The Battle - Defeating The Enemy Of Your Soul Part 6

Missionary Scott Fontenot met Rene in Vietnam. During the Vietnam war Rene served as a bodyguard to two American diplomats. When a deputy amba.s.sador was injured in a bombing, he insisted that his Vietnamese friend Rene, who was injured trying to protect him, be put in the same hospital room.

Rene tried to bring his family to safety as Saigon fell in 1975, but during the evacuation they got left behind. Within days, Rene was arrested by the North Vietnamese on charges of being an agent of U.S. intelligence. He was severely tortured while serving six years in prison. When he was released, he found that his wife had given up on him.

Shortly afterward, all his children tried to escape from Vietnam on a boat. But their vessel was discovered and sunk in the mouth of a river. Rene and other family members who witnessed the disaster were prevented from rescuing their drowning relatives. Rene was crushed. He had withstood years of torture and the loss of his wife, but as he was forced to watch his children drown, his mind snapped.

Rene attempted to dull the pain in the opium dens that were springing up in his neighborhood. For ten years he was lost in a deep depression and lived in an opium dreamworld. He looked like a madman. His hair was shoulder length, filthy, and matted. His skin was covered with the grime of the streets. His yellow fingernails were so long, they curled back toward his palms. He was uncontrollable, raging at unseen voices that constantly tormented him. To look into his eyes was to look into an abyss of torment, pain, and hatred. He could no longer sc.r.a.pe together the money to smoke opium in the dens.

When Scott and two friends first saw Rene, they knew what they had to do. The three committed Christians began to fast and pray. Two days later, they invited Rene to a church service. During a time of prayer in the service, Rene began to scream and writhe uncontrollably.

The Christians commanded the demons to leave Rene. One by one they left-ten in all. For the first time in several years Rene sat up, in his right mind. "Jesus, save me!" he cried. Tears expressing the joy of sudden freedom streamed from his eyes as he confessed Jesus Christ as his Deliverer, Savior, and Lord.9 The gospel of Jesus Christ is truth, it is right, and it will bring peace to the person who understands it. Rene was radically changed. He was given a peace that this world cannot offer, and he was ripped from Satan's dominion by the power of G.o.d. Jesus Himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14). Paul shared this message everywhere he went. He didn't let imprisonment stop him from sharing his faith, even with those who were guarding him. He left behind a trail of converts wherever he went. Our feet need to be ready to share this gospel of peace.

The Shield of Faith.

THE SHIELDS USED IN the Roman armies were large-about four feet long and two feet wide-in order to protect the soldiers from the most feared weapons of the day. William Barclay writes, One of the most dangerous weapons in ancient warfare was the fiery dart. It was a dart tipped with tow dipped in pitch. The pitch-soaked tow was set alight and the dart was thrown. The great oblong shield was made of two sections of wood, glued together. When the shield was presented to the dart, the dart sank into the wood and the flame was put out.10 Tow was cloth or twine. The fiery darts were what the New International Version calls "flaming arrows" (Eph. 6:16). Under attack, a soldier could move the shield to the best position and stand behind it, to be protected from these dreadful arrows.

Satan's wicked "flaming arrows" of temptation, opposition, deception, and accusation are penetrating and can incapacitate us. Satan will try to plant a deceptive thought or remind us of something that we have done in the past. He will try to dissuade us from doing what we feel is in the will of G.o.d. Our shield of faith is to trust Christ completely and to stay close to Him at all times. Faith is not difficult to understand. We exercise faith in the laws of physics every morning that we get out of bed. We move, put our feet on the ground, and walk away. We subconsciously a.s.sume that because this worked yesterday, it will work for us today. We have faith in certain people, imperfect though they be. We have one level of faith or another in a system of government that nevertheless has its flaws.

Our shield of faith is trusting in what Christ has already accomplished for us and applying G.o.d's principles to our lives. We can grow in faith by understanding more about G.o.d and His Word. "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). The better we know G.o.d's Word and the more we apply it to our lives, the larger shield of faith we will have. We can get struck with this blow or that in the course of life and consequently become disillusioned about our relationship with Christ and what He can do for us. As we grow in faith, our shield can deflect those flaming arrows that the enemy constantly shoots our way.

The Helmet of Salvation.

YEARS AGO, MANY STATES pa.s.sed a law requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets. The reason was that many motorcycle accidents involved head injuries that led to permanent impairments or death. The laws were intended to provide protection for the head that would spare riders the most severe consequences.

