, but are we hurting our people by rushing through verses 10-12 to get to the ‘good’ stuff?
Jas 4:7. About everyone can quote “resist the devil and he will flee.” It has become so cliche that is about trite and meaningless and that is because the first part of the verse is left off: “Submit to God” Everybody seems to like formulas and here is a God given one that I have used in my discussions: Submit + Resist = devil flee.
I have tried talking to Pastors about this and I will be brutally honest, most don’t want to get into because it is deemed ’sensational’ and barely beyond mentioning as it is not central to the Gospel or isn’t clearly laid out in Scripture and we shouldn’t go beyond what is written. Another said to me he didn’t feel it was right to give the devil the publicity. Is this ‘rightly dividing the Word of Truth’ Glossing over certain passages? Can we present the ‘whole counsel of God’ by just giving nod to the spiritual war and reality that opposes even to the detriment of the weakest among us? It is obviously written so God must have felt it important enough a subject to be apart of His counsel.
If you chose to discuss, remember it is a discussion with a diversity of viewpoints and season it always with grace as there are people we are unaware of reading these posts.
Well I hope this is what your looking for….
A couple years ago some friends and I went to Neil Anderson’s Bondage Breaker “conference” It was eye opening, for several reasons, but that is where I learned about the first part of James 4:7. I at the time had been in the church about 30 yr and had never heard about the submitting part. It totally made sense the way he explained it. That when we submit to God we are under His authority, and not trying to do things out of our own “self”, but can administer Gods victory and authority.
I know when I am with my friends or other women and are praying for someone, God often brings this verse to mind to pray out loud as we get started. Being very new at praying, over/with someone and allowing the Holy Spirit’s gifts to be used. I am I guess careful to pray at the onset the Gods Hand be over us, and HIS will be done. That we would be able to hear and see what God is telling or showing.
I like Neil Andersons steps I think they are a great way to become aware of doorways we may have opened, that we weren’t aware of.
I’m really glad you are talking about this topic. I have always been drawn to, and feel that God has called me to be an intercessor, “prayer warrior”, in spiritual warfare. I look forward to what everyone has to say. I hope my ignorance of the subject doesn’t prove too embarrassing.
~April
Hey Jim. Good stuff.
This last week I had planned on finishing Acts 16. I had verses 16-40 to go. I got “distracted” over on SMP by some stuff and thought I would end up doing a survey of the rest of the chapter. I had the hardest time studying. Teaching on Sunday was easy, Saturday night was rough.
What I though would be a casual survey of the rest of a chapter with a bone thrown at the girl with the pythian spirit turned into just teaching on verse 16-18. Here are my bullet points from the study.
From the body of the text:
1) People who are into this stuff, regardless of how or why they got into it, are not our enemy. They need the love, compassion, grace, and power of God expressed through us.
2) Is our message that clear and are our walks so strong that our real enemy sees us as a threat?
3) Paul’s life was spent being led by and walking in the Spirit. He was an agent of change directed and empowered by the Spirit.
From some application
1) What can we do now? What should our response be to this today?
A) Be aware that this stuff is happening in our schools, our neighbors garages, dorm rooms at Pacific, covens, etc.
B) Be aware that it is really no more or less serious than anything else that is keeping people from knowing the love of God.
C) Be aware that God can and wants to use you like He used Paul. How?
i) Need to be a believer. Gospel.
ii) Understand it’s God’s promise. Acts 2:38-39.
iii) We have some responsibility in it. Ephesians 5:18.
iv) Remember whose you are and what you are. 2 Cor. 5:17
If you want to hear the study you can download it with this link. http://www.thebluethread.org/media/audio/07-44/44-16.16-18.mp3
I think there is a balance between giving the devil air time and being educated from the word. What can happen is people end up telling story after story about demonic encounters. I got several from my initial inquiry on SMP (on and off list) and could have spent 30 minutes telling just those few stories. And those stories are really good stories. But doing so can end up putting too much emphasis on the “wow” factor of it all and not equip people. It’s like anything else. Money can be the issue that everyone is fired up about. Missions, worship, prayer, things become sort of hot buttons of the month, then they fade, or people leave over them because their favorite topic is handled wrong or not handles at all. It’s part of the bigger picture that, as you say, gets neglected.
I think one of the more practical treatments on the subject was done by Bill Ritche many years ago. If I remember right it was an side series from something else he was in the middle of. He called it “Dancing with the Devil.” It was like four weeks or something. Anyway, it was really good. Unfortunately you can’t download it anymore (but I know some people on the inside and I’m working on that.)
April – yes, that is what I am looking for. You are about the 3rd or 4th person to bring up Neil Anderson in my discussions with different people on the topic.
I was in the driveway of a house the other night where the Spirit spoke to me are people inside bound by evil and seducing spirits of witchcraft. The Spirit was telling me to take authority over the spirits that are holding 3 people captive. It was a very powerful moment so I prayed. I opened my mouth and spoke in faith. It really seemed the Holy Spirit guided my words.
I did not know that at that moment, one of the girls who lived there (1 of the 3) who wasn’t home was across town, being loved by God right into His Kingdom! She gave her life to the Lord in that very hour! I learned of it the next morning.
The Lord is so GOOD! It is amazing just how it is that the Lord is working through this investigation.
Corby – thank you for put together such a thorough response! I have long respected Bill’s teaching and it would be great if you could score those! I am going to listen to your teaching and then revisit your reply.
The girl was 1 of the 3 specifically prayed for. The 2nd one I shared the gospel with no break thru, but a softening heart. The 3rd one the Lord impressed upon me that it will be another to share with her.
Corby I checked out the mp3, thanks for posting the link to it. Great job setting up the topic with the different replies you collected. When you began to address how to engage spiritual warfare is where you lost me when it came to binding, coming against darkness, etc. Maybe the point there wasn’t developed enough. I am pretty sure I understood what you were getting at though.
I have a ton of articles I am weeding through and a couple of books stuck in my hands. Believe it or not Biblically studying this topic is warfare of it’s own.
Corby I liked when you mentioned to pray about being a light, than necessarily always “binding the enemy”. And yes we need to love the people caught up in the schemes of the enemy. For at least 2 reasons, 1) We wrestle not against flesh and blood…. Eph 6:12 and 2) my pastor is “famous” for saying that the nature of deception is you don’t know you are being decieved! It’ hard to think there needs to be a change if you don’t see it.
Thanks for giving the link it was helpful.
April