16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Dont let Satan shut you down. I could see it was affecting how I treated my kids and husband. She wished me death and attempted to kill me various times. At that point, I was no longer depositing my paycheck into his USAA account, and I refused to give him any money. Get to know God more. I just wanted to die. What is it about that one plot of land that has spurred so much war? I ask good questions and I watch them glisten. The one is vulnerable to attack. I made this book of Biblical devotionals free for all women to help encourage and empower you by sharing hope in Christ. On thecontrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Wagner remarks, "This is such a crucial issue for power ministries, including strategic-level spiritual warfare today, that I want to make sure what Colin Brown and I have said is very clear" (p . Recognize who your true enemy is. Often, we forget that Jesus Christ has already given us victory over the enemy. This was my phrase: Lord, I will serve You where You call me to serve. What is Spiritual Warfare? The Anna Szabo Show is one of the best Christian podcasts for women who enjoy heart-to-heart conversations about God, Gospel, and the matters of life. It took a long time for me to regain my strength because Satan always comes to kill and steal and destroy, which he almost did, but God is good: Im still here. Improving your spiritual life and being intentional with spiritual preparation is as simple as spending time with God every day. The word of God is your sword. Part 1. But don't worry, God is with you. Even to my own body I was not attached. Under the influence of his abuse, I became completely devasted, disoriented, and depressed. Meditate on how He cleansed you from all sin and washed you as white as snow. Looking into the context of Deuteronomy 3:22 helps us see the why side of this issue. "The evil temptations that appeal to your specific desires and happen to show up when you are most vulnerable are not accidental. Satan still exists but has no authority over Gods children. "Consider your areas of greatest strength and greatest weakness. No prayer no divine power. I was an award-winning author of a goal-setting book, a public speaker, an MBA graduate of Georgia State University, a professional career woman who loved her life and was joyful. And you give God all the glory for your story. SESSION 20 PRAYER MAPPING. Do you believe that today? 176. All Praise To HIM! 3. Spiritual warfare is real. One morning, after I had laid down my pride and jealousy, and fear about serving God opened a door. Oh Lord, I am afraid. Were they concerned about my age, my few years off, the state of my health? Why not speak truth to power? Lies. Google, spiritual warfare in the bible, to see all the times others were in the same situation. 12:12): spiritual weapons nature (2 Cor. 6If you are the Son of God,he said, throw yourself down. However, dont rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:19-20). Defining something is how we grasp what it is and then learn more about it. Avoid them or make changes if possible. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. No! I wont pursue him. These are deceiving thoughts that weaken our faith in God. God wants to have a conversation with you. Faith is the secret to facing your giants. But the enemy would love nothing more than to fill our minds with discouragement and defeat. Thank God for His blessings in your life, tell Him about your troubles and anxieties, ask Him for comfort, and praise Him for His goodness and grace. The enemy will use anything and anyone to steal, kill, and destroy you (John 10:10). Prayer is crucial for both. He used mental cruelty daily to drive me crazy. Banish the Unofficial Luggage of Foster Care, A Prayer to Watch How We Live - Your Daily Prayer - July 5. Seek the testimonies of other believers to renew your own faith daily. I focused on Gods Promises and who God says I am. If this blog helped you, share it with someone right now. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord (Proverbs 21:31). Sound familiar? "Spiritual warfare" is a phrase you might hear some Christians use, but the truth is many people do not fully know what it is, or what to do about it. The way I coped was through escaping into sex and education. One way to examine how were doing spiritually is by asking ourselves if theres any areas of our lives that are separate from our Christian life. Are there beliefs we hold that are not compared to Gods truth? LOL, sometimes I am all in a deliverance prayer mode, and Gods all like, Hey, Tiffany, Im over here, just get back on the path. Praise God He is patient with me. amzn_assoc_title = "My Top Picks To Prepare for Spiritual Warfare"; For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. Thats why Paul told the Ephesians to gird themselves for daily battles not by their strength but with Christs (6:10), putting on the armor of light (Rom. There are seven weapons at your disposal to successfully fight the battle with Satan: 1. Let them tell you where the attack is being made so you can fight it with the right promises. Spiritual warfare takes place in the unseen, spiritual dimension, aka heavenly realm and high places. Spiritual warfare is fought against Satan. Job was put through a series of adverse life circumstances to test his faith and ultimately bring him to the point of a personal relationship with God. Satan was defeated when Christ Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and resurrected on the third day. Thank you for being right there when I turn back. Spiritual Warfare: What is it? Take the helmet of salvationand the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God. Specifically, to have complete armor of defensive and offensive weapons. It was confusing. Together, Lord, we'll win, because in truth, you already have. Spiritual Warfare in Everyday Living - Lifeway Voices 33:20), The sword of the Spirit (Isa. We remodeled his $90K house. Often I find that when I am dry or spiritually cold, I find God right where I turned off the path. Why prepare for spiritual warfare? God made it and set it aside for Israel. You are victorious. The angels of nations described in Scripture remind us that cosmic evil shapes the politics of earthly warfare. 2:13-17). Well, its freaky, alright! Special Three battlefileds and victory 2hrs. ', The breastplate of righteousness and helmet of salvation (Isa. Not only awareness, but vigilance, preparedness, courage, and the right weaponry are crucial elements of engaging in spiritual warfare. Maybe you need to go back and take the last right step. They are his deceptive tactics (and that of his evil entourage), specifically designed, timed and personalized in hopes that you fall prey to his demon ploy and miss out on experiencing an abundant life in Christ," she said. How Can Christians Knock Down Fear of the Future? I created a social media campaign and an online course about Jesus and sex, which attracted 45K viewers in its first few months, and nearly 1K students enrolled in my course globally. Awareness of the spiritual battle around us is very important. God calls upon every one of his soldiers to take up their armor and join in the battle to advance the gospel among the nations. Read our disclosure policy for more info. For many years, I lived my life detached. Spiritual warfare is very real. God set aside a portion of physical land for Israel. Ephesians 6 is filled with many prepare for battle Bible verses. Dec 11, 2019 What Is Spiritual Warfare? Without a doubt, the most detailed explanation of this conflict is in the book of Ephesians. Silly. Priscilla reminds us that God has provided us with everything we need to win the spiritual battles we face, emphasizing that we need to know that, believe it, and act upon it. Your community. There are many definitions of spiritual warfare. "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he . He used very specific mental cruelty tactics to confuse me and plant doubt in my mind, heart, and soul. God restored Job to the life twice as better as his life before, and after that season, Job lived 140 more years to be almost 200. That day, I did, and I was able to stand, thanks to my spiritual squad. I love that God knows we will forget and need to be reminded! We need to believe in the power of prayer -warfare prayer. First of all, it's the rebellion and opposition of Satan and his demons to God. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, With the breastplate of righteousness in place, Your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. When I was going through spiritual warfare, the first thing that happened was this: as my confidence in Gods promises began fading away, my mind became a battlefield for doubt. This is a way to talk directly with God (who is fighting for you) and see what you can do to head off strongholds and improve your spiritual life to win the battles! Even my body is involved in the war. Confusion followed: I was confused about who I was, whose I was, why I was here, where I was going, and what I needed to do. Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Thrse of Lisieux teaches us to have childlike faith and stop protecting our vulnerabilities. "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealeda righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. (Romans 1:17), Admittedly, the topic of Satan and spiritual warfare is one that some Christians find challenging and even difficult to consider. How are we doing with putting on the full armor of God? Everything was handpicked by me: from tiles and faucets to bathtubs, light fixtures, and furniture. This Christian life is hard and the battle is long and I need you, Lord. Spiritual warfare can occur in the seemingly harmless decisions of life. Just be raw, frank, and real with God," she said. However, God warns us that the threat of spiritual warfare is very real and to arm ourselves with what He has given us. Not only is God right there with you through the battle, but He also promises to do the fighting for you! God reminded Israel of the past victories to help them be still and not fear while facing the next war. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Jobaccuses God of being unjust and not operating the world according to principles of justice, and his friends believe thatJobs sin caused his suffering. Dont forget that prayer is a part of the armor of God and we need to put it on every day as we do battle in this spiritual war. Heres the next part of my spiritual warfare poem, which Ill share with you in its entirety later. Heres the challenge. And his explanation of the armor of God was based on the common uniform of a Roman soldier. Yes, Jesus Told Us to Pray in Secret. Spiritual warfare is real. Spiritual Warfare Explained (with Real Examples) I can remember several Sunday mornings thanking God for helping me to choose Him by going to church or spending time with people who were not doing well. Job was described by the Lord Himself as blameless and upright, a man who fears Godand shuns evil, which was the description God gave to Satan when Satan came to God for His permission to tempt Job. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you James 4:7, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil Ephesians 6:11, Destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Know the truth, the truth will set you free John 8:32, Be sober-minded; be watchful 1 Peter 5:8, Stay connected with your spiritual squad For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them Matthew 18:20, Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you James 4:8, Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, whatever is worthy of praise, think about these things Philippians 4:8, Be alert and always keep on praying Ephesians 6:18. Symptoms are whats experienced and felt on the inside. Prayer is the sacred key to activating the divine power of the armor of God. In our wedding video, I admitted to my anxiety, which was dismissed. Jesus was fully God and fully human, yet He himself was tempted by Satan in His human life. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights,he was hungry. Walk in your purpose with your divine power in Christ through faith. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 5. My life at home was filled with daily drama. I knew that it was going to be tough. This is a spiritual battle in the mind of every Believer! Im an affiliate of Amazon and Socialite. If we cant avoid them, ask God for wisdom and help in honoring Him. Just like God set aside that special piece of land of Israel, God also made you and chose you and set you apart. For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you,and they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.[c], 7Jesus answered him,It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.[d], 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. As Christians, we have often been trained to fight pride, lust, anxiety, laziness, and other sins. How the shofar emerged as a weapon of spiritual warfare for some Thats what the Bible says. They go for the one who is weak. One of his favorite tactics is to tell us lies and to speak them so convincingly that we hold them for the truth. I moved to America in 2008 as a mail-ordered bride. Because how could the readers put on' or take up' armor that they didn't understand or even know they had? This may sound repetitive but its actually not. In 2017, I was a part of a Christian Discipleship for Women church group, and we did a spiritual warfare Bible study. Satan wants you isolated and alone. Victory is on the other side of that relationship! Please see below for details. Ill show you how spiritual warfare plays out in real life, so that you can be aware, alert, and armed properly for the battle. But for those with God through Jesus, the battle is already won as Christ overcame death with the resurrection. Many of us feel pinned down by anger, unforgiveness, pride, comparisons, insecurity, discord, fear. how to know if you are in the midst of spiritual warfare or not. All people matter very much to me. I struggled in life with addictions to alcohol and sex. What Is Spiritual Warfare?: An Interview with Sam Storms It is often the same with us. The enemys flaming darts and Gods Great Commission make spiritual warfare unavoidable, and spiritual pacifism suicidal. Stands for as long as Messiah lives because He himself is the peace (2:14). Fear. Thats why in this article I want to share with you everything you need to know about spiritual warfare, from my real-life experience. 11Then the devil left him,and angels came and attended him. Put onthe full armorof God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. God promises to strengthen us for spiritual warfare, but we also have to put on His armor, such as Scripture meditation and prayer. It took a long time and a lot of work for me to finally see it all for what it was, and it was painful. And that through prayer we recognize and wield the weapons of our spiritual warfare. The Testimony of Believers: leverage your own testimony of how Gods grace saved your life and gives you a clear conscience today. Deuteronomy 3:22 Table of Contents hide 1 Why Prepare for Spiritual Battle? "The spiritual armor in Ephesians 6:10-20 (truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God's Word, prayer) is merely a repeat, a different way of describing what Paul had already been explaining in the rest of his letter. I studied His promises and stood firmly on them. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. Spiritual Warfare Scriptures - Bible Verses about our Spiritual War (c) Subscribe Today for weekly Preemptor Intel Update Shatter the Darkness Russ Dizdar. Excerpted and adapted from two sermons preached by Dr. Sam Horn at Palmetto Baptist Church and discussed on The Steve Noble Show on Sept. 30. If this is not from You, close the door and make my heart happy about that. I wrestled with God over each fear. Make no mistake, this was to be a physical war, but it was very much spiritual warfare! The first step for them the first step for us in utilizing the spiritual resources we've been given is to have our spiritual eyes opened so that we can see them," she said. God, on the other hand, loves every soul so much that He sent His only Son to die, paying the price for the sin we so easily fall into, to make a way for Eternal Life with Him. Are you serious? Victory is available to us, but it will only come as we pray for God's help in the battle. 4:1-11). I didnt understand why God would allow Satan to tempt me that way, so I grew resentful toward God and even wrote Him angry and desperate letters. Satan is your adversary, accuser, tempter, and deceiver. The Bible is the most powerful weapon we could wield in spiritual warfare. . You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Today engaging in spiritual warfare is necessary. To gain strength in the Lord, heres a list of seven weapons: the word of God, the blood of Jesus, the name of Jesus, the testimony of believers, prayer, Gods promises, and thanksgiving. The battle is so strong in the morning, but after church service ends, I reap the benefits of obeying God as I hear words of encouragement or conviction from the pastors message, sing songs that resonate with my struggles, or learn of Gods work in other peoples lives. Forgive me for all the times you said to do something and I said no and went my own way.