In the same way in spiritual terms, we are to take the helmet of salvation and understand what G.o.d has done by offering it to us. G.o.d "has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light" (Col. 1:12). Without Christ we blindly lived in a world of darkness, but now "he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (v. 3). He has given us "the right to become children of G.o.d" (John 1:12). Our sins have been forgiven and we are cleansed from our sinful acts and thoughts (1 John 1:9). Our helmet of salvation puts us in an entirely different category from those without Christ. Satan knows we are G.o.d's children and that he has no rights with us. When he attacks us with temptation or accusation, we can respond and tell him, "I am a child of G.o.d, Jesus Christ His son has died for me, and the blood of Jesus covers me. He intercedes for me, and you no longer have any authority in my life." We might not feel this confidence, but by faith we can believe it.

Someone asked Martin Luther, "Do you feel that you have been forgiven?" He answered, No, but I'm as sure as there's a G.o.d in heaven. For feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving; My warrant is the Word of G.o.d, naught else is worth believing. Though all my heart should feel condemned for want of some sweet token, there is One greater than my heart whose Word cannot be broken. I'll trust in G.o.d's unchanging Word till soul and body sever; For though all things shall pa.s.s away, his Word shall stand forever!11 The Sword of the Spirit.

THE SWORD, WHICH is the Word of G.o.d, is the only offensive weapon listed in the armor. Several types of swords were used for battle by Roman soldiers: long, single-edged swords; shorter daggerlike swords; and the machaira. The machaira's blade was about two feet long. Both sides had sharp edges, and the blade could quickly penetrate a victim. Soldiers could use this weapon from various positions, swinging it back and forth or thrusting straight on. Most of their enemies used large, single-edged swords that proved awkward against the quickness and agility of the Romans. While the opponent was still positioning himself to swing, he could get stabbed by a machaira.

The Word of G.o.d is a double-edged sword (Heb. 4:12). It is powerful against the enemy's attack. It is said that Cromwell's Ironsides regiment fought with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other.12 Our spiritual sword can be used in whatever trial or battle the enemy might choose to bring our way. Jesus used the Word to defeat the devil when He was tempted in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11).

It is interesting that the biblical writer used the Greek word rhema instead of logos in Hebrews 4:12. Logos refers to proclamation in writing or proclamation as a whole-in our context, to the gospel as a whole. Rhema, by contrast, refers to spoken words, with the implication that the speaker is accountable for their intent. The biblical writer has in mind that the "word of G.o.d" that we speak to others is a sharp sword. Speaking this word is a powerful weapon when the devil throws his "flaming arrows" at us. We can think the Word, we can read and meditate on the Word, and we can pray the Word. Billy Graham said, "The Bible is the only thing that can combat the devil. Quote the Scriptures and the devil will run- use the Scriptures like a sword and you'll drive temptation away."13 Satan cannot read our thoughts or the intents of our hearts. He watches our conduct and hears what we say. We should let him see that we are dedicated to the Word and let him hear G.o.d's eternal, errorless Word expressed in our prayers.

One night I felt a terrible presence of fear in our bedroom. Even though my eyes were closed, I knew there was something at the foot of our bed and, whatever it was, it wanted to bring great harm. I felt paralyzed. I wanted to lie still and pretend that I was asleep, but I knew I needed to make the first move to defend my wife and me. My eyelids felt as if they had heavy weights on them, and when I finally managed to get them open, I saw nothing. Yet I still felt the presence, the fear, and the hatred. Sensing this was a manifestation of the enemy, I thought, "If I can only say the name of Jesus." The words wouldn't come out. Seconds seemed like minutes. Finally I forced the name, "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" To my amazement, the presence immediately left. My startled wife said, "What is it? What happened?" I said, "It's okay. Go back to sleep."14 Prayer: Our Most Devastating Weapon.

