OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE WARFARE

There are two types of warfare in the natural world:  Offensive and defensive.  The Bible also teaches both defensive and offensive spiritual strategies.  You must learn to fight both

defensively and offensively.  The only other option is desertion, which is unacceptable.

This lesson provides an introduction to both offensive and defensive warfare.  The following two chapters examine in detail your defensive and offensive spiritual weapons.

DEFENSIVE WARFARE

Defensive warfare is battle waged to defend territory.  It is warfare that waits for the enemy to strike, then pulls its forces together in defensive response.  The defender must respond to his opponent and his decisions are forced on him by the attacker.  This type of warfare does not advance into enemy territory.  It defends territory already claimed.  It is important, however, because the spiritual forces of evil are constantly attacking you as a believer.  If you do not know how to defend yourself, you will become a victim of these attacks.

OFFENSIVE WARFARE

Offensive warfare is aggressive warfare. It is not a warfare of waiting and responding in defense. It is warfare which takes the initiative of attack. The enemy is identified, his strategy recognized, and offensive advances against him are made in the spirit world.  In offensive warfare the attacker has the advantage of making decisions first.  Offensive warfare gains territory rather than defends it.

Offensive advances are the only type of spiritual warfare which will reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We cannot remain in our comfortable homes and churches and practice defensive strategies only. The army of God must advance into enemy territory.  It must go to the strongholds of Satan with the power of the Gospel message.  We must wage aggressive offensive spiritual battle.

THE COMMON FACTOR

There is one thing in common about offensive and defensive warfare.  Both involve personal action by the believer.  In natural warfare, unused weapons do not inflict causalities on the enemy nor win wars.  The same is true in the spirit world.  Your spiritual weapons are affected by your will to use them.  It is true that God empowers for battle, but you have a personal responsibility in both defensive and offensive spiritual strategies.

In Old Testament battles, the Lord fought for and with His people, Israel.  But first, they had to position themselves on the battlefield.  When God sees a spiritual weapon being used in His name and a man or woman on the battlefield daring to attempt the impossible, the Lord of Hosts is moved to action. 

Read the story of Elisha in II Kings 13:14-19. In this object lesson using the bow and arrows, there are some spiritual parallels  that will help you understand your part in the battle:

1.  DEMONSTRATE YOUR INTENTION TO FIGHT:

Elisha  told King Joash, "Take up the bow and arrows."  Paul said, "Take the sword of the Spirit" and declare war.  By taking up your offensive and defensive weapons, you are demonstrating your intention to fight.

2.  PUT YOUR HANDS ON THE WEAPON:

Elisha told the king to put his hands upon the bow, then Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands.  The strategy for victory is your hand upon the weapon and His hand over yours. 

3.  OPEN THE WINDOW:

Open up the window of the place where the enemy is victorious.  Israel's foe was to the east, so Elisha told the king to open the window eastward.  God wants you to open up the "windows" of every area of your life to expose the failure, defeat, and bondage of the enemy. 

4.  SHOOT:

Elisha told the king, "Shoot,"  and the king shot.  Then Elisha said, "The Lord's arrow of victory over Syria."  The open window is not enough.  The weapon in your hand is not sufficient. Even God's hand upon your hand will not win the battle.  You must follow the command of the Lord of Host to "SHOOT!"   This is your part in the warfare...to actually use the weapon that is in your hand which is guided by the hand of the Lord.

5.  KNOW THE OBJECTIVE:

Elisha told the King to take the arrows and hit them upon the ground as a symbol of his victory over Syria.  The king did so, but he "smote thrice and stayed (stopped)."  Elisha told him that because he limited God by hitting the ground only three times, his military victory would be limited.  This happened because the King did not understand the objective of warfare.  Elisha had said the Lord wanted to totally consume the enemy (verse 17).  By striking the ground only three times, the King settled for only partial victory.

The Lord's objective for you is total victory in every area of your life and ministry.  If you fail to understand this objective then your victory will be limited. 

