WARRIORS FOR CHRIST

 

SCRIPTURES
Gen. 1:28 - We are to subdue the earth.

Gen. 3:15 - JESUS bruised the head of Satan.

Ex. 15:3 - The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Num. 23:8 - How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?

Psa. 5:10 - Let them fall by their own counsels.

Psa. 6:10 - Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed.

Psa. 7:15 - And is fallen in the ditch which he made.

Psa. 8:6 - Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.

Psa. 10:15 - Break thou the arm of the wicked and evil men.

Psa. 17:13 - Arise , O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down.

Psa. 24:8 - The Lord mighty in battle.

Psa. 28:4 - Render to them their desert.

Psa. 35:8 - Let his net that he hath hid catch himself.

Psa. 37:14 - And to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Psa. 55:9 - Destroy, O Lord, and divide their TONGUES.

Psa. 57:6 - Into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves.

Psa. 58:6 - Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth.

Psa. 59:11 - Scatter them by thy power; and bring them down.

Psa. 68:18 - Thou hast led captivity captive.

Psa. 69:22 - Which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

Psa. 83:9 - A prayer against them that oppress the church.

Psa. 109:17 - As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him.

Psa. 109:28 - When they arise, let them be ashamed.

Psa. 109:29 - Let them cover themselves with their own confusion.

Psa. 140:9 - Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Psa. 149:6-9 - A two edged sword in their hand.

Prov. 26:2 - So the curse causeless shall not come.

Isa. 53:12 - He shall divide the spoil with the strong.

Isa. 54:17 - Every tongue arising against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.

Isa. 58:6 - Fast - Loose - Undo - Free - Break

Jer. 1:10 - Set - Root - Pull - Destroy - Throw - Build - Plant

Jer. 48:10 - Cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

Jer. 51:20 - Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war.

Matt. 5:44 - Love your enemies.

Matt. 10:7-8 - Preach - Heal - Cleanse - Raise - Cast - Give

Matt. 12:29 - We are to bind the strong man, Satan, and spoil his house.

Matt. 18:18-19 - Bind - Loose - Agree

Matt. 28:20 - Teaching to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

Luke 4:18 - Preach / Heal / Deliver / Sight / Liberty

Luke 8:1 - We should do the works of God in every city and village.

Luke 10:18 - Satan is a defeated foe.

Luke 10:19 - God gave us power over all the power of the enemy.

Luke 11:22 - We are stronger than Satan through JESUS CHRIST.

John 12:31 - Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

John 16:11 - The prince of this world has been judged by JESUS.

Rom. 16:20 - And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

I Cor. 4:12 - Being reviled we bless; being persecuted we suffer it.

II Cor. 10:4 - We are to pull down the strongholds of Satan.

Eph. 3:10 - The church is to make its presence known to the principalities.

Eph. 6:12 - We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against evil forces.

Eph. 6:16 - Ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Col. 2:15 - JESUS spoiled principalities and powers.

II Tim. 1:10 - Our Savior JESUS CHRIST who hath abolished death.

II Tim. 2:26 - Help others recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil.

Heb. 2:8 - Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.

Heb. 2:14 - He might destroy him that had the power over death.

James 4:7 - Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

I John 3:8 - Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil.

I John 5:5 - We are overcomers because we believe in JESUS, the Son of God.

Rev. 12:11 - Overcome by blood of Lamb, word of testimony and love not lives.

Rev. 12:17 - We are at war with the forces of evil.

The Bible says He is "God of Battles", "Man of War" and "Lord of Armies". There is a lot more scripture in the Word of God which describes God and what He expects us to do as His warriors (solders). Several verses are II Kings 13:14-19 and Psa. 78:9-11.

PREFACE
This lesson is to demonstrate that we are to be warriors for CHRIST in the spiritual battle for the earth. What we do will have consequences for eternity. You can make a difference in the world!

A philosopher once said, "For every man attacking the roots of evil, there are a thousand flailing away at the leaves." This is a picture of Christianity today; few people are willing to get their hands dirty and dig up the roots of evil. DELIVERANCE is dealing with sin in people's lives; it is housecleaning according to Earline.

KEYS TO SUCCESS
The following was penned by William B. Fason, 1865-1945, who handled sporting goods and farm machinery in east Texas. Many times the world follows the principles of Christianity to succeed in business. See if you can apply his philosophy to everyday living. (The comment in the parenthesis is mine.)

1. Don't ever tell nobody nuthin that ain't so. (Don't lie under any circumstance.)

2. If it's broke, fix it quick as you can. You can fish anytime. Crops won't wait to be sowed or harvested. (If you have problems in life, deal with them now. Don't procrastinate, the problems will probably get worse.)

3. The product has gotta do the job right or it ain't no bargain no matter how pretty or cheap it is. Cheap shoes hurt ever day for years. Good ones only hurt once when you pay for them. (Easy believeism is no bargain. It only hurts once when you deal openly with your sin.)

