Victory in Spiritual Battles

1. What is spiritual warfare? Is it real?

2. Have you seen or experienced spiritual warfare in your life or in the lives of people you
know?
3. Who is Satan and how does he attack you? Your friends? (Examples: fear, doubt,
temptation, division, false teachings, etc.)
4. What strongholds (alcoholism, pornography, gambling, etc.) are there in the area where
you live or in your life?
5. What is the role of the enemy with the following:

Bad dreams
Witchcraft
Other religions

Truths that Transform:

1. There is a battle going on around us.
We often would like to ignore the spiritual battles around us because were not comfortable
with complete dependence on Gods strength. But the reality is that theres a spiritual battle
going on around us.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of
God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle
is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Jesus cast out demons.

Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that
moment (Matthew 17:18).
Jesus told His disciples to cast out demons.
When Jesus had called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority to
drive out all demons and to cure diseases (Luke 9:1).
2. Satans role is to steal, kill and destroy.

He is the master of deception. He was once an angel of light (Lucifer) and now hes an angel
of darkness.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the
message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and
snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the
word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a
short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly
falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man
who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth
choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good
soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop,
yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown (Matthew 13:18-23).
3. Temptation is real, but God provides a way out.
Satan works to tempt us through his deception. But God tells us to flee from our evil desires.
Jesus also shows us that when temptation comes, we can quote scripture and command Satan to
leave.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful;
he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1
Corinthians 10:13).
Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace,
along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James
4:7).
Jesus answered him, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the
test. Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the
Lord your God, and serve him only (Matthew 4:7, 10).
4. We need not fear.
While we dont take lightly the works of Satan and his demons, God gives us authority in the
name of Jesus. And God is so much greater than Satan.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is
in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

God allows Satan to work on this earth for a time. This is a test for us as well. Are we going
to choose good or evil?
5. Be assured of forgiveness.
Satans name means accuser. One of the ways Satan attacks us is to deceive us into
thinking we arent forgiven or not forgivable. This takes away our victory and hinders our
relationship with God. Cling to the following verses:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
(Romans 8:1).
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
6. Pray specifically when in spiritual battle.
Take authority in Jesus name and realize that Jesus gives you authority to cast out demons.
Its better not to get into conversations with demons, rather converse with God. Jesus, in your
name I command the forces of evil to leave.
Master, said John, we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we
tried to stop him, because he is not one of us. Do not stop him, Jesus said, for
whoever is not against you is for you (Luke 9:49-50).
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, Lord, even the demons submit to us
in your name (Luke 10:17).
7. Satan can oppress, but not possess, a believer.
Jesus tells us in Ephesians that we are in a spiritual battle so its obvious that we will be
oppressed by demons. However, the Bible is clear that when we become Christians, we belong to
God. Satan cannot own us any longer.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither
the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).
8. Satan seems to work outwardly in some cultures more than others.
In cultures where people recognize the spiritual realm as a part of reality, demonic activity
seems to be much more open. If we dont acknowledge that Satans power is real and we ignore
the battle, Satan works in ways that people dont realize are satanic, so they dont fight in the
battle. For example, Satan works in the every day situations like materialism, broken marriages,
workaholism, not witnessing, not disciplining, etc.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control,
brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have
nothing to do with them (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
9. Why unbelievers dont see the truth of the Gospel and what we can do.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2
Corinthians 4:4).
Ask God to remove the blinds and keep sharing the light.
10. Angels play a role in all of this.
They guard us and carry out Gods will.
Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit
salvation? (Hebrews 1:14).
Since we know that God sends angels to minister to us, it is tempting to want to talk to angels
and ask them for help. Remember that it is God who gives the marching orders. We should never
pray to an angel. Instead we should ask God to send His angels.
11. More words of advice for fighting spiritual battles:
a. Know who you are in Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new
has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17).
b. Pray for discernment so that you can be more aware of Satans traps.
c. Expect attack. Do not be discouraged, but focus on the greatness of God.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is
in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
d. Flee from temptation.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James
4:7).
e. Memorize Gods Word so that His words will strengthen and sustain you in the midst
of battle.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).

Express It and Live It!

1. Dont take your eyes off Jesus.
2. Acknowledge the work of the enemyhe is powerful, but remember that his power is
less than a flys power compared to Gods power.
3. Stay in Gods light.
4. We have nothing to fear because in Christ, we are prepared for battle.
5. There is not a demon behind every bush so we dont need to be paranoid, but we also
should not ignore their influence around us.
6. Recognize the work of Satan against marriage, leaders, etc. Take prayerful, godly action
against these attacks.