6.  WIN FIRST IN THE SECRET CHAMBER:

What happened between Elisha and King Joash in the secret chamber that day determined the outcome of the battle with Syria.   It is what happens in the secret chamber with the Lord that determines your victories in the actual battles of life.

DEVICES OF SATAN

Basic to both offensive and defensive warfare is knowledge of the strategies of Satan:

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:  for we are not ignorant of his devices.  (II Corinthians 2:11)

The word "devices" means a scheme, project, plot or underhanded plan of evil character.  Satan can gain advantage over you when you are ignorant of his devices and fail to respond in offensive and defensive battle.

THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Earlier in this course you learned of the spiritual force of good known as the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is important in both offensive and defensive warfare. The Holy Spirit knows the strategies of Satan and intercedes for believers engaged in battle:

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:  but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered....because He maketh  intercession for the saints according to the  will of God.  (Romans 8:26-27)

The Holy Spirit gives power to claim enemy territory:

But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  (Acts 1:8)

Gifts of the Holy Spirit are valuable weapons of offensive and defensive battle.  The gifts of the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom provide supernatural revelation for spiritual warfare.  The gift of discerning of spirits reveals the deception of the enemy.

The special gifts of pastor, prophet, apostle, evangelist and teacher assist in equipping us for battle.  The speaking gifts of the Holy Spirit provide special instructions from God and the serving gifts of the Spirit enable the army of God to move forward in spiritual advance.

WRESTLING: A NATURAL PARALLEL OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH

One of the most powerful verses on offensive spiritual combat is...

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (Ephesians 6:12)

God's choice of the word "wrestle" is significant.  Wrestling is a natural parallel of a great spiritual truth.  Wrestling in the natural world is a sport of mastery in strength.  To wrestle means "to contend in struggle for power over an opponent."

Consider these facts about wrestling in the natural world as applied to your spiritual warfare:

3.  THE STRATEGIES:

There are both offensive and defensive strategies in natural wrestling which are applicable in the spiritual world.  Stalling is one technique used in wrestling.  Stalling is avoiding confrontation with an opponent.  Points are lost in the judging system for stalling.  You also  "lose points" when you "stall" spiritually and do not aggressively wrestle your enemy.  Some believers spend their entire lives stalled in confrontation with the enemy.  They never aggressively wrestle and gain the victory.

4.  UPSET BALANCE:

Another important strategy in natural wrestling is to upset the balance of the opponent.  Once an opponent's balance has been destroyed, he is kept struggling to regain it.

The Bible speaks much of the importance of  balance or "temperance."  One of the strategies of Satan in the spiritual realm is to try to upset balance.  Many cults have resulted because of improper balance on doctrinal issues.  Homes, church fellowships, and even nations have been defeated because of improper balance by wrong emphasis or lack of emphasis in certain areas.

There are two types of balance involved in wrestling:  Physical and mental balance. Before physical balance can be destroyed, mental balance must first be attacked.   To accomplish this, a strategy of surprise is used.  A move is initiated that is distracting and a surprising.  While the wrestler focuses on this, the intended technique is applied.  By leading an opponent to believe some move is about to be attempted, he will try to avoid the imagined danger and leave himself open to the actual attack.

How true this is in the spiritual world!  Satan upsets balance through the strategy of surprise.  He upsets your mental balance by distracting attacks and while you are fearfully focused on these, he launches his intended assault in another area of your life.

5.  ANTICIPATION:

Anticipation is important in natural wrestling.  A wrestler who can discern when a particular move is going to be made is usually able to block or counter attack.  When the intended move is made it is not as likely to be successful since it is anticipated and the wrestler is prepared.

The same is true in the spirit world.  If you are not ignorant of Satan's devices and anticipate his strategies, then you are prepared.  You are not thrown off balance when attacks occur.

6.  BAITING:

There are moves in wrestling which are made to "bait" an opponent, to tempt and entice him into making a move which will weaken his position.  In the spirit world Satan is constantly tempting you to moves which will weaken your spiritual position.

In natural wrestling, moves are planned to place an opponent in a position that leaves him open to attack.  Situations are purposely created to do this and advantage is taken of an opponent's weakened position at the instant it occurs. 