4. Don't sell a 30-06 to a feller that hunts rabbits. The shells is expensive and the rabbit gets blowed up and ain't hardly fit to eat. (Don't apply the wrong solution in the Bible to your problems. For instance, don't pray for healing when you need your demons cast out.)

5. Don't sell a 22 to a bear hunter. He's liable to wind up getting ate by the bear. (Don't tell a person that all of their problems are solved; they may leave the church when they find out that what you said is not true.)

6. Nuthin is more important than a satisfied customer. Treat him wrong an he will holler all over the county. Treat him fair and he will brang you more customers that you can shake a stick at. (Use the "Golden Rule" and tell the truth in love; it will win out in the end.)

7. Trust everybody but still cut the cards. (Don't let the charlatans ruin you love for others. Use your brain and leadership of the Holy Spirit to spot falseness.)

8. Don't fret none over a mistake. Just make sure you learnt somethin. (Don't spend time in guilt. Learn your lesson and don't make the same mistake again.)

9. Be suspicious of any man that walks a dog on a leash. (Discern everything that you hear, see or read to see if it lines up with the Bible.)

10. Always deal with things like they is, not like they ain't or ought to be. (Face life in reality not in Christian fantasy; don't live a lie.)

11. If a feller sez "It's ain't the money it's the principal of the thing." You can bet your life it's the money. (Learn to look on the hidden man of the heart and not on the outward appearance of man.)

12. Let the Lord guide you but remember that God don't do no plowin or milkin. (Don't look to God to do our jobs. Study the Bible and see what your part is.)

WHY DID JESUS COME TO EARTH?
I John 3:8 says For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. Most adults can not answer this question correctly! Most people think that He came to save them. Salvation is just part of what JESUS CHRIST accomplished on earth. As you can see from the scripture above, He bruised Satan's head, led captivity captive, divided the spoil, cast out Satan, judged prince of world, spoiled principalities and powers, abolished death, put all things in subjection, etc. As you study the Bible, it is clear that JESUS CHRIST, The Son of God, completely defeated Satan and his army of fallen angels and demons. It is also clear that God Almighty made provisions that we can be totally victorious in Him according to His Ways. Wouldn't it be ridiculous if God setup a plan for children of God to lose to the forces of evil?

If Satan has been completely defeated, then why do we still have to war with the enemy? It is simple; Satan is free to roam the earth until he is bound up for a thousand years. Until then, he can do everything we will let him do to destroy us. Satan has no power over us but we let him trick us due to our ignorance of the Bible and because of sin in our lives.

DID GOD GIVE US COMPLETE AUTHORITY OVER THE ENEMY?
Luke 10:19 says Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. We are to subdue, have dominion, do the works of God, be overcomers, quench fiery darts, etc.

DOES GOD WORK THROUGH US?
Jer. 51:20 says Thou art my battle ax and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms. Why doesn't God do everything Himself? He certainly could! God has chosen to work through His children. The condition of the world is the responsibility of the Christian body and especially the leaders. It is clear that the five-fold ministry has failed to properly teach and show the world how to live. The world will never be won for CHRIST with the ignorance, cowardliness and greed of the present day ministry.

WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?
Matt. 12:29 says Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house. If JESUS came to destroy the works of the enemy, then what should we do? We should continue in His footsteps and do His works until He comes for us. We should bind the forces of evil and spoil their houses. We are to help those recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who have been taken captive.

Key words about what we can do are: Fast - Loose - Undo - Free - Break - Set - Root - Pull - Destroy - Throw - Build - Plant - Cleanse - Raise - Cast - Give - Bind - Loose - Agree - Preach - Heal - Deliver - Sight - Liberty.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO WILL NOT FIGHT THE LORD'S BATTLES?
Jer. 48:10 says Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. If you will not fight for God, you are cursed. If you do not fight, the demons will take advantage of you. You can not win by not fighting in the spiritual war. The best defense is a good offense against the forces of evil. God will always do his part of the covenant but he will not do our part. It is far better to be on His side in the battle than to be neutral in the battle and be subject to the enemy. If you are not willing to fight, God will watch as you are overcome by the enemy.

DO WE FIGHT AGAINST PEOPLE?
Eph. 6:12 says 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. We are not fighting against people but against demons within people and spiritual forces outside of people; this is spiritual warfare. We don't have a right to fight against flesh and blood but we do have the right and responsibility to fight against evil forces. Otherwise, there is no battle on earth; we just let humans and Satan do anything to us. I also believe we have the right and responsibility to defend our nation and our families against harm.

HOW DO WE LOVE OUR HUMAN ENEMIES?
Matt. 5:44 says But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. This is a verse that God has used to deal with me when others are not treating me in a Christian way. There are no excuses in the Bible. Here we are talking about humans and not demons.

The Bible has a lot to say about how we treat others. Matt. 5:44 is a good summary about how we should treat our human enemies. Our enemies could be other Christians or heathen in the world. How do we reconcile spiritual warfare with spiritual beings versus loving physical human beings?

