Mi 361 lecture 1 spiritual warfare

Spiritual Warfare
Lesson 1 - Introduction
Robert D. Patton
Missionary to Suriname
The Crown College and
Baptist World Mission

Introduction
 Situation with Eugene: A young teenage
man ran from the attack of evil spirits into
the street to my wife’s car. She stopped,
rebuked the spirits, and led him to the Lord.
He removed his witchcraft items
 The following day I went there with a
national. He was wearing more witchcraft
things again, and ran in front of the village
captain and two under-captains under
demonic control. After prayer, the demon
screamed: I am going to hell, and he was
free.

Introduction
 He arrived at church on Sunday and
froze at the entrance. A group of men
prayed until he was free.
 Several months later I went with a
national to an empty house reeking of
beer. The demon told us we were too
late, and he had eaten the man’s liver.
We took him to church and prayed 3
hours before he was free

Introduction
 The family continued to take him to
witchdoctors in Frans Guyana; he later
went to Holland & we lost contact

Introduction
 Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is
gone out of a man, he walketh through
dry places, seeking rest, and finding
none, he saith, I will return to my house
whence I came out. 25. And when he
cometh, he findeth it swept and
garnished, 26. Then goeth he, and taketh
to him seven other spirits more wicked
than himself; and they enter in, and
dwell there: and the last state of that
man is worse than the first.

We must be in a position to
minister to our people
 Many missionaries work on the
assumption of western worldview
that evil spirits don’t exist, and
cannot help those who are bound
 Unfortunately, this may also be
true of many pastors in the
western world – because Satan is
active here too….

Our three enemies
 Our old nature
 The world system – kosmos
 The devil

All 3 enemies come from the
evil one
 Our old nature – from the encounter
of Satan with Adam & Eve
 The world system, which fell into the
hands of the evil one, and is based on
the principle “Me first; what is good
for me…”
 The evil one, Satan

It is a world-wide war
 Jn 10:[10] The thief cometh not, but for
to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly.
 I Peter 5:[8] Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour:

It is a world-wide war:
 We must recognize the voice of the
shepherd, Jesus by spending time with
him. Jn. 10:[4] And when he putteth
forth his own sheep, he goeth before
them, and the sheep follow him: for
they know his voice.[5] And a stranger
will they not follow, but will flee from
him: for they know not the voice of
strangers.

It is a world-wide war:
 We must know how the enemy
thinks and works:
 2 Cor. 2: [11] Lest Satan should
get an advantage of us: for we are
not ignorant of his devices.

We must not be conformed to
the world
 Rom. 12:1-2 [1] I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.[2] And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye trans-
formed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We don’t need to fear
 It is the fear of God that is the basis
for wisdom, not the fear of the devil.
 2 Tim. 1: [7] For God hath not given
us the spirit of fear; but of power, and
of love, and of a sound mind.
 Courage is resolute action in the
presence of fear

We don’t need to fear
 The enemy is already defeated:
 Col. 2: [14] Blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the
way, nailing it to his cross;[15] And
having spoiled principalities and powers,
he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.

Don’t be afraid
 Heb. 2: [14] Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and
blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same; that through death
he might destroy him that had the
power of death, that is, the devil;[15]
And deliver them who through fear of
death were all their lifetime subject to
bondage.

Toward a Biblical Worldview
 Worldview = the assumptions we
hold as to the basic makeup of the
universe
 Some believe that demons never do
anything to a “good Christian” so it is
better to ignore them.
 This is not from the Bible - we must
resist, stand against, etc.

“Western” world-view of
modernism
 Although some are atheists and deny any
supernatural, the majority have this worldview:
 The supernatural - God, angels &
demons, - Religion and mysticism
 separated from
 The natural - science –
 Faulty conclusion: No contact above. Therefore the
supernatural can be basically ignored.
 This is a faulty worldview

Western worldview
 Often we try to cure spiritual
problems physically - pills, etc.
 This is because we believe in
practice in the reality of science,
but not in the supernatural.
 Thus we use physical methods to
produce a spiritual cure – and work
without success

ANIMISM AND
FOLK RELIGION
Spiritual warfare is key because at
least 40% of world religion deals
with the demonic directly

Shona Africa traditional healer

Food for the dead – Hungry
Ghost festival

Sending off to the dead by
burning…

Ancestor worship
 Idol of
ancestor

Hindu folk religion
 There are many types of Hindu
religion which are primarily dealing
with their stories and gods, rather
than with true monism

Hindu “trimurti” of Gods –
Brahman, Vishnu, Shiva

Worship Shiva – god of
destruction

Puja – worship Woman
sewing clothes for idol

Vajrayana traditions in
Tibet, Mongolia, China

Monks, the king, and a water
ceremony to carry away sins

This amulet contains the
powder of a chosen baby who
died (amulet enlarged greatly)

These monks bless amulets –
advertised on the internet

House with occult blessing
object

BIBLICAL
WORLDVIEW
We need to know what the Bible
teaches about Satan and demons

Biblical worldview
 Only one God - not polytheism.
 However, this God is active in His creation
 There are angels, one of which is the fallen angel
satan.
 God had created many types of angels
 The arrangement was “good” as was all creation
 But satan came in rebellion and was joined by
many other angels in actively opposing God

All power is of God
 Ultimately all power is from God.
 We can use or abuse this power.
 We must avoid syncretism

Satan’s goal
 Satan’s goal - to deprive God of His glory, and
get that glory for himself
 In the Old Testament, Israel was to live in
such a way as to bring God glory
 Our goal as believers: I Cor. 10: [31] Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God.
 When we fail to do so, we please Satan and
deprive God of His glory.

Remember:
 Isaiah 42: [8] I am the LORD: that is
my name: and my glory will I not give
to another, neither my praise to
graven images.
 Isaiah 48: [11] For mine own sake,
even for mine own sake, will I do it:
for how should my name be polluted?
and I will not give my glory unto
another.

Faulty beliefs about demons
 Demons used to be active when
Christ was on earth, but no longer -
 Not so - New Age and the occult are
prominent today
 Even in the USA, there is active satan
worship

 What used to be called demonic we
now call” mental illness” –
 But just sticking a label on it doesn’t
explain it or satisfactorily treat it.

 Remember the limitations of science
and a scientific worldview.
 Measurable
 Repeatable under controlled conditions
 These conditions are not possible
with demonic afflictions

Faulty beliefs about spiritual
sickness which is demonic
 It is true that some problems are
psychological and others spiritual.
 The pastor then assumes that he
must refer those things that seem to
be psychological to the secular
psychologist or psychiatrist.

 Christians aren’t subject to demonic
activity when we give in to the flesh
 Then why all the warnings given to
believers in the Bible about being
alert, wearing your armor, and
resisting the devil?

Theological facts
 Let’s look at what the Bible states
about Satan and evil spirits…
 Their origin
 Their nature
 Their power
 Their defeat

We will begin with angels
 Satan is a fallen angel – Lucifer,
who was first the anointed cherub
 Demons are fallen angels too
 So we will begin by looking at
some characteristics of all angels.
 Then we will look specifically at
Satan, and then demons

Angels are prominent in the
Bible
 Old Testament – 104 times
 New Testament – 165 times
 Mentioned in 34 books of the Bible

Angels are created by God
 Genesis 1:[1] In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth. 2:[1]
Thus the heavens and the earth were
finished, and all the host of them
 Jn. 1:[3] All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing
made that was made.
 (Speaking of Jesus Christ, the Word
made flesh)

 Nehemiah 9:[6] Thou, even thou,
art LORD alone; thou hast made
heaven, the heaven of heavens,
with all their host, the earth, and
all things that are therein, the
seas, and all that is therein, and
thou preservest them all; and the
host of heaven worshippeth thee.