D. L. MOODY WROTE in the margin of his Bible, "Prayer must always be the fore-horse of the team. Do whatever is wise, but not till thou hast prayed. Send for the physician if thou art sick, but first pray. Begin, continue, and end everything with prayer."15 Our greatest weapon of all-our "heavy artillery"-is prayer. Paul tells us to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Eph. 6:18). We can pray in our own language or in the heavenly language that G.o.d has given to many. We can pray in any situation, for anyone, in any location in the world. As the Spirit leads us, we are to be prepared to pray on all occasions. We are to intercede (pray for others), pet.i.tion (ask for answers to requests), and worship G.o.d through prayer. The Lord instructed us to pray for deliverance from the evil one (Matt. 6:13). Prayer is simply talking to our heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to communicate to Him our concerns, fears, desires, and weaknesses. As parents, we want our children to know that they can talk to us about whatever concerns them. They can bring their fears to us or express their desires. In response, we can react compa.s.sionately and do whatever we can to help them. How much more so will our heavenly Father do such things for us? Prayer is a missile that the devil will never be able to counter with his antiaircraft fire. It is critical that we understand this truth. (See further on this subject in chapter 9.) Let Us Stand.

THE ROMAN SOLDIER HAD some of the best armor that existed and some of the best training. If his armor was fitted correctly, his helmet tightly strapped to his head, his shield in place, and his weapon in hand, there were few foes who could defeat him. When the enemy came, the Roman soldier knew to hold his ground. His training had prepared him to stand and do what he was supposed to do-that is, defeat the one who attacked him. He could stand with confidence, knowing that he had the best equipment and was physically ready for the combat. It is little wonder that the Roman Empire spread far and wide.

There is no doubt that the enemy of our souls will attempt to find times of opportunity to attack us, tempt us, discourage us, accuse us, and thereby defeat us. Evil forces can be found everywhere. "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).

The lion that looks for a weakness so that he can attack is constantly awake. Demon forces are on the search, looking for a habitation like Rene in Vietnam. Satan's powers are strong-make that strong. But we must never forget that the armor of G.o.d is sufficient enough for us to handle every attack from Satan's kingdom. He might try to tell us that we can't win, but we will triumph if we stand behind the armor. The flaming, wicked arrows can't get through the shield of faith in Christ. Satan cannot penetrate the helmet of salvation, or the breastplate of righteousness in Christ. The sword we wield, G.o.d's Word, is sharper and more deadly than any weapon in Satan's a.r.s.enal. Our prayers will always help to rout the enemy. With the invincible armor G.o.d has provided, we can stand firm and win the spiritual warfare.

The a.r.s.enal of Prayer.

On Christmas day, the government of Zaire announced that new money had been printed and people had three days to exchange their currency. After December 28 the old money would no longer be recognized. Each person could exchange only three thousand units of the local currency, equivalent to a thousand dollars. This created panic among the people.

Billy could not get to the bank on December 26 because of the crowds and the civil unrest. The next day-Billy and Sue Burr's eighteenth wedding anniversary-Billy was determined to get money exchanged for the mission, so he arrived at the bank at 4:30 A.M. Near the front of the crowd he met six young African men who were also eager to get their money exchanged. With the crowd growing every minute, the seven men agreed to protect each other and their place in line. By ten o'clock there were a great ma.s.s of people waiting, but the bank still had not opened. The bank manager decided to open another door, and the stampede began. But in the crush of people, Billy could not move.

Under the hot African sun, some women began to scream that they were dying. No one paid attention, so they started shouting, "The white man is dying!" Billy knew they meant him, since he was taller than most of the Africans and tended to stand out in the crowd.

One of the six men with whom he had made the pact said, "Let him die."

Billy said, "Wait a minute! I thought we were friends. We made an agreement to stick together and see each other through this."

The African replied. "Well, if we Africans all die here today, no one will ever know about our suffering. But if just one American dies, the story will be printed in Time or Newsweek magazine, and the whole world will know how we suffer."1 Sadly, Billy knew that many Africans felt this way, and he became increasingly afraid that he would never get out of the crowd alive.

About two o'clock, a friend saw Billy trapped in the sea of people. The friend hurried to find some soldiers he knew, and he brought them to the edge of the crowd. "Do you see that white man over there?" he asked, pointing to Billy. "He is not here to make money off our people. Please help him."

The soldiers made a human chain and fought their way into the crowd. With a double wristlock they literally dragged Billy out of the crowd. A small Portuguese man who had been standing next to him held onto Billys clothes, and he was pulled to safety, too. Billy was so weak he could not stand. He was dehydrated and soaked with perspiration. Later, the soldiers escorted him to the bank, and he was able to exchange the funds.

The police used tear gas and fire extinguishers to control the crowd that day. Some in the crowd were blinded by the white powder of the fire extinguishers. Some were killed during the stampede to get inside the banks. Others committed suicide, having lost family fortunes in the monetary changeover.

