What did Paul Mean by 'Spiritual Warfare?'

Tom:

Thanks, Gary.You are listening to Search the Scriptures Daily, a program in which we encourage everyone who desires to know God’s truth to look to God’s Word for all that is essential for salvation and living one’s life in a way that is pleasing to him.Dave, as you know, we’ve been discussing the subject of spiritual warfare for a number of weeks now and we’ve noted that Christians have bought into a lot of concepts, methods, techniques to take on the devil which have no basis in scripture.

Dave:

Well they admit they have no basis in scripture.We quoted C. Peter Wagner and others to the effect that what they do, their theology is not based on the Bible, but based on experience.I would say that’s very dangerous.The Bible claims to have, well Peter said, “He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who has called us to glory and virtue, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,…” 2 Peter 1 and Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy:3:15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
See All..., “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.All scripture is given by inspiration of God,(that’s why we want to search the scriptures) and is profitable (or to be used) for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man (and that includes women, children) of God may be perfect, (that means mature, complete) thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”So there it says that the Bible is what we need to be thoroughly furnished unto every good work.And the Psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.”Now these Christian leaders, at least to some extent abandoned the Bible and they’re saying the Bible doesn’t have all the answers we need, just like the Christian psychologists have done the same thing.We have to go to Freud and Jung and Rogers and Maslow and so forth and we’ve got to get some other ideas because the Bible isn’t sufficient and then we’ll blend it in with theology.These Christian leaders are saying well, but the Bible didn’t deal with these problems.It never talks about taking your city for God.It never talks about strategic level spiritual warfare, prayer walking and marching around and so forth, going to strategic areas to pray.Well the Bible doesn’t deal with that.These new techniques have been revealed to us and they are going to open the door for millions to come to Christ.They are going to deliver people from the captivity of Satan, from the delusions that abound because these satanic spirits have had control of territories and so forth.Yet the Bible claims to be what we need.

Tom:

Dave, these individuals are not just laying out some theoretical ideas that people are kind of thinking about.This is taking place, these techniques and methods that they recommend are really influencing millions of people, and our concern has been that sincere Christians, people who really know the Lord and love the Lord are really being duped into this.So now they are spending much time, much energy, money to put into practice these ideas that are extra biblical at best, maybe in some cases just right out of the pit at worst.Dave, locally we had some of this affect us.I know there’s a high school here in town—

Dave:

Local being right here in this little town of Bend, Oregon.

Tom:

We’ve had young people who were influenced by this, not just by the individuals who we’ve mentioned, but there’s a lot of material out there that youth pastors get a hold of and they promote.So we’ve had the business of young people planting crosses in the ground at the high school, or anointing the windows with oil, much to the anger of the janitor who had to clean up this stuff.Rather than it doing what they felt it would be doing, they’re going to take their school for Christ, it almost ended up that the Christian groups were going to be removed from the school because of this really, in the world’s sense bizarre, and in our sense, unbiblical practices.

Dave:

I would call it hocus-pocus.Satan laughs when you wave a cross at him.There’s no power in the configuration of some wood or metal of a cross.The power of the cross is the fact that Christ paid the penalty for our sins on that cross and his blood was poured out for the redemption of mankind.It only comes to us by faith in him.You don’t wave it around; bury it in the ground you know, here, there and strategic places.It’s like the Catholics burying one of the saints upside-down in the yard in order to get their house sold.

Tom:

Right, I think that is St. Joseph.

Dave:

Yes.

Tom:

Dave, now we’ve had listeners over the last few weeks listening to a lot of this and hearing all of this and maybe some are worried, anxious about this.So what I would like to do is really address a few things that hopefully we can encourage some of our listeners that have been anxious about this topic—perhaps they’ve been caught in some of these approaches.They’ve been involved in some of them.Or maybe they’ve—were worried they could be deceived because this is very influential and a lot of people are involved in churches that are going after this big time.So what I’d like to do first of all is lay out for them, what the Bible tells us how we should biblically deal with that which relates to spiritual warfare.And two, what’s the best way to keep from being deceived?

Dave:

Well the last part is the easiest.The best way to keep from being deceived is to search the scriptures.

Tom:

Right.

Dave:

We go by the Bible.The Bible is our guide.The Bible is our authority.If God hasn’t spoken we’ve got nothing.If God has spoken, he would do it in a way that you could understand it.The ordinary person could understand it.If we are at the mercy of the Pope or some spiritual leader, a pastor or whatever, some one who has a seminary degree, if we must look to them to interpret the Bible for us—

Tom:

Or some self-proclaimed prophet claiming they’ve heard from God—

Dave:

Right—then we’re not in touch with God.God’s Word is to the ordinary person.But now we have a new intermediary you could say.This is a group of prophets.They claim they have heard from God.They claim they have been in touch with these seducing spirits.They’ve gotten information from them and now they’re telling us that they have inside information how to take a city for God.How to take your neighborhood for God.How to protect your home, apply the blood or whatever.I’ve heard that for many years.I don’t know what that means, “let’s apply the blood to the bedroom and to the kitchen, and the living room.”Then they have to do it again.