Spiritually, Satan creates situations which leave you open to attack  Then he immediately takes advantage of your weakened position.  But you must remember as you wrestle that it is Satan who holds the weakened position.  The power within you is greater than his power.  He has already been dealt the final weakening blow by the Lord Jesus Christ.  But you must exercise the advantage given you by the Lord in order to win the match.

7.  ATTACK AND COUNTERATTACK:

In natural wrestling, every move you make sets you up for a response from the opponent.  The same is true in the spirit world.  When you make a move for God, Satan will always counterattack with a move of his own.

8.  MOBILITY:

In wrestling, a mobile opponent is considered dangerous.  This is why you want to pin your

opponent down.  In the spiritual world, Satan is a mobile opponent.  He goes "to and fro" as a lion seeking to devour.  You must be on guard for his constant mobility.  Satan also recognizes the effectiveness of your mobility.  He wants to prevent you from being on the move for God. This is why he strives to throw you and pin you down spiritually.

9.  RECOVERY:

Any error made in wrestling results in an action that can be taken advantage of by the opponent. How true spiritually!  Any error you make in spiritual wrestling is quickly taken advantage of by the enemy.  It is important in wrestling to learn how to recover from a fall.  It is necessary to be able to convert the bottom position into an advantage.  There are moves of escape and reversal which will enable this.

In spiritual wrestling you may at times experience a fall and be temporarily pinned by the enemy.  But you do not have to remain in this position.  God has given strategies in His Word which, if followed, will convert your disadvantage into an advantage.  He has provided strategies for escape and reversal spiritually just as are used in natural wrestling. 

The life of Joseph is an excellent example of this.  He had the disadvantages of being sold into slavery and put in prison.  But he converted  disadvantages to advantages.  In the end, he triumphed over the enemy.

There are other moves in wrestling which result in taking an opponent down from behind, dragging, pinning, throwing, and pulling him.  Can you recognize similar moves by the enemy spiritually?

DEFENSIVE WEAPONS

Put on the whole Armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.  (Ephesians 6:11)

• The Word of God • Delegated power and authority • Prayer • Fasting • Keys of the kingdom • The name of Jesus

In addition to these basic warfare strategies, the Bible reveals that you have a whole arsenal of spiritual weapons.  In this chapter you will learn about your defensive spiritual weapons.  In the next lesson you will study offensive weapons.

DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES

The Bible teaches the following defensive actions which must be taken by the believer:

SUBMIT AND RESIST:

Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.  (James 4:7)

Note the order in this verse:  First submit, then resist.  Many people skip over the first step of submission and try resisting the Devil, only to discover it does not work. Defeat results when you act independently of God.  It is the humble, not the arrogant and self-confident, who overcome the enemy.  You will be able to resist Satan only as you submit to God.  To "resist" means to "stand firm against and oppose the enemy at every point."  The Scripture does not teach us to go looking for demons, but to resist them when they approach us.

RESIST SATAN STEADFASTLY IN FAITH:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in you brethren that are in  the  world.  (I Peter 5:8-9)

To resist "in the faith" means to resist on the authority of God's Word.

DON’T GIVE PLACE TO SATAN:

Do not leave room for Satan to operate in your life:

Neither give place to the Devil.   (Ephesians 4:27)

RECOVER YOURSELF FROM SATAN’S SNARE:

You must recover yourself from Satan's snare by applying Biblical strategies:

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.  (II Timothy 2:26)

ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS:

To "abstain" means to keep yourself from something and refuse to do it:

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.  (I Peter 2:11)

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.  (I Thessalonians 4:3)

Abstain from all appearance of evil. (I Thessalonians 5:22)

STAND YOUR GROUND:

Wherefore take unto you the whole Armor of God, that ye may  be able to withstand in  the  evil day, and having done all, to stand...Stand therefore..(Ephesians 6:13-14a)

When you "stand your ground" you are defending that which is rightfully yours.

BEWARE OF EVIL, SHUN IT, AND PUT IT OFF:

Study Ephesians 4:17-32. The "putting off" of all the evil behavior listed there is defensive warfare.

Don’t be led aware by the error of the wicked:

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.  (II Peter 3:17)

But shun profane and vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness.  (II Timothy 2:16)

To "shun" means to avoid or turn away from.  You should avoid every evil thing related to the enemy.

TRY THE SPIRITS:

Trying the spirits prevents deception.

Beloved, believe not every spirit whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  (I John 4:1)

To "try" means to "test."  You are not operating in unbelief when you try the "spirits" of those with whom you come in contact or in operation in and around you.  If they are true, they will pass the test.

SHUN FALSE TEACHERS:

When you receive false teachers into your home you become partakers of their evil.  Defend your home from enemy attack:

If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed;

For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (II John 10-11)

LAY ASIDE WORLDLY AFFAIRS:

You are to lay aside worldly affairs which prevent you from being a good soldier. To "lay aside" is defensive action you must take.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.   (II Timothy 2:3-4)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.   (Hebrews 12:1)

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  (James 1:21)

PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD:

Put on the whole Armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.  (Ephesians 6:11)

"Put on" indicates action you must take.  The basic description of the armor of God is given in Ephesians 6:10-17.  Read this passage in your Bible.

Paul introduces the subject of warfare by emphasizing that the battle is not a natural one  and natural weapons are ineffective.  Spiritual battles must be fought with spiritual weapons.  Paul describes the armor to be used in spiritual warfare:

Wherefore take unto you the whole Armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.   (Ephesians 6:13-17)

The purpose of the armor is to be able to stand against the wiles (deceit, cunning, craftiness) of the enemy, Satan.  It is your responsibility to put on the armor:

Put on the whole Armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  (Ephesians 6:11)

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.  (Romans 13:14)

The night is far spent, the day is at hand:  let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armor of light.   (Romans 13:12)

The phrase "put on" means to "put on once and for all.”  Your spiritual armor is not like a athletic uniform you put on at game time.  You put on the armor once and for all and leave it on the rest of your life.  Just as a soldier on the battlefield does not take his armor off and on, you will not lay down your armor until you go to be with the Lord.  If you do not have your armor on at all times, you are vulnerable to the enemy.  It is wise to check often that each piece of your spiritual armor is still in place.

The first division of armor covers three things you have done in the past.  "Having put" indicates something you have already done if you are a believer.

• Having your loins girt about with  truth (verse 14) • Having on the breastplate of righteousness (verse 14) • Having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace (verse 15)

The second division includes things which are to be put on in the present:

• Taking the shield of faith (verse 16) • Taking the helmet of salvation (verse 17) • Taking the sword of the Spirit (verse 17)

In Ephesians 6:11 Paul emphasizes putting on the whole armor of God.  Some of us are preoccupied with but one piece of God's armor to the extent that others are neglected.  You must have on the whole armor or you may find yourself being an expert in the use of the "sword of the Spirit" and still defeated because you have forgotten the shield of faith.

The Belt:

The first piece of armor to be buckled on is the girdle or belt of truth. In the natural world, a suit of armor was attached to the belt which held the other pieces of armor in place.  The truth of God's Word is the spiritual belt to which all other pieces of armor are attached.  Satan's first attack on man was on truth:

And the woman said unto the serpent...God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.  (Genesis 3:2-4)

The truth will protect you from lies and doctrinal errors of the enemy. Truth is the undergirding of your spiritual armor.  You are to have your loins (your spiritual vital organs) girt (covered) with truth:

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth... (Ephesians 6:14)     

What is the truth?