The situation only became worse over the weeks. People could not get money for food, and Billy wondered. "G.o.d, do you know where I am? Do you really know about this situation here?"

One day k.u.mbali Paul, a former village chieftain who became a dynamic Christian, spoke to Billy. He said, "Two days after Christmas, on December 27, G.o.d awakened me very early in the morning. I was startled by a dream I had. In my dream I saw your friends preparing your funeral. I even saw your body in a casket. I was very troubled, so I ran to the church and rang the church bell.

"People came from all over the village to see what the emergency was. They all remembered you from your Christian seminars. I told them about what I had seen and that we had to pray for your safety. We all fell on our knees and began to intercede. After some time, the Lord let me see you up walking around. I told the people that you were going to be fine and thanked them for their prayers."

Billy and Sue were amazed that G.o.d encouraged others to pray for them during their crisis. They had heard of this kind of thing happening, but now they experienced it firsthand. Not long after k.u.mbali Paul spoke to them, they also found out that a woman in Minnesota had been led to pray for them. She wrote, "I have to know what happened to you on December 27! I was awakened very early in the morning with a heavy burden to pray for you. I felt your life was in danger, and I wept and prayed for you. Is there any significance to this burden I felt?"

Billy looked up to toward heaven and said, "Well Lord, you really do know where I am! You know what I'm going through."2 Numerous stories can be told of times when G.o.d has led people in one country to pray for someone in crisis in another part of the world. Prayer is able to transcend the distance to meet the need and thwart the work of the enemy.

What is prayer? It is conversation with G.o.d. It isn't just a rote exercise, learning the prayers at bedtime or from a book of worship. Prayer is much more. It is a wonderful relationship with the Lord wherein we understand that we can call upon Him in the hour of need or temptation or trial. Whatever the problem He will come to our aid. J. Oswald Sanders said, "In prayer, we deal directly with G.o.d and only in a secondary sense with men and women. The goal of prayer is the ear of G.o.d. Prayer influences men by influencing G.o.d to influence them. It is not the prayer that moves men, but the G.o.d to whom we pray."3 Someone else has said, "Prayer moves the arm, that moves the world, to bring deliverance down."4 The enemy of the soul knows the power of prayer. It is said that "Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint on his knees."5 That is why the devil will encourage us to become too busy to spend time in prayer. Martin Luther said, I judge that my prayer is more than the devil himself. If it were otherwise I would have fared differently long before this. Yet men will not see and acknowledge the great wonders or miracles G.o.d works in my behalf. If I should neglect prayer but a single day I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.6 Prayer, combined with the Word, helps us build up a resistance so that when Satan a.s.saults us, we instinctively stand our ground because of the sensitivity we have with the Lord. Prayer helps us develop a kind of immune system that gives us the ability to withstand the attacks of the enemy. It isn't something we have to "run to"; it's something that we have in our system. That's why the Bible tells us to be "self-controlled so that you can pray" (1 Peter 4:7); "Pray continually" (1 Thess. 5:17). "Build yourselves up in the most holy faith and pray" (Jude 20).

When believers have not built themselves up through a consistent prayer life, the enemy can attack more freely. Consider a boxer who hasn't trained properly. When he lets down his guard and there is an opening in his defense, his opponent takes advantage of it and knocks him down. When Christians let down their guard, they become subject to the enemy's blows. That's why Scripture tells us that to protect ourselves from the "flaming arrows of the evil one" (Eph. 6:16), we must turn to G.o.d in prayer. We draw our strength from the Lord through prayer. When we pray for spiritual strength, for troubled people, or for G.o.d's a.s.sistance in our lives, we only need to remind ourselves that Jesus said, "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24). We will only have spiritual strength and the ability to resist the devil according to the quality of our prayer life. Therefore, let's look at the essentials of effective prayer.

Our Supreme Example.

WE CAN LEARN MANY things about prayer from Jesus.

* Before He chose the first leaders for the church, Jesus spent the night in prayer (Luke 6:12-13).

* When He was face to face with Satan, Jesus resisted the temptation by using G.o.d's Word (Matt. 4).

* When He taught His disciples, Jesus said, "Pray so that you will not fall into temptation" (Matt. 26:41).

* Jesus "went up on a mountainside by himself to pray" (Matt. 14:23).

* On the brink of crises during His ministry, "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16).

