In this series, we are going to deal with the subject of spiritual warfare and bring correct, biblical teaching to this often-misunderstood subject.
As a point of reference, we will be referring to content from the following books:
Dressed to Kill
by Pastor Rick Renner
The Triumphant Church
by Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin
- We must always remember that the real battle with Satan was won at the Cross and the resurrection by Jesus Christ.
- We must approach spiritual warfare from a place of already obtained victory (by Jesus) instead of trying to get the victory.
There are three different aspects to spiritual warfare:
- Taking control of our minds
- Crucifying the flesh
- Dealing with the enemy
We see Paul write in Ephesians 6:
- We must always remember that the real battle with Satan was won at the Cross and the resurrection by Jesus Christ.
- We must approach spiritual warfare from a place of already obtained victory (by Jesus) instead of trying to get the victory.
There are three different aspects to spiritual warfare:
- Taking control of our minds
- Crucifying the flesh
- Dealing with the enemy
We see Paul write in Ephesians 6:
Ephesians 6:10-14 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. (11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) 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. (13) 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. (14) Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
God has not left us naked before the enemy!
God has given us spiritual weaponry that has the ability to counterattack and defeat any scheme that the devil would try to use against us!
Before we go on in our study of the armor, we need to mention the perfect balance that exists in the armor of God. There are three offensive weapons, three defensive weapons, and one neutral weapon.
Three defensive weapons:
- The breastplate
- The shield
- The helmet
These weapons protect you and give you confidence and assurance so you can move forward in your spiritual growth.
Three offensive weapons:
- The shoes
- The sword
- The lance
These are weapons that enable you to enforce and demonstrate Satan’s already secured defeat.
The neutral weapon is the loinbelt which is representative of the Word of God. It is the central piece of armor that holds all of these other pieces together.
Without this central piece of armor, the written Word of God, the other pieces cannot function properly in your life.
These pieces of armor come from God. To walk in them and to see them working in your personal life mandates that you live in the presence of God.
Remember, God is the source of everything in this Christian life, including your spiritual armor.
Ephesians 6:14 NKJV Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
The Loin-belt of Truth
The loin-belt was the least attractive, the least noticeable, and the most boring piece of armor that the Roman Soldier wore.
Even today, the belt seems to be an insignificant thing. Without it though, your pants fall down, your shirt comes untucked and you would look like a mess.
The loin-belt was the most vital part of all the weaponry that the soldier wore. The loin-belt held it all together!
The loin-belt of truth is the written Word of God!
It is also the only visible piece of armor we have.
When you ignore the Word of God and cease to apply it to your life on a daily basis, you have willfully chosen to let your entire spiritual life come apart at the seams.
You absolutely cannot function as a believer without the Word of God having an active and central role in your life. You may run on a little steam from the past for a while, but you won’t run very far.
The Bible must be the governor, the law, the ruler, and the “final say-so” in your life.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Paul tells us the inspired Word of God will equip us with the “gear” we need in order to walk in the power of God and to maintain our victorious position over the devil.
For the believer that neglects the Word of God, it is only a matter of time before they feel very condemned in every area of their lives.
Hebrews 5:12-13 NKJV For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (13) For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
Need peace? Let the Word dwell richly in your heart.
Colossians 3:15-16 NKJV (15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Want strong faith? Get in the Word on a daily basis.
Romans 10:17 NKJV So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
This is hearing on a continuous basis. If you want strong faith on a daily basis, then get in God’s Word and stay there.
If you do not have the loin-belt of truth positioned in your life, you will not be able to walk in the other pieces of weaponry God has given you.
The Helmet of Salvation
The Roman soldier’s helmet was a fascinating and beautiful part of his armor. It was a flamboyant piece, very ornate and intricate. It was highly decorated with etchings and could even be formed into the shape of the head of an animal such as an elephant, horse, etc.
Very often there was a large plume of brightly colored feathers or horsehair that stood straight up out of the helmet.
These helmets were very heavy and designed to protect not only the head but also the cheeks and jaws. They often had padding on the inside to ease the massive weight on the head.
