INTRODUCTION TO SPIRITUAL WARFARE

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. (Eph 6:12)

 

For 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. (2 Cor 10:3-4)

You are well aware then that anyone who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be attacked. (2 Tim 3: 12)

 When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. (Matt 12: 43-45)

Seven plus one make eight and in the land of Canaan there were eight enemies that Israel had to deal with. These are the spiritual enemies that attack every part of our being. When we learn to unmask and identify how they try to operate, then we can do something about it.

An ‘empty house’ describes a person who has been baptised, who has become a new creation but who has not been filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us to ‘be filled with the Spirit’ (Eph 5:18) and if you are filled with the Spirit then there is no room for the enemy to get back in.

Following this introduction the posts will identify 8 enemies that were in the land of Canaan that they were to deal with. These natural enemies to Israel now become the spiritual enemies to the Church.