Spiritual Warfare

Hi, readers! How is your Tuesday going? How has your week been? It’s been going well for me. Yesterday I posted a video on my Youtube channel, a post on my other blog, cleaned, went shopping, bought some ingredients so that perhaps I can start making soap soon … And best of all (*winks*), I finished reading Cloak of the Light and started on the sequel!

That’s what I want to talk to you about today. -The main theme of these books.

Cloak of the Light is book one in a spectacular series called WARS OF THE REALM by Chuck Black. The second book is called Rise of the Fallen. And the third, Light of the Last. The first book was a riveting, powerful adventure that not only kept me turning pages, but gave me some serious food for thought about the spiritual realm. After reading this book, I’ve gained a great respect and admiration for Chuck Black. He seems like a solid guy – his writing amazing and his faith sincere.

 

So yes, I really recommend these books! Check them out, and also Chuck Black’s two other series: THE KINGDOM series and THE KNIGHTS OF ARRETHTRAE (both non-magical fantasy).

 

 

That all being said, let’s talk about spiritual warfare. It’s perhaps something that isn’t discussed enough within the Church. Which is why I so admire Chuck Black for incorporating this topic into his novels!

Are you aware of the spiritual realm around you? Do you know you have a part in it? What are some important things to know when it comes to spiritual warfare?

1) Know Your Enemy

I once read a survey that said something like half of “Christians” do not believe Satan is a real being. They believe he is figurative or symbolic, but not real and not important.

This is crazy, and seriously detrimental to said Christians when it comes to the reality of spiritual warfare.

The Bible validates the reality of an Enemy – Satan. And not only that, but states that he is like a roaring lion, prowling about and seeking who he might devour.

John 10:10

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

This is serious.

If we don’t believe we have an enemy, how can we fight back? We can’t. We will sit there in oblivion while he wages attack after attack.

If you don’t believe in the devil, then I believe you’re opening up doors for him to whisper lies in your ears, twist your identity, kill your joy, and steal your abundant life. All while you stand defenseless – not knowing how to stand up for yourself. Not even knowing you’re being attacked.

So know your enemy.

1 Peter 5:8-11

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Get knowledge. Gain wisdom. Be aware. Be vigilant. Satan hates God and all of His people. He is against all that you stand for as a Christ-follower, and there’s no reason he won’t try to thwart what God’s doing in and through your life.

2) Ready Your Weapons

If there’s a war going on, we need weapons. Even if we can’t see the spiritual realm – demons and angels – we definitely have a part in the war. It’s a battle for lost souls, for God’s purposes, for your joy and fearlessness and abundant life.

Ephesians 6:10-20

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— ¹⁹ and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

So ready your weapons, sisters and brothers in Christ. Our weapons against Satan and his demons are:

Prayer.

God’s Word.

The name of Jesus.

Be in prayer, friends! May your each day be a prayer! Draw near to the Lord through prayer. Resist the devil through prayer. Stay in God’s Word. Read your Bible often. It is our source of truth, hope, knowledge, and courage!

James 4:7-8

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

If you don’t know your weapons, you’re not going to be able to fight very effectively. When the Enemy comes at you (in various different ways, shapes, and forms), you’re liable to cower in weakness … or even start to believe the lies he’s throwing at you. Because you don’t immerse yourself in Truth enough.

2 Corinthians 11:3

³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:10-11

¹⁰ Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹ lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

So grow in the Lord and know your Bible. And remember that there is vast power in the name of Jesus! A legion of demons cowered before Him! You can call out darkness in His holy and all-powerful name.

Luke 8:28-31

²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” ²⁹ For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

³⁰ Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”

And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

3) Fight Back

We are not helpless in the tumultuous life. Even when the darkness creeps in – thick and stifling – we are called and able to be lights of the world.

Matthew 5:14 & 16

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

So fight back. Be a warrior. Specifically, a prayer warrior. The Bible tells us that there is power in prayer.

Acts 9:40

⁴⁰ But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

James 5:13-18

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Mark 11:24

²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

How do you pray in a way that makes a difference in the spiritual realm? Well, I don’t really understand a whole lot about spiritual warfare and how prayer works. But I know it works. So pray.

One day I was feeling tired and a little anxious. By afternoon, I was starting to become fearful. All these crazy, horrible thoughts were spinning through my mind, making me doubt my security and just feel really, really alone and drowning in dread.

But I’d been keeping my weapons at ready, so my spirit told me that this wasn’t truth or what God wanted me to feel, even though these feelings of dread and terror were very real and almost overpowering.

Feeling very weak, I began to pray: “Satan, get behind me. The Lord rebuke you, Satan. You have no power over me, because I belong to Jesus Christ. The victory is His, and therefore mine, because I am in Him. You cannot steal my hope or my joy. Darkness, leave, I pray in Jesus’ name.”

I can’t remember exactly all that I prayed, but it was something like that. I believe it was within moments that the dread left and I began to feel normal again. A few hours later the incident was so far removed from me that I had forgotten it even happened! Instead of darkness, there was light and peace all around me. 🙂

I hope that encourages you, dear readers. As children of God, we have power through Him to fight back. And we can fight on behalf of others by praying for them. Pray God’s truth over them. Pray for God’s will in their lives. Pray for victory over sin. Pray for them to be equipped with everything they need to walk the path God’s calling them to.

Stay strong in Christ, fellow warriors!

❤ Lady Grace

Romans 16:19-20

Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. ²⁰ And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

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