Spiritual Warfare We had just arrived for our missionary assignment in Indonesia and were a few months into language study. Any situation going on in our lives that we should or could be praying about, we are fighting for. Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The three primary things we struggle against include: #1 Deception: To deceive somebody means to make another person believe a lie or something that is not true. In Ephesians 6 Paul tells us we have been given weapons of warfare to defend ourselves. People can feel like dirty old sinners when they believe Satan’s accusations as he continually reminds them of their past (which has been washed away!). You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Posted May 11, 2020 by Karen Gamble in category ", Be sure to check out my Sunday School Lesson Outlines on the, Spiritual Warfare Armor, Pt. As Christians we are operating from that victory. First the enemy tells us, “You won’t surely die!”, then he makes the fruit on the forbidden tree look good to us. Instead of teaching them all of that stuff, they teach the tellers to become very familiar with the real bills. TRUTH! (1) Some ways in which we give place to the devil (Eph 4:27) (con’t) a. James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. The fiery darts of the enemy in Ephesians 6:16 are accusations sent our way. The weapon we use to tear down strongholds is found in Ephesians 6:17, “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” A sword is an offensive weapon and is meant to tear down and kill the enemy’s troops. The Bible tells us that we struggle not against flesh and blood, but against demonic forces. There’s a reason we need to defend ourselves. This is Spiritual Warfare Teaching Lesson # 1 as sent to all who subscribe. She was tempted (enticed) to sin, because she allowed herself to first be deceived. Scripture is an important part of our spiritual self-defense. Spiritual warfare on the other hand, is dealing with three key things the enemy sends at us: temptations, deception and accusations. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. But it’s not that simple; in the same verse, we are also told to draw near to God. Little prompts and nudges can be enough to get us off track, to cause us to take our focus off of Christ (where it belongs) and put it back on ourselves. Because one is meant to be defensive (the belt), while the other is meant to be offensive (the sword). God gave us this armor so we can stand and fight. The difference between deliverance and spiritual warfare is that deliverance is dealing with demonic bondages, and getting a person set free, whereas spiritual warfare is resisting, overcoming and defeating the enemy’s lies (in the form of deception, temptations and accusations) that he sends our way. Look at your life and the troubles in it. I have overcome the world.” NIV), (These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. 1 – Sunday School Outline. The more truth you know, the easier it is to spot something that’s not truth, to filter out the lies. No, the cleaning can wait another 30 minutes while I read. For example, when the devil tries to accuse us of our past sins, we are to have faith in the work of the cross and know that they are forgiven and not to look back. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Remembering this can help you better fight the good fight. Why or why not? This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. The Holy Ghost has been speaking to me lately about the importance of the Holy Spirit baptism and the speaking of tongues. (12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.). Whether you believe it or not, you are in a battlefield. In James 4:7, we are told to resist the devil and he will flee from us. In Ephesians 6 Paul tells us we have been given weapons of warfare to defend ourselves. Since strongholds are built upon lies that we have been fed, the way we tear down strongholds is by feeding on the truth (in God’s Word), which is the opposite of what the enemy has been feeding us. Spiritual warfare comes in two ways: offensive and defensive. In Ephesians 6 Paul tells us we have been given weapons of warfare to defend ourselves. This is standing on God’s word and believing what it says. You will be taught the basics of spiritual warfare and how to incorporate the best spiritual warfare prayers into your daily life. This Sunday school lesson teaches the importance of being on guard spiritually and to use all of the resources God gives us. In last week’s Sunday School lesson Ashley talked about the importance of Scripture concerning our self-defense. We’ll do Q&As, answer the hard questions, and explore issues together as part of the school. In my School of Spiritual Warfare, you’ll be taught, trained and have an opportunity to do spiritual warfare drills in a safe setting. There’s a reason we need to defend ourselves. I encourage you to spend time this week reviewing and studying Ephesians 6:10-18. 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Dealing with temptation is a two fold process of resisting the devil and drawing near to God. From the very beginning, Satan deceived Eve into believing that God’s Word was not true. We need to know who He is – He is God Almighty. Deliverance involves the breaking up of legal grounds, the tearing down of strongholds (offensive spiritual warfare), and the casting out of demons. He said it was important to have a good heart – a heart set on God and trusting Jesus. Sometimes the attacks are direct – we’re tempted in some way or another. Think about a knight and his metal armor and it will kind of give you an idea. In the teaching Forgiven Sinner or Saint?, it shows you how the power of sin (temptation) can be broken in our lives. It’s being convinced of Christ and the gift He’s given us with salvation. This Sunday school lesson teaches the importance of being on guard spiritually and to use all of the resources God gives us. What does the belt of truth do?It keeps you from looking like a fool because you know the truth holds everything in place.Then, we have the breastplate of… RIGHTEOUSNESS! He’s also convinced them they can’t win; that this is just how it is – a so-so life. There are other teachings on this site that will go into more detail on certain areas of spiritual warfare. He knows the best way, so we stand firm, waiting and watching expectantly. Sometimes we forget that some of the things that happen to us are spiritual attacks. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. "...it was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced, and I felt so light and happy afterwards too, like bags of rocks on my shoulders that weighed 50 pounds each were removed. Temptation is when we are enticed or encouraged to sin in one way or another. TOPICS. by Kathy Harrington. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. There is a furious, fierce, and ferocious battle raging in the realm of the spirit between the forces of God and the forces of evil. Sometimes when we make a mistake we say things like, “well, that was stupid,” or, “boy am I dumb!”. Things that might be okay or not inherently bad, but just not the thing to focus on right now? When something comes up we pray, use our weapons of warfare and trust Him to help us and to handle it. 4 Spiritual-Warfare Lessons to Defeat the Demons Coming Against You. Unfortunately many times those ideas come from world concepts of success and victory instead of the Word of God. The devil tried to convince Jesus that it would be harmless to jump off a building. You use the belt of truth (God’s Word) to guard against the enemy’s deception (lies) he sends your way, while you use the sword of the Spirit (also God’s Word) to tear down existing strongholds (deception that took hold) in your mind. We keep our focus on Christ at all times. His Majesty, the Lord Jesus Christ defeated Satan for us but that victory must be applied in our every day Christian living. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Knowing it so well, when a counterfeit bill comes across their desk it’s easy to identify because it doesn’t match the real thing. This teaching will give you an idea of how spiritual warfare works. But take heart! Links to the other lessons in this series: Spiritual Warfare Armor, Pt. They know how it feels, what it looks like. Thankfully, the Lord has given us weapons for the battle. In Matthew 4, Jesus was led out in the desert to be tempted by the devil.