Prayer: “Lord Jesus, you have gained the victory over the world, the flesh and the devil, through your death and resurrection. Please, allow us to enter into your victory, wheneverhumans, devils or systems oppose you. Amen.â€
Prepare for spiritual warfare by knowing what God’s Word says about it.
- Find in Matthew 17:15-20 what to do in the face of demonic opposition. (Exorcism)
- Find in Matthew 26:38-45 what to do in the face of mortal opposition. (Martyrdom)
- Find in Acts 4:23-31 what to do in the face of political opposition. (Courage)
- Find in Acts 13:6-12 what to do in the face of religious opposition. (Power encounter)
- Find in Acts 16:16-26 what to do in the face of economic opposition. (Praise)
- Find in Ephesians 6:10-13 what to do in the face of spiritual opposition. (Stand firm)
- Find in James 4:1-7 what to do in the face of internal opposition. (Humility)
- Find in one Peter 5:8-11 what to do in the face of legal opposition. (Resist Satan)
Adapted from <http://www.directionjournal.org/article/figures/1052-5.gif>23-June-05.
Enter into spiritual battles together with your co-workers.When you come to realize that you are experiencing opposition to what Jesus has called you to do, take time with your co-workers to discern the kind of opposition and to take action that the Bible recommends.This will often entail some of the following steps:
- Review Bible texts that relate to your situation, like those in section 1, above.
- Agree in which facets of the opposition are political, religious, economic, spiritual, internal, demonic and social.
- Agree to resist the devil—then do so.
- Examine your own actions. Are they biblical? Do they honor Christ? Are theyfair, ethical, culturallysensitive and honourable?
- Pray together, appealing to the Lord Jesus Christ who died to free people from the devil, rose to life to live amongst us believers and sent his Holy Spirit to give us holiness and power to obey his commandments.
- If attacks come from other believers, ask their leaders whether they approve of their personnel’s actions, citing only facts.
- Proceed with your work, adjusting your plans where past actions have caused unnecessary offence.
- Show love to your enemies in ways that honour Jesus.
- Discern and avoid non-biblical myths and errors about spiritual warfare:
That naming local spirits will give you power over them.
That binding demons will make folk become Christians.
That a placing of symbolic objects will weaken local spirits.
That by commanding Satan, spirits or angels, you will get the results that you want.
- Conduct with your co-workers a time of worship, prayer and praise for yourselves and local believers.
- Read together some Bible stories that illustrate spiritual warfare. Both Old and New Testaments may be used.
- Review together biblical principles and promises of spiritual warfare, emphasizing that Jesus is Victor and our faith is the victory.
- Lead the believers in a time of questions and answers about spiritual warfare, not dwelling on popular, non-biblical ideas and opinions that some may express.
- Ask for testimonials about past victories in spiritual warfare, including those that led to suffering, persecution and martyrdom.
- Introduce the Lord ’s Supper with Hebrews 12:1-3:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.†[NET Bible]
- Share with the believers any actions that you and your co-workers have decided on.
- Form small groups to pray for one another and about the present spiritual battle.
- Memorize together one Peter 5:8-9.
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