Dealing with Demons Part 2

Dealing with Demons Part 2

Spiritual Warfare in Prayer. We are in a spiritual conflict. It is imperative that we understand this, for to seek to wage battle against the enemy in the strength of the flesh is to court certain defeat. We do well to remember the words of our Lord to Peter: "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" (Mark 14:38). "Body" (Gk. sarx) alludes to earthly life. Our battles are not fought on an earthly battleground, or with earthly instruments of war. They are waged with weapons of another sort-weapons made effective through God's might. Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive very thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) 3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Even though the believer's weapons 'are numerous as listed in Ephesians 6:14-17 (NLT) 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Prayer is not named among them, it is at least the means whereby the weapons are employed as Paul states in Eph. 6: 18 (NLT) Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere..

Through the enablement of prayer arguments and pretensions are demolished, as well as every high and mighty opposition to the knowledge of God. Arguments against the gospel Involve imagination and purely human reasoning. Through prayer and study of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit gives wisdom to demolish them. "We take captive every thought" (10:5).

The believers' warfare involves bringing our entire thought life into conformity with Christ's will. The mind itself is a battleground. Some of our unholy thoughts originate with us; some are planted by Satan; and others are thrown at us by our environment.  We therefore wrestle against our own sinful nature and against active forces of evil. We must firmly resist evil and unwholesome thoughts, seeking rather that the mind of Christ might dwell in us Philippians 2:5 (NLT) You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Philippians 4:8 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ¹

[1] The Spirit Helps us Pray – R.L. Brandt and Zenas J. Bicket