These helmets undoubtedly made the Roman soldier very noticeable.
Why would the Holy Spirit compare a piece of weaponry like this to salvation?
Because your salvation is the most gorgeous, most intricate, most elaborate, and most ornate gift God ever gave you!
Remember, the more noticeable the soldier’s helmet was, the better.
When a person is confident of his salvation – and when he is walking in the powerful reality of all that salvation means for him – that person is noticeable!
Why was this helmet so important? Their enemies carried a battleax that we designed to take off your head. If the soldier did not have on his helmet – he was sure to lose his head.
If you don’t walk in your salvation and all that your salvation entails, you may feel the brunt of the enemy’s battleax coming to attack your mind and steal your victory.
Your enemy wants to chop the multiple benefits and blessings of your salvation right out of your belief system. He’ll whack away at your spiritual foundation, trying to tell you that healing, deliverance, preservation of mind, and soundness are not really part of Jesus’ redemptive work on the Cross.
To face the adversary without your helmet of salvation is the equivalent of spiritual suicide!
Never forget, the devil comes to attack your mind!
We must learn about our salvation and find out all that it includes:
- We must spend time studying what the Bible has to say about who we are in Christ
- We must spend time studying what the Bible has to say about healing
- We must spend time studying what the Bible has to say about our deliverance from evil powers
- We must spend time studying our redemption and its beneficial consequences in our lives
What is a stronghold?
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NKJV (3) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. (4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
The word stronghold (Greek: ochuroma) Means a fortress or a prison.
This tells us that a stronghold is designed to keep outsiders from getting in and insiders from getting out.
When someone has a stronghold in their mind, he has walls around him that are so thick, others cannot seem to break through to help him.
Like impregnable, invisible walls, strongholds are rooted in people’s minds and emotions to keep others from getting too close to them.
This is a trick of the devil to keep people isolated and especially away from those who could help bring freedom.
These walls are built over time as lies from the enemy go unresisted in one’s mind. Suppose someone permits wrong thinking and wrong believing to go unchallenged hour after hour and day after day. The devil will begin to use those lies, insinuations, and unrealistic fears to build thick, impregnable walls around that person’s life.
Some examples of how these destructive strongholds can affect your life:
- Unrealistic fears of rejection will keep you from developing healthy relationships in your life.
- Unrealistic fears about the future of your marriage will hinder you from functioning in your marriage as God intended.
- Unrealistic fears about potential failure will keep you from stepping out to obey God and do something worthwhile with your life.
The first step to eradicating strongholds in your life is to recognize YOUR responsibility in the matter!
Repentance for allowing the mental and emotion strongholds to develop in your life is absolutely essential – before all else.
There are two types of strongholds:
- Rational
- Irrational
Rational strongholds are the hardest to deal with because they usually make sense.
2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Imaginations: Greek: logismos – where we get the word logic
The logical mind will begin to dictate your life from a stronghold of natural reason.
The logical mind, although necessary and wonderful, will work against your spiritual life unless it is submitted to the control of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
Irrational Strongholds primarily have to do with fears and worries that are completely unrealistic and often are not founded on fact.
Fear of dying early in life, abnormal fear of rejection, a fear of financial collapse.
2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
If you don’t take your thoughts captive, your thoughts will take you captive!
We must take those “mind games” (devices) that the enemy uses captive and force them into a subordinate position.
You must lay hold of your mind and tell it to submit and listen to what the Word of God has to say!
When a strong knowledge of your salvation is wrapped around your mind, you will never again fall prey to the devil’s deceptive tactics.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
This means having a saved or delivered mind. This is a mind that has been set free and is thinking correctly!
This is what someone who has on the helmet will think like:
- When you are walking in the full knowledge of your salvation, you think and talk like a saved man or woman!
- When your mind is renewed with the Word of God concerning all the blessings contained in your salvation, you think and talk like a saved man or woman!
- When your mind is filled with the goodness of God because salvation is tightly wrapped around your mind, you think and talk like a saved man or woman.
When you “walk” in the helmet of your salvation, you think like God thinks, you reason like God reasons, you believe like God believes and you act like God acts!