Spiritual Warfare
Enter
into the victory of Jesus
Lord Jesus, you have gained the victory
over the world, the flesh and the devil, through your death and resurrection.
Please, allow us to enter into your victory whenever people, devils or systems
oppose you. Amen.
1.
Prepare
for spiritual warfare by knowing the Bible.
·
Find
in Matthew 17:15-20 what to do in the face of demonic
opposition. (Exorcism)
·
Find
in Matthew 26:38-45 what to do in the face of mortal opposition.
(Martyrdom)
·
Find
in Acts 4:23-31 what to do in the face of political opposition.
(Courage)
·
Find
in Acts 13:6-12 what to do in the face of religious opposition.
(Power encounter)
·
Find
in Acts 16:16-26 what to do in the face of economic opposition.
(Praise)
·
Find
in Ephesians 6:10-13 what to do in the face of spiritual
opposition. (Stand firm)
·
Find
in James 4:1-7 what to do in the face of internal opposition.
(Humility)
·
Find
in 1 Peter 5:8-11 what to do in the face of legal opposition.
(Resist Satan)
Chart adapted from http://www.directionjournal.org/
2.
Enter
into spiritual
battles together with your co-workers.
When you come to
realize that you are experiencing opposition to what Jesus has called you to
do, take time with your co-workers to discern the kind of opposition and to take
action that the Bible recommends.
This will often
entail some of the following steps.
·
Review
Bible texts that relate to your situation, like those in section 1, above.
·
Agree
on which facets of the opposition are political, religious, economic,
spiritual, internal, demonic and social.
·
Agree
to resist the devil—then do so.
·
Examine
your own actions whether they are biblical, Christ-honouring, righteous,
ethical, culturally-sensitive, honourable …
·
Pray
together, appealing to the Lord Jesus Christ who died to free people from the
devil, rose to life to live with us believers and sent his Holy Spirit to
give us holiness and power to obey his commandments.
·
If
attacks come from other believers, then ask their leaders whether they
approve of their personnel’s actions, citing only facts about what they have
done.
·
Proceed
with your work, adjusting your plans where past actions have caused
unnecessary offence.
·
Show
love to your enemies in ways that honour Jesus.
·
Discern
and avoid non-biblical myths and errors about spiritual warfare:
That
naming local spirits will give you power over them.
That
binding demons will make people become Christians.
That
a placing of symbolic objects will weaken local spirits.
That
by commanding Satan, spirits or angels, you will get the results that you
want.
3.
Conduct
with your co-workers a time of worship, prayer and praise for yourselves and
local believers.
·
Read
together some Bible stories that illustrate spiritual warfare. Both Old and
New Testaments may be used.
·
Review
together biblical principles and promises of spiritual warfare, emphasizing
that Jesus is Victor and our faith is the victory.
·
Lead
the believers in a time of questions and answers about spiritual warfare, not
dwelling on popular, non-biblical ideas and opinions that some may express.
·
Ask
for testimonials about past victories in spiritual warfare, including those
that led to suffering, persecution and martyrdom.
·
Introduce
the Lord’s Supper with Hebrews 12:1-3.
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so
closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated
at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners
such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or
fainthearted.
·
Share
with the believers any actions that you and your co-workers have decided on.
·
Form
small groups to pray for one another and about the present spiritual battle.
·
Memorize
together 1 Peter 5:8-9.
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