• Jesus said, "I am the truth."John 14:6 • The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of truth."John 14:17 • God is truth. Romans 3:4 • God's Word is truth. Psalms 119:151 • The Gospel is truth. Colossians 1:5

The Breastplate:

In the natural world, the breastplate covered the upper body of the warrior to protect vital organs such as his heart, lungs, etc.  The spiritual breastplate of righteousness does not refer to your righteousness, but to the covering of the righteousness of Christ:

And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.  (Philippians 3:9)

You do not stand on your own merits.  You stand in Christ.  You can not face the enemy without the protection of the righteousness of Christ:

By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the Armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.  (II Corinthians 6:7)

The righteousness of Christ protects your spiritual "vital organs" from attacks of Satan and from unrighteousness.  The breastplate of righteousness must be buckled on to the belt of truth.

The Shoes:

There are many types of shoes for different purposes. Some are for walking, others for specific sports activities.  A soldier's shoes are another kind...They are shoes designed for warfare. A soldier who cannot advance on the battlefield is disabled in warfare. 

"Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace" indicate a readiness to advance in the spiritual realm.  These spiritual shoes protect your will from the temptation of the enemy who would lead you in wrong paths.  They indicate your willingness to do every good work and to spread the Gospel to all nations.  These spiritual shoes will also enable you to stand against the enemy as Paul encourages you to do (Ephesians 6:14).

The Shield:

In the natural world, the shield was used to provide protection to the warrior's entire body.  Your spiritual shield is called the "shield of faith."

There are several types of faith mentioned in the Bible.  There is saving faith, the gift of faith, and the spiritual fruit of faith. But the word "faith" when used in relation to the "shield of faith" speaks of defensive faith.  This faith is a firm trust and confidence in God which  protects your whole being.  It protects you from flaming missiles of doubt and unbelief sent by the enemy. This shield of faith is a calm and confident trust in God which deflects all the fiery arrows of the enemy from their target.

The shield of faith is the constant application of God's Word to the issues of life.  It is a faith that enables you to overcome the evil forces of the world:

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  (I John 5:4)

Combined with love of God, faith is most effective:

...putting on the breastplate of faith and love...(I Thessalonians 5:8)

It is faith based on truth:

He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  (Psalms 91:4)

It is faith based on salvation:

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy  salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.  (Psalms 18:35)

Without faith, you have no grasp of truth.  Without faith you cannot receive salvation.  Without faith you cannot go forth with the Gospel of peace.  Without faith you cannot claim the righteousness of Christ and effectively use the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

Faith is not an assumption or presumption.  It is a fact based upon God's Word.  You can increase your faith by hearing God's Word (Romans 10:17), acting upon your present faith (Romans 1:17), and seeking God (Hebrews 12:2).  

The Helmet:

The helmet of salvation is not something you put on when you get saved.  Remember, we are dealing with spiritual armor here, and it is assumed that you are a believer and a member of God's army before you start putting on the armor.

The helmet of salvation represents a regenerated mind.  It represents a transformed and renewed thought life.  You will learn later in this course that Satan desperately fights for control of the mind.  An undisciplined mind makes the Christian warrior easy prey to sinful deceptions of the enemy. 

Paul speaks of the helmet as the "hope of salvation" in I Thessalonians 5:8. Salvation, when properly experienced and understood, protects your mind.  Salvation embraces the past, present, and future.  You have been saved from the guilt and penalty of past sin.  You are being saved from the power of sin in the present. The "hope of salvation" refers to salvation in the future tense.  It is final salvation from the presence of sin when Jesus returns.  The hope of this future salvation strengthens your mind against the attacks of Satan.  You have a confident hope in the future because God is working out His purpose:

...according to His good pleasure, which He hath purposed in Himself; That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him.  (Ephesians 1:9-10)

The Sword Of The Spirit:

The "sword of the Spirit" is the Word of God.  It is both a defensive and offensive weapon.  You already learned how Jesus used the Word in defense against the attacks of Satan. In the next lesson you will learn how this weapon is used offensively.