 Colossians 1:[16] For by him were
all things created, that are in
heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they
be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things
were created by him, and for him:

The angels were created, not
evolved
 Ps. 148:[2] Praise ye him, all his angels:
praise ye him, all his hosts.….[5] Let
them praise the name of the LORD: for
he commanded, and they were created.
 We never read that more angels were
created; Jesus said they do not
reproduce

Sons of God
 It appears that this term is used of
angels both in the time of Noah, and
also in Job.
 We believe this means a direct
creation.
 We are also a direct creation by the
new birth – we are also sons of God

Angels created before the
earth
 Job 38:[1] Then the LORD answered
Job out of the whirlwind, and said,…[4]
Where wast thou when I laid the
foundations of the earth? declare, if
thou hast understanding….[7] When
the morning stars sang together, and
all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Angels are to worship Jesus
 Heb. 1:[6] And again, when he
bringeth in the firstbegotten into
the world, he saith, And let all the
angels of God worship him.

Angels are spirit beings
 Heb 1: [7] And of the angels he saith,
Who maketh his angels spirits, and his
ministers a flame of fire
 Lk 24: [37] But they were terrified and
affrighted, and supposed that they had
seen a spirit…[39] Behold my hands and
my feet, that it is I myself: handle me,
and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and
bones, as ye see me have.

Angels characteristics
 They ate food with Abraham, with Lot
 They can use physical force, as when
they woke up Peter
 They are usually invisible, but can be
visible – as the times that they went to
Abraham and Lot, as well as the times
that John saw them in Revelation

Angels are superior to man at
this time
 Psalm 8:[4] What is man, that thou
art mindful of him? and the son of
man, that thou visitest him?[5] For
thou hast made him a little lower
than the angels, and hast crowned
him with glory and honour.

Angels are stronger than man
 Psalm 103:[20] Bless the LORD, ye his
angels, that excel in strength, that do his
commandments, hearkening unto the
voice of his word.
 II Thess. 1:[7] And to you who are
troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with
his mighty angels,

Angels are swifter and smarter
than man
 Daniel 9:[21] Yea, whiles I was speaking
in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I
had seen in the vision at the beginning,
being caused to fly swiftly, touched me
about the time of the evening oblation.
[22] And he informed me, and talked
with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now
come forth to give thee skill and
understanding.

See this description
 Rev. 10[1] And I saw another mighty angel
come down from heaven, clothed with a
cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and
his face was as it were the sun, and his feet
as pillars of fire:[2] And he had in his hand a
little book open: and he set his right foot
upon the sea, and his left foot on the
earth,[3] And cried with a loud voice, as when
a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven
thunders uttered their voices.

Sorts of angels
 Archangels – two – Michael and Gabriel
 Cherubim – we find them guarding the
tree of life, and also above the ark of the
covenant
 4 faces – ox, lion, man, eagle,
 2 pr. wings – one to fly, one covering body
 Legs like man; feet like calves hooves
 4 hands under the wings
 Travel in groups of 4 in quadrangle

Other sorts include
 Serafim – 6 wings; praise the holiness of
God
 4 living creatures – each with a face like
one of the 4 in the cherub; a body full of
eyes,
 Various levels of angels
 Satan was the anointed (chief) cherub

Artist rendering Abraham &
his visitors

Picture – Michael the
archangel – 17th century

The number is beyond
counting
 Rev. 5: [11] And I beheld, and I
heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne and the
beasts and the elders: and the
number of them was ten thousand
times ten thousand, and thousands
of thousands;

The number is beyond
counting
 Daniel 7: [9] I beheld till the thrones were cast
down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose
garment was white as snow, and the hair of
his head like the pure wool: his throne was like
the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning
fire.[10] A fiery stream issued and came forth
from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times
ten thousand stood before him: the judgment
was set, and the books were opened.

Mi 361 lecture 1 spiritual warfare

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