Spiritual Warfare 101
Rev. Cindy Hyde
 

Everyone is talking about Spiritual Warfare. What is spiritual warfare anyway? It is going to war with the spirits that are not of God. Whoa you say! Spirits? Not of God? Well yes, there are angels, and spirits in the kingdom of heaven and in the kingdom of darkness. There are fallen angels, demonic powers, principalities, wickedness in high places, unclean and foul spirits, devils... you'll find out all about these as you go along, but if you do know about them you know how real they are. There are two worlds we live in. The physical world that has the laws of nature that God established ruling it. And the spiritual world where the laws of nature do not apply, where the spirits have their places of abode. There are actually three heavens. The third heaven is where God's throne is. The first heaven is our firmament, our atmosphere, the second heaven is the universe. Huge heaven wouldn't you say? 

First let's get one thing established before we go any further. You can not enter into spiritual warfare unless you become a child of God. Flesh can not understand the things of the spirit. If you intend to join an army you must always train. That's what this is. Training for God's Army! You can not become a child of God unless you admit you are a sinner, ask Jesus to forgive you, and accept Him as your Savior.

Savior? From what? From eternal damnation. That's what. When you were born you were born with a sinful nature. We all are. Adam and Eve first sinned and put us all under a curse that separated us from God. Since the life is in the blood God required animal sacrifices as a payment for their sin. A shedding of innocent blood would be His way of reconciling Himself to His creation, to you and I.  He planned from the beginning to allow His only begotten Son, Jesus, Emmanuel which means, God with us, to come into the world as a man and suffer for your sins. He paid for them by shedding His blood and sacrificing His life so you could live.

When you accept Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Savior into your heart and make Him the LORD of your life, you become a child of God and you are promised eternal life with Him. Instead of eternal damnation. Then you are able to receive the full armour of God. Then you can receive the blessings and the promises that He has given you. Click here to learn more about Salvation.

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,  that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"

This is a lesson from The Battle Is Not Mine - Spiritual Warfare Series.
Look for other upcoming teachings on this soon.
Copywrite by Cindy Hyde 6/18/2002

TAKE UNTO YOU THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD

THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND IN THE EVIL DAY

HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND

STAND THEREFORE

HAVING YOUR LOINS GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH

The truth of the gospel. (Gal. 2:5).
The Truth. (2 Tim. 3:7; 4:4).
Jesus says of Himself, "I am the way, and the truth" (John 14:6).

Satan is the father of lies. The truth is not in him. He opposes everything God and Jesus Christ stands for. When we are walking in truth we are opposing the wickedness in high places. We are declaring the Kingdom of God is here.

The truth protects us from the lies of the enemies. Covers us with the Righteousness of the Lord our God.

HAVING ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:

The breastplate covered the back and breast and both upper arms
(Isa. 59:17; Eph. 6:14).
 
We of our own can not be righteous. We are the righteousness of Christ Jesus. When we have Him in our hearts, we don the breastplate that protects our hearts, the very center of our being.

FEET SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE:

When we walk in peace we carry forth the very essence of God. We show others by example what it is like to be a Christian. When we determine to bear the fruits of the Spirit in our lives, love, joy, peace, then we let others see that we are of God. Peace is something this world can not and does not offer. Peace is fearing nothing. It is having the assurance of salvation through Christ Jesus that you have eternal life. An inner tranquility that can only come from a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"

Romans 10:15, "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

ABOVE ALL TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH:

Shields are used in defensive warfare. They were usually anointed to deflect the arrows of the enemy and to preserve them. Taking up this shield of faith means that you are confident  that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of this whole universe. That He is your Provider, Healer, Guide, Help in times of trouble, Strong Tower, Deliverer,

WHEREWITH YE SHALL BE ABLE TO QUENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED

TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION

The helmet protected the head. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you put this helmet on. It protects you from the thoughts and the lies that the enemy shoots at you as missiles. As fiery darts. 

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD

This is our only offensive weapon. This sword of the Spirit is literally the WORD of God. Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."