Principles of Spiritual Warfare
LUKE 11:14-23 NKJV
And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when
the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes
marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by
Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Others, testing Him, sought from
Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to
them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation,
and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided
against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast
out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by
whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your
judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the
kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully
armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a
stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from
him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who
is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me
scatters.”
“We ought to consider all the harm inflicted on us by others, however
painful, as coming from out Father’s hand. For, the teaching goes, no
one can do anything to us except as he “allows”—and allows for a
good specific reason.” — Augustine
REVELATION 12:7-12 NKJV
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the
dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not
prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the
great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and
his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in
heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God,
and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our
brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been
cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by
the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the
death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!
Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has
come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he
has a short time.”
1 PETER 5:8-9 NKJV
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about
like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him,
steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are
experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
EPHESIANS 6:10-18 NKJV
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His
might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put
on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with
the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of
faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the
wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints …
• Principalities: (archas) highest position of authority
• Powers: (exosia) delegated authorities
• Rulers of Darkness:
o (kosmos) order arrangement
o (kratoras) raw power
• Spiritual Wickedness in High Places: (pneumatika poneras)
bad, vile, vicious spirits sent to afflict humanity
LUKE 4:5-8 NKJV
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the
kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him,
“All the authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been
delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You
will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and
said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall
worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
EPHESIANS 6:10-14 NKJV
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His
might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you
may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put
on the breastplate of righteousness …
JOHN 8:31-32 NKJV
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My
word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and
the truth shall make you free.”
3 Vital Truths:
- Jesus came to restore Kingdom authority in the earth.
1 JOHN 3:8 NKJV
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He
might destroy the works of the devil.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:24-25 NKJV
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the
Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
COLOSSIANS 2:13-15 NKJV
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you
all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that
was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of
the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities
and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over
them in it. - Jesus delegated His authority to the Church.
EPHESIANS 1:19-23 NKJV
… and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who
believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He
worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him
at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and
power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not
only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all
things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the
church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. - Jesus commissioned the Church to operate in the supernatural
power of the Holy Spirit.
JOHN 14:12-14 NKJV
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I
do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I
go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My
name, I will do it.”
MARK 16:15-18 NKJV
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he
who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow
those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will
speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink
anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on
the sick, and they will recover.”