January Word of the Month Study: The Essentials of Spiritual Warfare
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Time to read 10 min
Week One: What is spiritual warfare and how does a Christian recognize it?
Week Two: Breaking down the essentials of spiritual warfare.
Week Three: The armor of God in light of the essentials of spiritual warfare.
Week Four: Practical applications for the "Essentials of Spiritual Warfare" Word of the Month.
There is no Christian in the world who will not have an experience with spiritual warfare. The Bible tells us that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy so if you are one who claims to follow Jesus and love God, then you will encounter the one who desires to kill you.
- There are many areas where spiritual battles might occur in your life. You need to arm yourself with the essentials of spiritual warfare.
- There is no substitution for the essentials of spiritual warfare. Going to church is simply not enough.
- Used in tandem with one another, the primary essentials of spiritual warfare can destroy the weapons and strategies of the enemy against you.
The intention of the ArmoredSoul Word of the Month Club is to hear from the Holy Spirit every month about the Word our village needs for the season they are in. This month was very clear: Spiritual Warfare. This month we are focusing on being ready when we are confronted with spiritual warfare.
Each week come back to this study and dive deep into the lesson for that week. Wear your Word of the Month Essentials of Spiritual Warfare Mini-Stack and let that instruction penetrate your spirit. God is faithful!
WEEK ONE: What is spiritual warfare and how does a Christian recognize it?
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)
Scripture sums it up. Spiritual warfare is the ongoing battle between believers of Jesus and the demonic forces of hell. There is no other way to explain it. The wrestling that happens between us and these demonic forces takes on many forms from person to person, but nevertheless, the common thread with every experience is Satan's desire to separate us from God.
Anything that attempts to tempt us to sin, dishonor God, or even turn away from Him is spiritual warfare. Anything that attempts to destroy our calling, our blessings, or our minds is spiritual warfare.
In a nutshell, anything that goes against the Word of God and the promises of His Word over our lives is spiritual warfare. It is up to us to recognize it and to resist it.
Let's look at the basic components of quiet time with Jesus. While they are independent of one another in a general sense, they go hand in hand to put power behind your experience.
How to Recognize When You Are Engaged in Spiritual Warfare:
Spiritual Warfare has some clear indicators. Here are a few to explore. This is not an exhaustive list, but very common symptoms that many Christians experience.
- Overwhelming or even subtle temptation to sin. (See Matthew 26:41)
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Loss of interest in or distraction from the things of God. (See Hebrews 12:1-2)
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Emotional or mental distress, torment, or oppression. (See Psalm 42:5)
- Out-of-the-ordinary relationship struggles, particularly in relationships close to you like your marriage or with your children. (See Proverbs 18:19)
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Unexplainable exhaustion and fatigue. (1 Kings 18,19)
Spiritual warfare is designed to hurt you. Spiritual warfare is designed to destroy everything in your life that brings you closer to God and what He has for you. If something is happening in your life that is attempting to do any of these things, you are very likely the victim of spiritual warfare.
Image sourced from Pixabay
This week, pay attention to your environment and encounters in light of spiritual warfare. Make notes on some of the signs you see and get ready to battle!
ARMORED UP: GEARING UP FOR BATTLE
Week Two: Breaking down the essentials of spiritual warfare.
This week we are unwrapping the basic essentials of spiritual warfare. Let's explore.
Component #1: The Word of God
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
Satan’s greatest opportunity to defeat a believer is to attack one who does not know her Word. He is excited when he encounters a Christian who doesn't know the Word or their power and authority in the Word. The Bible refers to the Word of God as the Sword of the Spirit (see Ephesians 6.) It is our only OFFENSIVE weapon in battle. If you do not know your Word, you will not be able to discern truth from lies and you risk being defeated.
Component #2: The Holy Spirit
Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (I John 4:4)
The Holy Spirit is sent to us to guide us, comfort us, protect us, and more. He is, for lack of a better term, our Heavenly best friend. There is power in the Holy Spirit and we cannot engage in spiritual warfare without him. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a benefit available to all believers! If you would like to explore this more, connect with your pastor or a local believer that you trust immediately to pray with you. Or pray and ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit. He is faithful.
Component #3: Worship
May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands. (Psalm 149:6)
There are so many examples of people in the Bible who used worship as a form of defense in warfare: Paul and Silas, King Jehoshaphat, and the Israelites are perfect examples. When the enemy is attacking us, the last thing he expects us to do is to respond with worship! This renders him frustrated and can reverse any damage done by his attack.
Component #4: Prayer
Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:18)
Prayer is essential. The people that we see in the Bible who utilized prayer as part of their spiritual warfare protocol include Daniel, Jehoshaphat, and Elijah. Prayer moves Heaven and the heart of God on your behalf! If you are not praying, it is the equivalent of not calling 911 when someone is breaking into your home. If you do not have an active prayer life where you are praying the Word of God over your life, then you are not connected to the very force that can protect you from attacks.