Tom:

Sounds pretty messy.

Dave:

Yes, and they have to it again and again.We mentioned it briefly, and we could mention it again very briefly.It doesn’t work Tom.Nobody has taken a city for God.In fact every city that they have tried to take for God whether it is Los Angeles or San Francisco, or Miami, wherever it was, the drugs have gotten worse, the homosexuality has gotten worse, they’ve even had riots after these prayers of binding spirits were put into effect.So it doesn’t work and it was never done in the Bible.Paul never took a city.

Tom:

That’s the key isn’t it Dave?

Dave:

Yes.Paul never took a city for God or even attempted to take a city for God, nor did Christ.In fact the Bible indicates and I don’t say this to discourage anyone one, but Paul did says that evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse.Jesus raised the question; When the Son of Man returns will he find THE faith on the earth?Now that doesn’t sound like a great last days’ revival.It doesn’t sound like we are taking cities for God.It sounds like the opposite.Now what was the solution?The solution: we have Paul telling Timothy.He says you know the problem in the last days is not going to be that people don’t how to engage in effective warfare against Satan.We’re not to do that.We’re just to stand with the armor on.He says the problem will be 2 Timothy 4—they will not endure sound doctrine.See, the Bible isn’t enough anymore.It’s not exciting enough.We want to go to a Benny Hinn crusade and we want to see people fall over.We want to see some miracles happening and so forth, even though what is taught is often, not always, but often contradictory to the Word of God.So Paul says, you know in the last days there are going to be dangerous times and men will be lovers of themselves and they will not endure sound doctrine, sound teaching from the Word of God.Doctrine is very important.But what do you do Timothy?Preach the Word!Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.That’s what we need to do, not engage in hocus pocus and binding territorial spirits.

Tom:

Dave, we’re not trying to encourage our listeners to become cynics here, but a healthy skepticism, I think is important.They have to be thoughtful about what they’re doing.They can’t be someone who just follows after any idea or just because a group is doing something—they have to search the scriptures as we said.Isaiah wrote, “To the law and the testimony they speak not according to this word there is no light in them.”That’s got to be our heart and our attitude.

Dave:

Exactly.

Tom:
Dave can we go through—I’ve got some scriptures here which I’d like to just look because I think they are so important.First of all, James:4:7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
See All..., to me this is the most important verse with regard to spiritual warfare, with regard to dealing with the adversary, but it begins: “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”First and foremost that’s where it’s got to happen.“Resist the devil…”

Dave:

Now how do we submit to God?Through his Word.

Tom:

Of course.

Dave:

We don’t get a mystical feeling about this.We go to his Word.

Tom:

No, if it’s not according to his Word, it’s not according to him.It’s some man or some idea, or somebody trying to add some things and so forth.So that’s followed by “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Dave:

Now how do we resist the devil?By some technique or waving a cross at him?By the Word!How did Jesus resist the devil in the wilderness?

Tom:

“It is written.”Of course.

Dave:

“It is written,” right.So we’ve got to know the Bible and we obey the Word; we submit to the Lord.

Tom:

Now let’s go to Ephesians:6:10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
See All..., “Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.”Again, submitting to God.He’s the one who’s going to protect, instruct, enable where things need to be accomplished according to his Word.

Dave:

How can I be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might?By allowing him to have his way in my life.Allowing him to be my shield my guide.Everything and being in love with him and trusting him, obeying him.

Tom:

Verse 11, “Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”Now that doesn’t sound very offensive minded.That we’re going to go out and take and we’re going to do this and we’re going to—

Dave:

He’s after us, so what we do is stand, and the first piece of armor is, “having your loins gird about with truth.”That’s the Word of God!Jesus said, “If you continue in my word then are ye my disciples and you will know the truth.The truth will set you free.”Okay and how do we set others free?We bring the truth to them and it doesn’t come by a magic technique.It’s only if they are willing to accept the truth.If they’re willing to believe God’s Word and trust in Christ.This is the way it comes about.

Tom:

Dave I want to really emphasize this business of standing in him, of standing firm.Verse twelve goes on, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.”How much more clear can it be?That this is not something that we’re to go out and take control of.

Dave:

We are not on the attack against evils spirits.They are attacking us.How do they attack us?With doubts of God’s Word exactly as Satan did in the Garden to Eve.His techniques haven’t changed.So what do we do?We stand having our loins gird about with truth.We stand in the victory that Christ has won by faith in him and in his finished work.

Tom:

Right, and practically looking to the scriptures, where do you find according to Paul’s life as he’s laid it out for us in the scriptures.He says, “Follow me, follow me as I follow Christ.”We don’t have an example of him being the aggressive individual who’s casting out demons here and there and so on.I mean he did it mostly in defense not certainly in an aggressive way.

Dave:

Certainly you have the case of the woman who was involved in sorcery.She was a medium.

Tom:

She kept bugging him.