Prayer:

After describing the Christian soldier's armor, Paul comments:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.  (Ephesians 6:18)

As you learned when you studied "Gods Battle Plan,” prayer and its associated practice of fasting are also powerful spiritual weapons. These two weapons can be used both offensively and defensively. Check out the summary of the armor of God and its purposes which follows:

THE ARMOR OF GOD Ephesians 6:10-18

TRUTH (girdle) Protects from...                                                                                     DECEPTION                                              Sword of the Spirit

     RIGHTEOUSNESS (breastplate)     Protects from...     UNRIGHTEOUSNESS 

     PEACE  (shoes)                                                     Protects from...     CONFUSION 

      FAITH (shield)      Protects from...                                                 UNBELIEF 

SALVATION  (helmet)                                                                       Protects from... BONDAGE

• The girdle or belt of truth protects from the deception of Satan which can lead to unrighteousness (sin). • The breastplate of righteousness protects from unrighteousness (sin) which leads to confusion. • Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace protects from spiritual confusion which results in unbelief. • The shield of faith protects against unbelief which results in bondage. The helmet of salvation protects from bondage. • The sword of the spirit, the Word of God, is used as both an offensive and defensive weapon.

 Note the downward progression of one not protected by the armor of God:  Deception leads to unrighteousness (sin) which always results in confusion.  Confusion results in unbelief, and  unbelief always results in spiritual bondage.

OFFENSIVE WEAPONS

The Lord hath opened his armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation:  for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts... (Jeremiah 50:25a)

To "war a good warfare" it is evident that you must take offensive action:

This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare. (I Timothy 1:18)

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and has professed a good profession before many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:12)

You are to fight this battle intelligently with purpose:

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. (I Corinthians 9:26)

Knowing your offensive weapons can give you the ability to fight with purpose instead of uncertainty.

OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES

Here are the weapons you use to wage offensive spiritual warfare:

PRAYER:

You already studied prayer and fasting as part of "God's Battle Plan" in Chapter Ten and as a defensive weapon in the last lesson. But prayer is also a powerful offensive weapon. When you use it to wage offensive warfare you do not just pray only for your own personal wants, needs, and problems. You intercede for people, leaders, and nations, pulling down strongholds of Satan and his demonic forces.

All Christians are to intercede at times, but there is a special calling to intercession for some. This powerful ministry brings the intercessor before the Lord to wage mighty battles in the unseen realm.

The value of praise and worship was also mentioned in Chapter Ten. Praise and worship are powerful offensive weapons. In II Chronicles 20 when Israel faced a mighty enemy, they began to sing and praise God and He set an ambush to defeat their army. When you praise and worship God, you are actually setting "ambushments" in the spirit world.

THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT:

Wherefore TAKE unto you the whole Armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day...(Ephesians 6:13)

To "take" something is to get hold of it, grasp it, to draw it to yourself. To take hold of God's armor implies offensive action on the part of the believer.

You studied about the defensive parts of the armor in the last lesson. These included the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, shoes of the preparation of peace, and the sword of the Spirit.

The "sword of the Spirit," which is the Word of God, is a weapon that can be used both defensively and offensively. The Word is a defensive weapon when you use it to defend against the attacks of Satan. It is offensive when you use it to claim territory for the Lord by sharing the Gospel message and deliverance with others.

There are two different words used in Scripture for the "Word of God." One word is "logos" which refers to the total utterance of God. This refers to the complete revelation of what God has said. The second word, "rhema," refers to a specific saying of God that has special application to a specific situation. This is the word used in this passage calling the "sword of the Spirit" the Word of God.

You will remember that Jesus used specific ("rhema") sayings of God, applicable to the immediate temptation. To be able to do this implies familiarity with the total Word of God. If you are to use specific Scriptures applicable to immediate battles, you must have knowledge of God's total revelation.

THE MIND OF CHRIST:

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, ARM YOURSELVES likewise with the same mind...(I Peter 4:1)

LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, which was also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5)

To "let" means to permit or embrace. You are to arm yourself with the same mind that Jesus had, a mind set to wage aggressive warfare:

...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil. (I John 3:8)

You must "let" or permit this mind to be developed. You must take aggressive action to "arm yourself" with a similar mental attitude:

And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

To be "transformed" means to experience a complete change which will be expressed in character and conduct. Renewing and arming your mind with Christlikeness results in such a transformation.

