It seems to me that no one endeavor in the ministry should make one more aware of the issues of spiritual warfare than the ministry of intercession. I have always found it a very rewarding feeling to be able to stick my thumb in satan’s eye and feel a great sense of gratitude to God for allowing us to participate in the suppression and ultimate destruction of this wicked spiritual reptile and his wretched lackeys.
There are a number of passages in holy Scripture which speak directly to the link between prayer and spiritual warfare. The great doctrinal passage of Ephesians six is an example. It is unfortunate that most Bible teachers arbitrarily stop at verse 17 when speaking on spiritual warfare and the armor of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Yet the teaching of God the Holy Spirit on spiritual warfare does not stop here with the Sword of the Spirit. God the Holy Spirit immediately continues on into prayer...
Eph 6:18-20 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Not only is the church to arm itself with the spiritual armor of God it is to sustain missionaries aggressively through prayer. Praying for missionaries has a direct impact on their lives. This impact is often very real to us when we consider the world and the flesh but we are often hesitant to apply this same principle to the devil. Yet for the sake of the safety of missionaries it is very important that we oppose satan vigorously in our prayers on their behalf. Most assuredly, in the ministry, as things play out on the visible playing field, there are activities and conflicts just as earnestly taking place in the invisible spiritual realm. We participate in this invisible mortal combat through our prayers.
I am reminded of this fact today in particular from my reading of the Book of Daniel as part for my Daily Quiet Time Alone With God. I am again and again reminded of the importance of spiritual warfare when I meditate upon the historical revelatory events in the life of Daniel...
Daniel 10:10-14 10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, "O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14 "Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."
As Daniel prayed and sought the Lord in the physical realm, a real and mortal combat between the forces of light and darkness was taking place in the spiritual world. Thus when we read a doctrinal passage on intercessory prayer such as
2 Corinthians 1:10-11 10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many.
We must read of the deliverance from death, not just from physical, worldly trials but from the spiritual attacks of satan as well. The help given is not just in the physical realm but the spiritual as well. We understand as well a clear doctrinal teaching on intercessory prayer as it pertains to praying for missionaries – as in the life of Paul so in our life there is “favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many”. Each week we experience spiritual protection, spiritual blessings and favors as a direct result of your prayers.
Thus when God the Holy Spirit exhorts us on behalf of missioners in Romans 15:30 “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,” We must view this striving not just against the world and the flesh but against the very powers of darkens as well.
We live in an age when Spiritual Warfare has descended to the realm of forbidden entertainment. Books, conferences, Videos and more depict demonic encounters and interactions which are forbidden by Holy Scripture. God the Holy Spirit teaches us in 1 Timothy 4:1-2 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,” Yet despite this admonition – so called deliverance crusades pander to the most base curiosities of the church. Demons are commanded to speak and their “doctrines” are then passed on to the church. Rather than attacking, casting out and destroying these demons, these so called apostles and ministers interact with them and then pass on their teaching to the church. All of which is forbidden. Spiritual warfare is not talking to demons it is attacking them. It is not learning from demons it is rather the destruction of demons. We are not to promote them but to oppose them. Spiritual warfare is conducted in prayer. All spiritual information that can and should be known of demons is found in God’s holy, eternal, inerrant written Word. Spiritual warfare is earnest, focused, intense prayer and not showmanship and it is certainly not talking and fellowshipping with demons.
Eleanor and I rely keenly upon your commitment as prayer warriors to strive on our behalf against the spiritual forces of darkness, against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
I close this email as always with a deep and abiding thankfulness for your sacrificial and effectual prayers which empower and drive this ministry ever forward in the cause of Christ.
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon Grace Community Int. – Standing side by side with you as the kingdom of darkness is rolled back as we preach and teach God’s holy, eternal, inerrant written Word throughout the world
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