* Jesus consistently showed His disciples that the discipline of prayer is critical for believers (Mark 6:46; Luke 9:28).

* Before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed to bring His will into subjection to the Father's will (Matt. 26:39).

D. M. Mclntyre wrote, In Luke 5:16 we have a general statement which throws a vivid light on the daily practice of the Lord. "And He withdrew Himself in the deserts and prayed." It is not of one occasion but of many that the evangelist speaks in this place. It was our Lord's habit to seek retirement for prayer. When He withdrew Himself from men, he was accustomed to press far into the uninhabited country-He was in the deserts. The surprise of the onlookers lay in this, that one so mighty, so richly endowed with spiritual power, should find it necessary for Himself to repair to the source of strength, that there He might refresh His weary spirit. To us, the wonder is still greater, that He, the Prince of Life, the Eternal Word, the Only-begotten of the Father, should prostrate Himself in meekness before the throne of G.o.d, making entreaty for grace to help in time of need.7 We Have a.s.surance That G.o.d Hears.

OUR DIVINE CREATOR UNDERSTANDS completely how we are made and knows the strategies of the devil. G.o.d has ordained prayer as the way to communicate with Him whether in times of fellowship or times of need.

In a village in southwestern China, the Christian Miao people had made an investment in mulberry trees. The leaves of these trees are used to feed silkworms in the summer. One day in late spring, someone noticed caterpillars eating the mulberry leaves. Soon they were everywhere. Men, women, and even children were sent to pick the caterpillars from the trees. They worked as fast as they could, but their efforts failed to substantially reduce the number of caterpillars. Eventually the workers stopped because pulling the branches was destroying the young leaves.

Pesticides could help, but none were available within a few days' walk, and the Maio did not have the money for such a purchase anyway. The situation looked helpless. "Let's go to church," one believer suggested. "Our efforts are useless. Let us call out to G.o.d. Perhaps He will help us."

The other villagers agreed. They made their way across the hill to where the church stood and, with one voice, cried out to G.o.d for help. They didn't return to their homes until late that night.

Early the next morning, as one believer aroused himself to return to the chapel, he heard the sound of a crow. Looking into the still, gray sky, he could see a large flock of the blackbirds circling overhead. Suddenly they swept down on the mulberry grove and began feeding on the fat caterpillars.

Miao believers watched from the village as the crows feasted all day. Then, just before evening, the birds retreated over a distant hill, never to be seen again. And in the mulberry grove, not one living caterpillar could be found.8 The Miao believers knew what to do when they were out of answers. They cried out to G.o.d, and He provided a miracle.

Some people doubt whether G.o.d answers every prayer. If G.o.d created prayer as the method of communicating with Him, how can we think for a moment that He does not hear us? He may not answer our prayers in the way we would like Him to because He always knows what is best. He sees the whole picture. Even when we think He has not responded, or even heard our pleas, He could be answering our prayers in His own timing. J. Oswald Sanders writes, George Mueller of Bristol prayed for two men for over fifty years that they would become Christians. Someone asked him why he kept on praying for them when there was no obvious response. Mueller replied, "Do you think G.o.d would have kept me praying all these years if He did not intend to save them?" Both men became Christians, one just before, one after, Muellers death.9 We must also recognize that G.o.d will not answer prayers that are contrary to His divine nature. He will always fulfill His promises according to His character and attributes.

Prayer Protects Us.

PRAYER PROVIDES AN IMMUNE system for our spiritual life. It strengthens our resistance to the attacks of the evil one. John Phillips writes, The unseen world is a real world, and modern men and women are particularly vulnerable to that spirit world because of their ignorance of it and their inquisitiveness about it. The average person today is like a person living in the Middle Ages, trying to fight disease while ignorant of bacteria. During the plague that decimated London and parts of Britain in 1665, people knew next to nothing about the simplest principles of sanitation. An open city sewer ran down the middle of each street. Rats multiplied. What caused the plague? The Royal College of Surgeons said it was carried by the air. People shut themselves in their houses; stopped up doors, windows, and chimneys. They burned noxious and evil-smelling compounds to battle the enemy, fresh air. Suppose someone had told them that the plague was carried by a bacillus, that the invisible microbes were carried by fleas, and that rats were the chief hosts of the deadly fleas. That person would have been regarded as insane.10 There is an evil, invisible force in the world today that is worse than an open sewer or a deadly disease. Satan plagues the human race, seeking to infect it with his poisonous ideas and destructive practices.

