6. Removing the Weeds
(Please note that a handbook entitled: "Understanding Spiritual Warfare and Strongholds" is available from the DAWN Africa office. Please refer to page 2 of this training manual.) If a farmer does not remove the weeds in his fields they will choke the harvest. Because a church consists of people and people have strongholds in their lives, churches can be bound or even destroyed through these strongholds unless they are dealt with. UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL WARFARE What Spiritual Warfare is not: 1. It is not a conflict between good and evil. 2. It is not only a conflict between God and Satan. 3. It is not just shouting at the devil and calling him names. 4. It is not just for a selected or holy few. What Spiritual Warfare is: 1. It is the battle between the Kingdom of God and Satan for the souls of people. 2. It is the daily spiritual combat against the forces of darkness. 3. It is to enforce the reign of Christ. 4. It is for every Christian. DEFINITION Spiritual warfare is the outright conflict between the Kingdom of God, led by the Lord Jesus Christ and the forces of darkness, led by Satan for the souls of people. FROM CREATION TO THE CROSS • SATAN BEGAN THE CONFLICT Isaiah 14:12-18 How you have fallen from heaven, 0 morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! " You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven, - I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. " I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. • SATAN AND A THIRD OF THE ANGELS WERE CAST FROM HEAVEN Revelation 12:9 The great dragon was hurled down -- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. • SATAN BECAME THE RULER OF THE KINGDOM OF THE AIR Ephesians 2:2 "...in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. • GOD DECLARED WAR AFTER THE FALL OF MAN Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between you and the Woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and YOU will strike his heel. " • EVER SINCE, THERE HAS BEEN SPIRITUAL WARFARE A nation (Israel) was formed that would bring forth the Messiah. Prophets fought many spiritual battles for the preparation with John the Baptist as the main forerunner.
THE GREAT CULMINATION AT THE CROSS
I John 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.
Colossians 2:14-15 "...having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. " • A major part of Jesus' ministry was delivering people from demons THE MANDATE OF THE CHURCH
Mark 16:17 "...And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; Ephesians 6:12 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.
2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. JESUS AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Jesus made it very clear that he was initiating spiritual warfare. • Look at the following Scriptures: Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,... "
Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto Thee, That the art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 6.1 DEALING WITH STRONGHOLDS IN A CHURCH (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) NIV For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
A "stronghold" is a spiritual fortress where a power has control. These fortresses exist in the thought-patterns, opinions and ideas that govern individuals, churches, communities and nations. In the Old Testament, a stronghold was a fortified dwelling used as a means of protection from the enemy. These were physical structures, usually cave high on a mountainside, and were very difficult to attack. Obviously, Paul uses the word "stronghold" to define the spiritual fortress wherein satan and his demons hide and are protected. These fortresses also exist in the thought-patterns and ideas that govern individuals and churches, as well as communities and nations.
In several of the Pauline Epistles, Paul actually addresses strongholds that were binding those churches and were making their witness ineffective. Let's look at some of these churches and their strongholds as well as five churches in the book of Revelation: A. THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH This was a church of much contrast. It was a church that was rich and strong in spiritual gifts, (1Cor 1:4-7) yet they were extremely un-spiritual in many other aspects of church life. Paul, at great risk to himself, shows no fear in addressing these issues. Although he does not call each of them strongholds, they all fall into the definition of strongholds. We must understand that we cannot deal with the strongholds of a community, town or country, if we do not deal with our individual and corporate strongholds. • A stronghold of division - 1 Cor 1:12-13 • A stronghold of immorality - 1 Cor 5:1-6; 6:15-18 • A stronghold of extreme liberality - 1 Cor 8:9-13 • A stronghold of idolatry - 1 Cor 10:14-22 • A stronghold of ignorance of God - 1 Cor 15:33-34 • A stronghold of unforgiveness - 2 Cor 2:511 • A stronghold of worldly partnerships - 2 Cor 6:14-7:1 • A stronghold of resistance to authority - 2 Cor 10:8-13 • A stronghold of sedition. (Conduct or language inciting rebellion against authority.) –2 Cor 11:4-15 • A stronghold of a lack of repentance - 2 Cor 12:21 B. THE GALATIAN CHURCH • A stronghold of legalism - Gal. 3:1-5 Laying down laws for Christians that are outside the requirements of the Scriptures. E.g. clothing, serving of communion etc. Find the balance between extreme liberality and legalism. • A stronghold of religion - Gal. 4:8-10,15,21-31 Sons of Hagar or sons of Sarah. FIVE CHURCHES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION