It is a well-known fact that in this present world and within the Church demons and devils are using their influence to cause confusion, conflict, envy, strife and every evil work. To say they are hard at work spreading evil around this world would be an understatement. The term “working like the devil” contains more truth than people may realize. Unfortunately, many people in the Church deny that demons exist or the reality of a personal the devil. On the other hand, many Christians are so fearful of demons they refuse to acknowledge they exist, or doubt that they have power over them.
Satan knows how the Kingdom of God operates. He was once a member of the angelic hosts who worshiped God before they was cast out of Heaven. After being thrown out of Heaven Lucifer formed a kingdom of his own known as the Kingdom of Darkness. He then set himself up as a counterfeit deity.
This Spiritual Warfare book is about waging war with Satan and the Forces of Darkness. Our enemies objective is to create chaos, kill, steal, and destroy. The truth we absorb from God’s Word through knowledge, wisdom, and understanding enables us to cast down the strongholds and imaginations the enemy entrenches in our minds.
This book is an expose about demons, devils and spiritual wickedness in high places who try to control our daily lives and how we can be successful in defeating them. Casting down imaginations and every high thing which exalts itself against the knowledge of God is the only way which we can live victoriously in a world that is being bombarded with sinful lusts and desires.
Studying the principles I have laid out in this book will give the reader new spiritual insight into the realm of darkness and the modus operandi of the enemy. Through intense spiritual warfare we can defeat our enemy, Satan, and the fiery darts of hell which he attacks us with daily. As Christians no weapon formed against us will prosper when we are engaging the enemy with the weapons we have at our disposal.
Several years ago I had a dream about two very large men who were in an arena participating in a wrestling match. There were many people standing around the arena watching these very large, muscular men wrestling in what was a “match to the death.”
As they fought, a poisonous snake came out of the top of the head of each wrestler. The tails of the snakes were embedded and rooted in the brain of each of these men. The snakes seemed to be directing the movements of the men as they viciously fought with each other. As the men wrestled intensely around the arena, each snake tried to bite the body of its opponent.
Each man tried desperately to find an advantage over his opponent as they wrestled with each other. There were no pre-set rules of engagement in the wrestling match and each man was keenly aware of the serpent trying to bite him.
The two men wrestled for a long time. Finally, one of the snakes found an opening and bit his opponent. The man bitten by the serpent fell to the floor of the arena and died. I observed the people and noticed a look of horror on their faces as they watched the man die before their eyes.
The scripture says: THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND DESPERATELY WICKED, WHO CAN KNOW IT. Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verse 9. It also says: AND GOD SAW THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN WAS GREAT IN THE EARTH, AND THAT EVERY IMAGINATION OF THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY. Genesis, Chapter 6, Verse 5.
This scripture in Jeremiah tells us the heart of man is extremely evil. The verse in Genesis tells us the thoughts of men’s hearts (before the flood) were continually evil. Jesus told us that “AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH SO SHALL IT ALSO BE IN THE DAYS OF THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.” Matthew, Chapter 24, Verse 37.
Evil is nothing new. Evil has journeyed alongside mankind since the beginning when Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. Evil was present in the Garden of Eden. The personification of evil, the Serpent, beguiled Eve into eating of the fruit on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Adam ate of the same forbidden fruit. Evil was then passed down from generation to generation in the hearts and minds of mankind. Why are men so evil and why do they steal from each other? Why do men want to kill, deceive and destroy each another? Who, or what, is behind all the evil mankind promotes and entertains? How can we deal with evil and the evil that men do?
I believe the two men in the dream represented two types of evil mind-sets here on Earth. Both men represented evil, but the wrestler whose snake bit the other man and caused him to die possessed the greater evil. The greater evil was able to overcome the lesser evil because he was more vicious and evil minded than the other. The greater evil will always triumph over lesser evil because it is more cunning and conniving. It will stop at nothing to destroy its opponent.
The serpents, of course, represented evil motives, desires and attitudes. Although some evil desires and motives may be worse than others, both are ungodly and reflect the wickedness of all men who are without Christ. The serpents also represented the “deceptive tactics” each man was using to usurp and gain power over his opponent. This art or “craft of deception” has been used since man was exposed to sin in the Garden of Eden.
I have witnessed the “craft of deception” in many ways and many places including churches. I have witnessed church leaders manipulate individuals and congregations when dealing with offerings, people, and religious sanctioned events. Most Christians do not realize the part manipulation and demonic deception plays in their lives in many of the things they do and everywhere they go. People all over the world, including many Christians, are influenced and/or controlled at times by evil spirits without their knowledge. Some people are devilishly influenced or controlled by these deceptive spirits more so than others.
The nations of this world at all levels of government have some demonic control and activity within their ranks. I could name some people in our own government in the United States who are demonically influenced and/or controlled by demon spirits.
Everybody comes in contact with demonic influences almost every day of their lives, but do not recognize them. We usually have to deal with people who are demonically influenced daily. Many television commercials use deception, manipulating tactics, and lies in advertising. Fake News is the new norm in journalism.
If we watch TV, we need to be keenly aware of what we are watching. We all know the filth most television shows produce–not to mention the sin, crime and degradation which are a byproduct of all demonic and devilish programming. We may encounter evil on every hand, but we do not have to be partakers of its damnable ways; nor do we have to be subject to the deadly consequences which lie ahead for all who are under the influence and yoke of evil powers.
Satan, along with his “army of darkness,” are fighting a war of attrition. They give no quarter or reprieve and they hold nothing back in their attempts to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan is fighting an all out war and destroying the lives of many people who do not even believe he exists. There is no respite from his attacks except through the rest and peace which comes from faith in God. Our enemy’s lust to propagate evil in the hearts and minds of mankind motivates him as he attempts to gain every inch of territory he can gain in the lives of people everywhere.
Earthly battles are fought over control of people, territories and principles. Spiritual battles are fought for the same reasons. Our enemy wants to control the territory of our minds and the principles which produce freedom from oppression, depression and sin.
The mind is called “the fortress of the soul.” The mind is the battlefield where we either find hope and peace in victory or death and destruction in defeat. However, for Christians, defeat is not an option. Victory over sin is imperative if we are going to find peace and rest for our souls.
Recognizing we have an enemy and knowing how he operates is key to experiencing victory in our lives. We overcome Satan through knowledge, understanding, wisdom and the Blood of Christ. We can be victorious on every hand if we learn, and put into action the principles God has written in His word. If we put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, no weapon formed against us can or will prosper.
I would prefer to write about the goodness of God and about all the things which God has done in my life and what He is doing and can do in the Church. However, I understand without knowledge and wisdom we cannot fight the good fight of faith and win the battle for control of our minds. We cannot defeat an enemy we cannot see without learning the principles of SPIRITUAL WARFARE. We can understand how our enemy works, his subtle tactics, strategies, vulnerabilities and weaknesses.