What makes a person successful in spiritual warfare? Some of the qualifications include:
- Endurance (2 Tim. 2:3)—the ability to endure and withstand hardship, adversity, or stress. We are to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- Hatred (Ps. 139:22)—extreme dislike or antipathy, loathing. In spiritual warfare, we must have a hatred of evil and evil spirits.
- Knowledge (2 Cor. 2:11)—we are not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices.
- Persistence (Ps. 18:37)—the ability to go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of oppression. We must be persistent in dealing with the enemy.
- Separation (2 Tim. 2:4)—to get or keep apart. No man who entangles himself with the affairs of this life will be successful in spiritual warfare.
- Humility—freedom from pride, arrogance, and self-reliance. We must depend wholly on God, not on our own knowledge or strength.
- Submission—being compliant to authority. We must submit to God and the proper biblical authority in our lives, such as godly leaders who watch out for our souls.
God uses ordinary people to accomplish His purposes. Our ability comes through grace. Every believer is seated in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 2:6). Your position in Christ is high above all principalities and powers. You must see who you are in Christ. You can do all things through Him.
It is important to know your authority and engage the enemy in faith. There is no need to fear. Demons are subject to the authority of the believer. Jesus gave us power to tread on serpents and scorpions and promised that nothing will by any means harm us (Luke 10:19).
Joshua was told to engage the enemy (Deut. 2:24). You will see great victories through engagement. To engage means to bring troops into conflict. There are some believers who fear engagement. They are afraid of backlash. Jesus sent His disciples out to engage the enemy. They were told to heal the sick and cast out devils.
The Importance of Power and Authority
Two important revelations every believer needs are an understanding of power and an understanding of authority. Power is the Greek word dunamis. Authority is the Greek word exousia. Authority is the legal right to use power. We have been given authority to use the power supplied by the Holy Spirit.
Authority and power must be used. You use them by faith, not by feeling. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It is important for believers to attend churches that teach on power and authority. It is important to read and study these subjects. Revelation in these areas will give confidence to pray against the enemy.
We have been given the legal right to use the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is above every name. Authority in the name of Jesus is recognized by the spirit realm. We cast out demons in that name. We bind the works of darkness in that name. We teach and preach in that name.
We receive power through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). God is able to do exceeding abundantly according to the power that operates in us (Eph. 3:20). Jesus cast out demons through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:28). We combine the power of the Holy Spirit with the authority of the name of Jesus to rout the enemy. We do not engage the enemy in our own power and authority. We engage the enemy through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the authority of the name of Jesus.
Demons recognize power and authority. They recognize believers who operate in power and authority. The more you exercise power and authority, the more you will develop in these areas. It is important to start.
It is also important to make sure your sins are forgiven when engaging the enemy. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Do not engage the enemy with unconfessed sin in your life. There is power in the blood of Jesus. His blood cleanses us from all sin. Give no place to the devil. You must operate in righteousness.
We are made righteous through faith. We are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). Many believers suffer from feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem because they do not understand righteousness. Righteousness gives us confidence. Righteousness gives us boldness. Righteousness is the scepter of the kingdom (Heb. 1:8). The righteous are as bold as a lion (Prov. 28:1).
God covers our heads in the day of battle (Ps. 140:7). A covering is protection. Covering is based on subjection to God, His Word, and the Holy Spirit. Humility and submission are important characteristics of believers who engage in spiritual warfare. We must be bold when we pray, but we must also acknowledge that ultimately, the battle is the Lord’s. {eoa}
The preceding is an excerpt from the Introduction to Part II of Prayers That Rout Demons by John Eckhardt (Charisma House 2010). You can purchase this book at mycharismashop.com.
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