Prayer is one of the most potent spiritual antibiotics we have in our fight against this demonic plague. G.o.d communicates His will to us through prayer and Bible study. The Holy Spirit who dwells in the believer "intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Rom. 8:26) when we do not know how to pray intelligibly. As we seek to know the will of G.o.d for us, the Holy Spirit will encourage us how to pray. He will give us an inner conviction and a sensitivity for how specifically to pray.

The men and women in Scripture who were greatly used of G.o.d were people of prayer. E. M. Bounds writes, "They were not leaders because of brilliancy of thought, because they were inexhaustible in resources, because of their magnificent culture or native endowment, but because, by the power of prayer, they could command the power of G.o.d."11 Through prayer we align ourselves with the Lord, not with the enemy. It is wonderful when a person understands who G.o.d is, what He has done, and what He is doing in the world today. It is said that Praying (John) Hyde "prayed as if G.o.d were at his elbow."12 Too many people are ignorant of the devils devices because they do not spend enough time communing with the Lord.

G.o.d knows Satan's ways, and our prayer life can sensitize us to both the enemy's obvious and deceptive strategies. We can become highly trained professionals in the matter of defeating Satan's forces by living a life of discipline and prayer.

Prayer Is Spiritual.

OFTEN WHEN WE PRAY we are involved in "spiritual warfare." "Our struggle is ... 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).

Regarding this kind of prayer, J. Oswald Sanders writes, In that phase of the prayer life, three personalities are involved, not two. Between G.o.d on the one hand and the devil on the other stands the praying man. Though weak in himself, he occupies a strategic role in the deathless struggle between the dragon and the Lamb. The power and authority he wields are not inherent, but are delegated to him by the victorious Christ to whom he is united by faith. His faith is the reticulating system through which the victory gained on Calvary over Satan and his hosts reaches the captives and delivers them.13 Again, think of a Golden Gloves fighter-an amateur-who goes into the ring with a professional boxer. Most people are not professionals. They are novices, observers, and no match for the pro. That professional fighter will find his opponent's weak points in an instant. He is highly skilled in the sport. He has already thought of every angle, every trick, every maneuver that his opponent might use. The knowledgeable professional is ready to respond to the attack of his compet.i.tor. The only thing that can beat him is a boxer with equal training who knows his weak points and has the power and strength to defeat him.

This principle holds true for Christians who are trying to fight the devil but pray little. The enemy will hit them with discouragement, despair, fear, apprehension, or temptation and knock them flat on their backs.

D. L. Moody said, "The reason why so many Christians fail all through life is just this-they underestimate the strength of the enemy. My dear friend, you and I have got a terrible enemy to contend with. Don't let Satan deceive you. Unless you are spiritually dead, it means warfare."14 However, if we have been trained in the discipline of prayer and have prepared ourselves both defensively and offensively, G.o.d will give us the strength to overcome the attack even if Satan strikes the first blow-because in Christ we are stronger and more powerful than the enemy. "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Prayer is the training circle. It is the training camp for believers in preparation for fighting off the attacks of the enemy so that we can be "more than conquerors" through Him who loves us.

Satan Tries to Keep Us from Praying.

SATAN TRIES TO DISHEARTEN us any way he can. The apostle Paul had wonderful victories and made tremendous advances for G.o.ds work; he achieved personal successes that few people have known. "G.o.d did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and ap.r.o.ns that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them" (Acts 19:11-12). The believers in Ephesus saw how G.o.d used Paul, and they sensed the presence of G.o.d in their meetings. They became convicted of behaviors that were not pleasing to G.o.d. "Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly" (vv. 18-19).

Yet one day it seemed that the bottom dropped out. Perhaps the people Paul had been ministering to turned against him. Whatever happened, the stress became so overwhelming that Paul did not know if he could go on. His ministry infuriated Satan, who opposed him with all the forces he could a.s.semble. As a result, Paul writes, "We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death" (2 Cor. 1:8-9).

What did Paul do? When he felt that he could not go another step, what was his decision? He turned his attention from his problem to the One who could rescue him. "This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on G.o.d, who raises the dead" (v. 9). Paul might have prayed a prayer similar to this: "Lord, I don't know where to turn, I'm out of ideas, out of strength, and it appears that I'm going to be killed. However, I am going to rely on you. I'm your child, and I trust in you." G.o.d delivered Paul from this incredible attack that brought so much despair to his life, because he decided to cry out to G.o.d and trust in Him only, and because many were praying for him (v. 11).

