Daily Spiritual Warfare
(week 23/03)
Olubi Johnson
In last week’s article we saw that remaining under the shadow of His wings (Ps. 17.8-9) means remaining under the spiritual covering of spiritual leaders who are waiting upon the Lord and mounting up with wings as eagles in the place of prayer.
Isaiah 40:31(KJV): But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 32:1-2 (KJV): Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Here we see that a man in position of spiritual authority and leadership provides spiritual covering, by the life of God that is flowing out of his spirit as rivers of water (John. 7.38-39); He also acts as a shadow of protection by the power of God flowing through him.
We remain under the shadow of God’s wings by remaining under the spiritual covering of those in spiritual leadership over you who are waiting upon the Lord and mounting up with wings as eagles.
We do this, primarily, by having the right attitude towards them:
1Thessalonians 5:12-13(KJV): And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
It is with this right attitude as a foundation we can succeed in daily spiritual warfare against the enemies that surround us in the air, mind and flesh.
Ephesians 2:2-3(KJV): Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Ephesians 2:2-3(KJV): Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
We are involved in daily warfare against co-ordinated satanic operation in the air, mind and flesh.
A lot of our natural thinking, emotions and physical feelings and appetites are controlled by satanic power in the air targeted against our minds and flesh.
Most of the time we are ignorant of this and think these things that happen just happen naturally.
For instance, when you want to pray or read your Bible you feel sleepy or tired, but if you are watching TV or reading a newspaper or magazine you remain alert.
In many cases it is satanic power from the air acting on your mind and flesh that wants to prevent you from praying and reading your Bible so as to hinder your spiritual growth and keep you in captivity to carnal Christianity (1 Corintians. 3.1-3).
How then do you overcome these daily satanic attacks from the air, on your circumstances, mind and flesh?
- Daily prayer in the spirit overcomes satanic power in the air. This enables the Holy Spirit to influence your circumstances, mind and flesh instead of satanic power in the air influencing your circumstances, mind and flesh. Make it a goal to pray in the spirit (i.e. pray in tongues continuously) for at least a total of one hour daily in between and during your daily physical activities as much as is practicable.This step is particularly important because without it you will find steps 2 and 3 difficult to do effectively.
- Daily balanced Bible reading and meditation and what I call “watchful binding” of satanic spiritual forces operating from the air on your mind. This means when you find yourself in situations of irritation, worry, resentment, fear, confusion, sexual lust, envy, covetousness and such like. You simply say “you spirit of lust (or whatever the situation is) I bind you in Jesus name and I loose the spirit of temperance or self control upon my mind”. Do this as often as necessary during the course of the day. Be watchful and recognize when those attacks come. Remember Jesus said we should “watch and pray” (Matthew. 26.41). That is why I call it watchful binding.
- Daily confession of the Word and immediate acting on the Word to overcome the satanic influence in the flesh. When you have bound the spiritual forces acting on the mind as shown in step 2 above, you then speak the Word of God to overcome the particular temptation and act upon your confession as soon as you have the opportunity to.
For instance if you have been tempted with envy towards a person. After you bind the force of envy, say “I am not envious, I rejoice at the blessings of others” and then when you see the person compliment them for the object of envy that they have by faith even if you don’t feel like it: this is not hypocrisy. It is an operation of faith that will destroy the root of envy in your life and bring God’s blessings to your life.
You can do the same for irritation or resentment and anger. Go to person and apologise and show them an act of kindness or blessing. Even when you have sinned by saying or doing the wrong thing, be quick to repent and then bind the spirit in the air, confess and act on the Word as soon as possible.
As you sow in righteousness either to overcome temptation or to repent when you fall in temptation, God will show you mercy (Hosea.10.12).
Mercy to be faithful (1Corinthians. 7.25) to overcome temptation and mercy to overcome judgement (James. 2. 13) after you repent if and when you have fallen in a temptation.
It is a win-win situation, so long as you continue to practice righteousness. Do not give up because you fall sometimes. Rise up again and sow in righteousness and you will receive mercy that will overcome judgement and ultimately perfect you.
This why the scripture says:
James 1:2-4(KJV): My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Proverbs 24:16(KJV): For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