Dave:

Yes, and he didn’t come there to cast a demon out of her, to take over, but when she kept giving a false testimony, “These are the servants of the Most High God, they bring you a way of salvation.”Paul says, “Wait a minute, I don’t want any endorsement from that corner.And so he cast the demon out of her.It wasn’t that he was on the offensive.They were trying to join in a partnership with him that she would not accept.

Tom:

Right.So we go on in verse 14, “Stand therefore having your loins gird about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness.”Two points there, truth and righteousness.We have to walk in him, we have to abide in him, and we have to be pleasing to him in terms of our life if we are going to be effective to his glory.Verse 15, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”Now what does that mean Dave?

Dave:

Well Tom, I think it means you don’t just go out and preach the gospel, but if my life is not in line with the gospel that I preach and if someone can look at me and say these Christians, they can go to church and sing their hymns and pray their prayers on Sunday, but if you try to do business with them on Monday—or look what they’re involved in, then I am reproach to Christ.So the preparation of the gospel of peace is I have believed, I am walking in faith in Christ, first of all, I have a thorough understanding of what it means and I am prepared.As Peter says in I Peter 3:15, “Be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks a reason of the hope that is in you.”So I am prepared if an opportunity comes up at work, on an airplane, taxi driver, or a friend or a neighbor, whatever it is.I am not pushing myself on these people, but if the opportunity comes, then I am ready, I can answer their questions.I can dispel their doubts.In fact, let me put it like this: Paul says to Titus 2, I don’t remember the exact verse, but he says it very succinctly, “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part maybe ashamed having no evil thing to say of you.”I don’t think you could say it any better than that.

Tom:

Absolutely not.That brings conviction, real conviction in the heart of those who would just be ready to knock you out of the saddle for what you believe.Verse 16, Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”Dave, I remember we’ve screened a lot of video from Brownsville, from the so called revival that was down there.I can remember during one of their services there was a woman up there and she kept ducking and ducking this way and so on and so forth.And you found out that one of the so called prophets came up and said there are demons in the back and their casting their fiery darts—I mean that borders on absurdity.That’s not what this is talking about.

Dave:

Well I don’t know why the demons were always in there and they had to clean them out, pray over every chair before service—Tom, we’re not trying to disparage these people or make fun of them, but let’s trust God and let’s walk in the victory that he has won which is through the blood of Christ poured out for our sins upon the cross.Christ defeated Satan on the cross.Now we don’t have to pay so much attention to him that we’re always worried about Satan and to imagine that demons are right inside of the church during the church service and they are throwing their darts a people and they’re ducking?Come on, you don’t duck, they go into the heart to bring doubts.

Tom:

Right.

Dave:

Doubts against the Word of God and the shield of faith?I simply trust God’s Word.I trust him so I’m not afraid of these things.I don’t have to go through all these techniques to combat evil spirits.My gracious!We are trusting the Lord and we are standing in his victory.But you know Tom, from a practical standpoint there may be people out there, you’ve got all kinds of worries.Worried about your finances, worried about whether you’re going to get a job, you may be out of work.Worried about—there are so many things you can be fearful and worried about.And I’m speaking from—not just theoretically, I’ve been in very difficult places.I’ve taken not just Bibles, but other things that were needed behind the Iron Curtain.I’ve faced financial disaster and so many impossible situations.Seven thousand miles from home and no money with my family, trusting God.So I’m not speaking theoretically.And God is faithful if we will trust him.But the fiery darts of the wicked are doubts.They are causing you to doubt God.Wait a minute; God has said he will watch over you.He will care for you.He’s your good shepherd.Then let’s trust him.He may not answer your prayer the way you think, but continue to trust him.

Tom:

Dave, in verse 17, “And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God.”Now we’ve been saying over and over again how important that is.“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

Dave:

Well Tom that really speaks to my heart because sometimes I can take too much for granted.We need to be in prayer and Paul, this great man of God; he wanted people to be praying for him.And if you’re out there, we want you to pray for us.Everywhere I go when people talk to me after a meeting and they say we get The Berean Call, we’re so thankful, we’ve read your books, the Lord has made you a blessing in our lives, I always say please, keep praying for us.We need prayer and this has spoken to my heart.I need to be prayer more for others.

Tom:

Yes, well Dave this—we’ve got about a minute, minute and a half left.I think this is what spiritual warfare is all about.Some of the things that we’ve laid out for our listeners.This is not your idea or my idea.This is what God’s Word says and if we’re going to be effective to God’s glory, we’ve got to do things his way.

Dave:

Yes, and it’s much easier to get involved in some technique than obeying the Word of God.Studying the Word of God, spending time on my knees in prayer, knowing what God’s concerns are.I remember the author of 300 years ago saying that he learned the value of souls by appearing so often in the presence of God on their behalf.And I think a little time spent on our knees helps us understand the value of God’s Word and of those that he loves and that Christ has redeemed.

Tom:

And if you’re listening and you’re involved in a church that’s into these things, be a Berean.Go to these individuals and just ask them—be meek and humble.Don’t go wielding a big sword except the sword of the spirit, but ask questions.Find out upon what basis are they doing and encouraging others to do whatever.

Dave:

Right, amen.