David Wilkerson, the founder of Teen Challenge, tells of an experience that could have been very much like that of the apostles.

Years ago, I was at a large meeting with sister Kathryn Kuhlman in Los Angeles. More than 5,000 people filled the place, with standing room only. At the time, my wife was going through a bout with cancer, and I was carrying the burden of Teen Challenge. I had been traveling and writing, and I'd grown weary and tired. Of course, that's always when the enemy comes to you-when you're physically low, with no strength left.

I was sitting on the stage, waiting to preach, as sister Kuhlman directed the worship. The place was full of G.o.d's Spirit, and marvelous things were happening. Yet, suddenly, the enemy came in and whispered to my heart: "You are the biggest phony on the face of the earth! You're working with troubled people just to make a name for yourself. And now your wife is going to die. You say you've given your life for the Lord's ministry-but it's all vanity! You don't have the fire of G.o.d. You've lost your anointing. You can't preach tonight, because all your words will be fake!"

The voice was so loud, I couldn't quiet it. I kept trying to shake it off, but as I stepped up to the pulpit, it was still screaming in my ears. When I opened my mouth to preach, hardly anything came out. I tried for five minutes to speak- but I just couldn't. Finally, I motioned to sister Kuhlman to take over the service, and I turned and walked off the stage.

Backstage a pastor asked me, "David what's wrong? What's the matter?" I could only shake my head. "I'm sorry," I said, "I can't go on. I can't preach tonight. I'm a phony!"15 Throughout history Satan has attacked other G.o.dly men and women in similar ways. We have known David Wilkerson's ministry-both in Teen Challenge and more recently at Times Square Church-to bring powerful deliverance to those who have become addicted to drugs, alcohol, and hopeless lifestyles. His preaching has literally changed tens of thousands of lives, and he is a wonderful man of G.o.d, just the type of person that Satan wants to discourage. The enemy wants to get all of us to a point where we lose the confidence that G.o.d hears and answers our prayers.

The devil did not win with Wilkerson, who writes, In recent years, Satan has tried to play the same "phony" trick on me-but he cannot succeed! Each time I have rebuked him, saying "You broke the record last time, devil. I'll never play that one again. And you'll never convince me I'm a phony!"16 The powerful preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, "Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the ears of G.o.d. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give but an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might."17 How Should We Pray Against the Enemy?

SOME CHRISTIANS TEACH THAT to be effective in our warfare against the enemy, we need to understand the names of the demons who control "territories"-that is, a country, city, community, or even a whole culture (such as India or Thailand or countries in Africa). Proponents of this theory claim that it is important to identify the evil spirits by name and direct one's prayers specifically against them. Done correctly, those prayers will be effective.

As we mentioned in chapter 3, there is no question that Satan is highly organized and has a detailed strategy to accomplish his goals. His demonic followers are doing his bidding throughout the world. However, Scripture simply does not disclose Satan's strategy or his organizational structures. We believe we should not go beyond Scripture in matters of doctrine. So if G.o.d had wanted us to know the names of demons, their territories, and the specific ways to pray against them, He would have given us detailed instructions.

The enemy likes to distract us. Therefore we must be careful not to be so concerned with the devil's strategy and the names of his demons that we miss the perfect plan of G.o.d. The Great Commission is for us to evangelize the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ and to make disciples. As the early church was consumed with Jesus Christ, we must be also. With absolute certainty we know that bringing people to Jesus Christ and praying in the name of Jesus will drive away darkness in our communities.

Much misinformation about angels, demons, and spiritual warfare has been disseminated in recent years, often through either fiction or nonfiction books. Frank Peretti is the popular author of This Present Darkness and several other fictional books. These books have often been acclaimed as depicting how the enemy works and how to be involved in spiritual warfare. A member of the a.s.semblies of G.o.d denominational staff recently interviewed Peretti for a magazine article. In the interview Peretti touched on some of the reckless teachings currently being bandied about. He emphasized that he never intended to explicate doctrine about spiritual warfare in his writings. Following are some excerpts from the interview.18 Editor: Do you consider your books fiction or nonfiction?

