I’m a big proponent of pressing in to the Holy Spirit for battle plans. While spiritual warfare Scriptures—like putting on the whole armor of God (see Eph. 6) or casting down imaginations (see 2 Cor. 10:5)—are always true all the time, I believe certain weapons and certain strategies are most appropriate at certain times.
For example, God once told Joshua to have men of fighting age march around the city once a day for six days, then march around the city seven times on the seventh day with the priests blowing the trumpets, then let out a battle cry on the last long blast (see Josh. 6). That strategy brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down, but that’s not the right strategy for every battle.
Indeed, we see many warfare strategies in Scripture. The key is to discern and execute the warfare strategy God is breathing on during any given season and for specific situations. In this season, I believe there’s wind on a strategy Paul gave his spiritual son Timothy: “This command I commit to you, my son Timothy, according to the prophecies that were previously given to you, that by them you might fight a good fight” (1 Tim. 1:18).
Waging War With Your Prophetic Words
The Amplified translation of that verse exhorts us to “be inspired and aided” by the prophetic words “that you may wage the good warfare.” The New Living Translation tells us that the prophetic words “help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.” And the Message Translation tells us the prophecies should make you “fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in.”
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Indeed, this is a fight we’re in—it’s a good fight of faith against unseen enemies. “For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Thankfully, the unseen God—and unseen angels—are on our side. The angels are an important part of this spiritual warfare equation.
Think of Daniel. He had a prophetic vision that took him into prayer and fasting for three whole weeks. That prophetic vision, prayer and fasting was followed by an angelic encounter from which we can learn plenty. The angel told Daniel from the first day he started praying out that prophetic vision, God heard his words and an angel came because of his words.
“For from the first day that you set your heart to understand this and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia” (Daniel 10:12-13).
Unleashing a Heavenly Host
Angels are still warring in the heavenlies. God can dispatch them—Jesus said He could pray and God would send 12 legions (that’s 72,000 angels) to rescue Him (see Matt. 26:47-54.) God told Moses He would send an angel before him to drive the enemies out of the land (see Ex. 33:22). But angels also obey the voice of His word (see Ps. 103:20). That includes the written Word and true prophetic words.
So, we see that waging warfare with the proven prophetic words we’ve received is scriptural—and that angels hearken unto the voice of His word. The question is, how do we wield this weapon? We pray it through. We decree it. We declare it. We meditate on it so that it gets down so deep in our spirit that when we pray it, decree it and declare it, it carries authority that comes through faith.
We’re fighting a good fight of faith more than we’re fighting any enemy. The enemy is real, but the fight is often the fight to believe God’s Word is true in the face of contrary circumstances. Scripture is the final authority and it’s our sword, but tested prophetic words are like arrows in our quiver that we can shoot into the spirit realm to hit the target of God’s revealed will. It’s time to go back and review some of your prophetic words and rise up against the enemies that are standing in the way of your destiny.
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
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