PULLING AND CASTING DOWN:

The goal of offensive warfare is to pull and cast down the strongholds of the enemy:

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the PULLING DOWN OF STRONG HOLDS; CASTING DOWN imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (II Corinthians 10:4-5)

To "pull down" means to take down by effort or force. To "cast" means to throw or hurl. You are told to cast off the works of darkness (Romans 13:12) and cast out demon powers (Matthew 10:8).

When you pull and cast down strongholds of Satan you are waging offensive warfare. You are not waiting to defend against an attack of Satan but you are attacking strongholds of the enemy's power.

BINDING AND LOOSING:

You have the power to bind the forces of evil and loose the forces of good:

And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. (Matthew 16:19)

Through delegation of power and authority from Jesus, you can bind and loose spiritual forces. Note that this weapon works together: It is binding and loosing. Whenever you bind something, you should also loose something. For example, if you bind the spirit of lying you should loose the spirit of truth to operate in its place.

THE BLOOD OF JESUS:

When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, He loosed us from the dominion of sin and the power of the enemy. His blood secures our access to God and release from the bondage of Satan. The Word of God indicates that "they (believers) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ)" (Revelation 12:11).

Salvation, healing, and deliverance are all available because of the blood of Jesus. His blood enables you to wage offensive warfare for the souls of men and women and bring deliverance in deliverance and healing in the name of Jesus. Your power to "overcome" the enemy is because of the "blood of the lamb."

YOUR TESTIMONY:

Revelation 12:11 indicates the enemy is defeated by the "word of your testimony." The word "testimony" means "evidence or record" like that used in a legal case in a court of law.

You will recall that Jesus often commanded people who had been delivered to go and tell others what God had done for them. As you "testify" or give evidence to the power of God in your life, you wage offensive spiritual warfare. To be effective, your testimony must be based upon the testimony of the Word of God, just as a lawyer in a court bases his arguments on the law of the land.

THE NAME OF JESUS:

You already learned that the name of Jesus is part of God's basic battle plan. The name of Jesus is a powerful offensive weapon also. Jesus said that "in My name" you will cast out demons, heal the sick, and overcome all the power of the enemy (Mark 16:17).

Review the various names of Jesus in Chapter Three of this manual to see how many of His names  reflect offensive action against the enemy. Also read through the book of Acts and note the miracles done "in His name."

The name of Jesus is not some magical phrase with which we conclude our prayers. It is a symbol of the authority and power He has given us. You had better be authorized to use His power an authority before you start using His names to war against Satanic powers. Review the story in Acts 19:13-17 and note what happened to the sons of Sceva.

1. Study these references on the offensive action of "casting": Matthew 5:29-30; 7:5; 8:16; Mark 16:17; Romans 13:12; II Corinthians 10:5; I Peter 5:7

2. Study these references on the offensive action of "putting": Romans 13:12, 14; I Corinthians 5:13; 13:11; Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 4:22-24; 6:11; Colossians 3:8-14

3. Study these references on the offensive action of "taking": I Corinthians 3:10; 8:9; 10:12; Galatians 5:15; Ephesians 6:13,17; I Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 3:12.

4. As you learned in this chapter, you must participate in aggressive warfare to defeat the enemy.  You must "let" or permit certain things in your spiritual life if you are to be victorious. Study  the following references and complete the chart by recording what the Bible says you are to "let" or permit in your life:

References  What We Are To "Let"

Matthew 5:16 John 4:1,27 Romans 13:1,12-13 Romans 14:5,13,16,19 I Corinthians 3:18-21 I Corinthians 10:8-9 II Corinthians 7:1 II Corinthians 10:17 Galatians 5:26 Ephesians 4:26-31 Ephesians 5:3,6,33 Philippians 1:27 Philippians 2:3,5 Philippians 3:15-16 Philippians 4:5-6 Colossians 3:15-16 Colossians 4:6 I Thessalonians 5:6-8 II Timothy 2:19 Hebrews 4:1,14,16 Hebrews 6:1 Hebrews 10:22-24 Hebrews 12:1 Hebrews 13:1,5,15