Component #5: Angels
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:9)
We see angels in action through several people in the Bible including Daniel, Elisha, and even Jesus in the wilderness! Angels are deployed for many different reasons and oftentimes, they are left unassigned simply because we did not pray and ask. Angels are created to minister before the Lord and to those whom He calls His children. We need to utilize them.
This week, really do a deep dive search on these basic essentials of spiritual warfare. Look to the Bible for the stories and the examples shared and see how these people put these tactics into action. Assess how you can add or improve these strategies to your spiritual life.
Image by syaifulptak57 from Pixabay
Week Three: The armor of God in light of the essentials of spiritual warfare.
This week we are clarifying the difference between the essentials of spiritual warfare and the Armor of God.
Let's go straight to the Bible first:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. (Psalm 91: 11-18)
Think of the Armor of God as equipment. Helmets, breastplates, shoes, shields, belts, and swords. Think of the essentials as strategies. Both of these categories are critical to your success in spiritual warfare.
It is the equivalent of soldiers going to war and getting their supplies dealt to them and then being instructed on the war plans. Both of these things go hand-in-hand.
Which is most important?
Both of them.
This week will be a real challenge. I want to encourage you to do the following:
- Explore and assess your personal status with the Armor of God one by one.
Meditate on which pieces of your armor may be missing or have gaps. For example, the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Take some time with it and really be honest! If you could take your knowledge of the Word of God and fashion it into a weapon for battle, would it be a sword or a pool noodle? This is real talk! You would not find a Marine going into war with a pool noodle. How much more should you be armed for spiritual battle?
- Explore and assess your personal status with the basic essentials of spiritual warfare one by one.
This week, we are getting really serious about how prepped we are for battle. If you take this activity seriously, it will give you a good picture of why the enemy may be selecting you as a target and where your arsenal may be deficient.
It's time to armor up my friend!
www.armoredsoul.com
Week four: Practical applications for the "Essentials of Spiritual Warfare" Word of the Month.
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
This last week we are exploring some practical applications and tips for the "Essentials of Spiritual Warfare" Word of the Month and making sure you are well-equipped for battle. Use these to create your own experience or add some of your own. Each person's strategies may look different and that's okay!
Case Study: Elisha (See 2 Kings 6)
Here we see Elisha's servant feeling overwhelmed by the enemy. All he could see was the enemy's forces for days and he worried that he would be overtaken. Elisha deployed the strategies of prayer and angels to overcome and the battle was won.
Case Study: Paul & Silas in prison (See Acts 16)
Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned for spreading the gospel of Jesus. Paul deployed the essentials of prayer and worship and the jail literally broke open and let them walk out. The essentials work!
Jesus Christ Himself! (See Matthew 4:1-11)
When Satan challenged Jesus in the wilderness, he met Him at what had to be one of His most vulnerable moments after 40 days of fasting. Important to note: EVEN SATAN KNEW ANGELS COULD BE DEPLOYED ON JESUS' BEHALF. If Satan himself knows the strategies that work to save us, how crazy is it when we don't know! Jesus deployed the essentials of the Word of God and defeated the enemy flat. Our Lord gave us the perfect example of how to utilize the Sword of the Spirit.
Learn from the people in the Bible! There are many more who exercised the basic essentials of spiritual warfare and won: Joshua and Caleb, Moses, David, Jesus, Paul, Peter, Jehoshaphat, and more.
This week I compel you to examine these case studies and practical examples of the essentials of spiritual warfare. Learn from them and begin to implement these activities in your life.
YOU'VE GOT THIS.
www.armoredsoul.com
SPIRITUAL WARFARE STARTS WITH KNOWING YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST. WITHOUT THIS, YOU HAVE NO FOUNDATION TO CHALLENGE YOUR ENEMY AND YOU WILL BE DEFEATED.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I'M DOING EVERYTHING ABOVE BUT THE BATTLE KEEPS RAGING?
This is where it is important to be connected to a local, or at the very least virtual, body of believers. Consult with your pastor or someone strong in the Spirit for additional help and prayer.
How do I explore more of what the Bible says about spiritual warfare?
There is nothing wrong with using the internet to help you learn. Do a Google search for "spiritual warfare." Read the Scriptures that come up and books that are shown to dive deep into this topic. You want to know more about this and how it can change your life.
What if I need additional prayer for my situation?
How can I be sure I don't miss these daily word posts?
Visit our home page and join our email and SMS list. You will definitely not want to miss all of the goodness.
The Author: Sabrina Hayes
Sabrina Hayes is the Co-Founder of ArmoredSoul along with her husband Christopher. Besides owning a Christian retail brand, Sabrina is a published author, ordained and licensed minister, and mom of three adult girls. Her heart is to share the love of Jesus globally with anyone who will listen. Scripture Bracelets for Men and Women are just a small part of how she reaches them.
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