I normally think of a number of things when I pray for people who are my enemies because of their actions against me, family, ministry, etc. as follows:

1. I repent and ask God to forgive me of anything I may have done. (You need to get right with God before praying for others.)

2. I forgive my enemies and release them from sin against me. (The most important thing is forgiveness. We can hold a person's sin or release it.)

3. I ask God to forgive them and bless them with all spiritual blessings. (All spiritual blessings would include salvation and teaching the right way.)

4. I break any soul ties with them or curses on me in the Name of JESUS. (Now we have the right to break soul ties and curses with sin under the Blood.)

5. I then send the demons back to the sender that were sent to me. (It is hoped that the demons will cause the person to see that there is something wrong.)

6. I ask God to save their souls and open their eyes as to what they are doing. (We want the heathen to be saved and the saved to be taught. The wrong actions may be done in ignorance or with malice aforethought.)

7. If we feel that it is an attack by people in the occult or Satan worship, then we command the demons to go back and attack those who sent them to attack us. (The purpose is to demonstrate that God is greater and that they should get saved.)

WHO ARE OUR HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL ENEMIES?
As we discussed above, we should love our human enemies according to scripture. We do not have to love Satan and his evil spirits. Actually, we should hate everything that God hates; surprised, read your Bible. We can hate Satan and all forces of evil, sin and iniquity, and all that God hates. If you do not hate evil, you will love evil, compromise with evil or practice evil. Demons can not be saved. We won't be dancing in Heaven with Satan!

Our enemies can be the unsaved or the saved. They can have spiritual or physical bodies. They can be ignorant or learned in evil. They can be practicing witchcraft or occult activities or even be worshiping Satan. How we war or pray would depend upon the above classification.

HOW DID DAVID PRAY IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS?
It is interesting to study how David prayed for his enemies in the Psalms. The above listed verses are some of the many that David used against his enemies.

David talks about his enemies falling into their own traps, catching themselves in their nets and falling themselves by their own devices. In other words, he prays that they will fall into their traps set for him.

David also prays to God to cause his enemies to fall by counsel, and to be ashamed, vexed, disappointed, cast down, rendered, destroyed, divided, scattered, brought down, confused, etc. He even prays that their arms will be broken and their teeth will be knocked out.

We feel like the way David prayed is appropriate under certain circumstances where the people are practicing witchcraft, occult or Satan worship to destroy the Christians. They send demons to attack the Christians and destroy them in certain areas of their lives. We send the demons back to the sender to counterattack. The object is to cause the person to wake up and see that God is stronger than Satan, reject evil and seek salvation.

We know that we are targets of those who actively follow evil. The Lord showed us that one Halloween night we were to be the sacrifice for the local Satanist churches. However, God foiled their plan by sending a Christian family to spend the night with us until midnight! If God does not protect us, then we are unprotected. There is no way that we can humanly defend ourselves against attacks of the enemy who wants to physically kill us. We are no match against evil humans or spirits without the help of God. If God doesn't defend a city, it is not defended.

Those in the occult will fast and pray up to forty days to destroy Christian families and churches. They are serious about what they are doing and Satan is a harsh taskmaster. We need to be as good at being Christians as Satan is at being evil!

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL WARFARE?
If we are warriors for CHRIST, then how do we fight the war using spiritual warfare? The above scripture shows us that CHRIST was a warrior for God and we are to be warriors for CHRIST. The war consists of two fronts: an earthly and a heavenly.

On earth we do not war against humans but against the demons in humans. We do not fight (physically, mentally, spiritually or materially) with our brothers or sisters, saved or unsaved. We do pray for those who are unsaved to receive salvation but do not cast out their demons. For the saved, we bind up the demons and cast them out of their bodies. We pray for Salvation, DELIVERANCE, Baptism, Healing and Prosperity. We Teach, Counsel, Pray and Minister as the Holy Spirit leads. In other words, we minister to the all the needs of our brethren in every area of their lives. God has made provisions for every need we have in every area of our lives!

On earth we battle for our minds which is the main battle for the human race. Physically we fight for our bodies to be healthy. We battle with our finances against the forces of evil by tithes and offerings supporting the true works of God. Time is spent in following the Christian walk: fellowshipping with other Christians, reading the Bible, fasting, praying, meditating, studying, and strengthening ourselves. Time is spent in helping others: teaching, counseling, praying and ministry. We battle mentally, physically, materially, spiritually with our time, talents and resources.

In the heavenlies we war against Satan and his army of fallen angels, demons and imps. This is mainly a spiritual battle of prayer against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. There are two heavenlies: Godly and ungodly. We ask God to loose His forces to battle for us and we bind the forces of Satan.

WHAT ABOUT CURSES?
Psa. 109:17 says As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. The Bible also says So the curse causeless shall not come and How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? You do not need to send curses back to the sender but just break them off you and your family. You can send the demons back to the sender. When we break the curses off us, the person that sent the curses is still cursed. The scripture says he loved cursing, the curse had a cause and God cursed him.