Quotes from the article:
Satan's work - he works in the hearts of the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2); he blinds unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4) and plants them throughout the world (Matthew 13:39); he deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9); he does signs and wonders to lead astray if possible even the elect (2 Thessalonians 2:9; Matthew 24:24); he holds people captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:25ff, Luke 11:21ff); he takes the word away when it is sown (Matthew 13:4, 19); he gives out authority to the world rulers (Luke 4:6; Revelation 13:2); he uses people to hinder others (Acts 13:10); he thwarts mission plans (1 Thessalonians 2:18) and he throws ministers in prison (Revelation 2:10).
Story:
For example, one report from Lausanne II said that in the fall of 1984 a group of pastors and leaders from the San Nicolas/Rosario area of Argentina gathered to discuss and pray about spiritual warfare. The gathering was prompted by the realization that 109 towns within 100 miles of their training center had no Christian witness. They did some preliminary studies and discovered that the town of Arroyo Seco appeared to be the seat of satanic activity in the region.
Years before, a well-known warlock (sorcerer) by the name of Mr. Meregildo operated out of that town. He was so famous and his cures so dramatic that people would trek to Arroyo Seco from overseas for his services. Before he died, he evidently passed his powers on to 12 disciples. Three times a church was established in Arroyo Seco and three times it closed down in the face of severe spiritual opposition.
After several days of Bible study and prayer, the pastors and leaders came together in one accord and placed the entire area under spiritual authority. A few of them traveled to Arroyo Seco. Positioning themselves across the street from the headquarters of Mr. Meregildo's followers, they served an eviction notice on the forces of evil. They announced to them that they were defeated and that Jesus Christ would attract many to himself now that the church was united and had pledged to proclaim him. Less than three years later, 82 of those towns had evangelical churches in them. An unverified report indicates that as of today, all of them have a church or a Christian witness.
Territorial spirits? Daniel 10:
the passage of Scripture that points most clearly to the possibility that some demonic powers oversee territories is Daniel 10. Daniel set himself to pray and fast for three weeks. At the end of the time an angel appeared to him and said that God had heard his prayer from the first day he began to humble himself and pray (v. 12). The reason he had taken three weeks to come, said the angel, was this: "The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia and came to make you understand what is to befall your people" (vv. 13-14).
Consequences for our ministry:
. 1) Take the Supernatural Seriously:
Take the supernatural seriously and realize that we are in a warfare that cannot and should not be domesticated by reinterpreting everything in the biblical worldview so that it fits nicely with secular, naturalistic ways of thinking about the world. Be ready for the extraordinary as well as the ordinary ways that evil spirits work. Don't be presumptuous, as though demons were weak; and don't be anxious, as though they were stronger than Jesus.
2) Daniel's prayer wasn't about angels:
But the point is this: Daniel's praying was not about angels. And probably ours shouldn't be either. We should wrestle in prayer and fasting for the things that we know are God's will in our lives and our families and our church and our city and our world. But by and large we should probably leave it to God how he will use angels to get his work done. If God shows us more, we will use it. But the essence of the matter is not knowing the spirits but knowing God and praying in the power of Holy Spirit.
SERMON: Piper and prayer:
God who could with none blink of an eye dispatch Satan and all of hordes, instead of doing that employs human agents to fight and win victories in spiritual warfare. Why? Don't know other than we will give more glory to him and we will experience more enjoyment.
10 - be strong: not our strength, it isn't about recruiting big he-men and she-women. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Ironically, you get the strength by putting on armour. When it comes near and your get in on you, you get strength.
11 - stand is repeated three of four times. All the while your standing you've got a chance to win. Standing in a fight is important. Boxing, you go down, you lose. Stand and withstand. The Devil has schemes: 'methodias', he has methods for everyone. He has a white middle-class book, a white british, a rich, a poor. He has a book of strategies for everyone.
12- Our struggle isn't against flesh and blood: John 18 'my kingdom is not of this world.' The kingdom of Jesus doesn't advance with the sword. It's a spiritual issue. A demonic, angelic evil power that is to be fought here with this armour. How do you fight the devil? Not something weird. How can I protect my children from the devil etc. it is very truth oriented.
14 - stand firm therefore with truth. True, correct like an arrow that flies straight.
Breastplate of righteousness. 'give yourselves as insturments to the Lord' is probably the sense of what this verse is saying. Do right things. The devil is in the business of causing you to do wrong things. Frustrate him by doing right things.
15 - shoes are important. Readiness. Maintaining a spirit of readiness in your life, pushes back satan and his schemes.
16 - in addition to all.... shield. Faith. Particular promises tailor made for the crisis of our lives.
17 - sword of spirit - Jesus in the wilderness. Quote the Bible back to the Devil.
Praying with all prayer and petition. All kinds of praying, at all times and all kinds of prayers. Paul knew he was dependant on prayer for boldness. Even the apostle Paul struggled with a need for boldness.
There's not a person who's ever lived whose not struggled with timidity.
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