Peretti: In terms of an all-sweeping definition I'll say they're fiction, because if I call it nonfiction, then immediately I get into a doctrinal squabble with somebody. I have to be careful to say that this is a creative work of fiction meant to convey a message that inspires. It's not a doctrinal treatise. It isn't an area I want to get too dogmatic in, because I don't know what angels really look like, or how they carry on the warfare. I don't think anybody does.

Editor: What impact do you think your books have had on the Christian world?

Peretti: The most common response is that the book has changed peoples' prayer lives and their awareness of the kind of spiritual warfare that's going on. I almost always hear a comment like, "I knew there was some kind of conflict going on, but I never thought of it as being vivid as you've presented it."

Editor: Were you startled with the success of This Present Darkness?

Peretti: I'm still startled by it. People ask me how I explain it and I don't know that I can. I think people are aware that we're all involved in a struggle, and they find something in the book to hang their hat on. I guess I land of sing everybody's tune. It's what they're feeling, and when they read the book it's something they can relate to. And of course, however G.o.d chose to do it, He's touching people's lives and changing their prayer lives through this book.

Editor: What kinds of teachings do you see out there that go over the line?

Peretti: There's a big angel craze going on now. A lot of that is New Age. I think angels are invisible because you're not supposed to be paying attention to them, but worshiping the Lord. Some angels in the Bible say, "Don't worship me. Worship G.o.d."

Editor: Have you ever experienced spiritual warfare, or been troubled while working on a book?

Peretti: Not that I know of. I've never had a spooky experience. I have typical stuff like discouragement, depression, and doubt, and I don't even know if demons are responsible. It could have been hormones or something. Everybody goes through his or her own struggles when serving the Lord, and mine are typical as well. A lot of folks ask if Satan attacked me while I was writing these books. I don't think so.

I think the biggest area of struggle was when I was saturated with the subject. It got to be a burden for me, and I became despondent wondering what was going to happen, and wasn't the body of Christ ever going to win? But you know, I just saw the 700 Club [television program] and they just mentioned what was going on in Pensacola, Florida (a church that is experiencing revival), and I started bawling. "Praise G.o.d," I thought. "Here's some good news."

Editor: When you think of the breakdown in the culture of our cities, what gives you hope that the spiritual battle is being won?

Peretti: You have to be careful not to get your kingdoms mixed up. The biggest source of my struggles is when I lament our present culture, but you have to remember that G.o.d's covenant is not with the United States of America, it's with His church, and the church of Jesus Christ is actually doing pretty well. Jesus promised He would build it and the gates of h.e.l.l would not prevail against it. One of these days the church is going to be a beautiful bride without spot or wrinkle, ready for the wedding. You look back through history, and kings and kingdoms have risen and fallen, but the body of Christ has always been here since Jesus started it. It has outlasted every other kingdom and always will. That's where you need to focus your mind and heart. If you look to Washington, D.C., for hope, you're in for a disappointment. Keeping the kingdoms separate is my object.

Editor: Does being well-known frustrate you as a writer or in your walk with Christ?

Peretti: It doesn't frustrate me in my walk with Christ. I attend my own little church and do the usual church thing. I have a pastor and brothers and sisters in the Lord. I'm involved in the worship team and just do normal Christian things, which are real important. When I go out, I seem to be this giant-which I'm not, but I'm made to look that way. I find that intimidating. I'm supposed to know all about this stuff, and I don't. People ask tough questions and expect a lot more of me than I'm equal to.

Prayer in the name of Jesus is sufficient. It is enough. We must not complicate the issue of spiritual warfare. Every Christian believer is able to win. G.o.d sees clearly the young and the old, the new Christian and the mature Christian, those who are highly intelligent and those who are not as gifted, people of any culture or color or language or people group who have lived at any time. We do not. G.o.d tells us that the person who lives an obedient life and consistently prays will win the battle.

In his book Storm Warning, Billy Graham writes about a direct confrontation with the enemy in two of his crusades.

One night in Nuremberg, Germany, we were holding a crusade in the same stadium in which Hitler used to stage his infamous rallies. It was difficult to sit in that place and hear in the echoes of memory the ma.s.ses shouting "Sieg, Heil!" ... Then one night, as I sat on the platform, Satan worshipers dressed in black a.s.sembled just outside the stadium doors. Using ancient, evil rites, they tried to put a hex on the meeting. The rumor of their presence spread, Christians prayed, and in answer to those prayers, nothing came of the incident.

Another night in Chicago, three hundred Satan wor-shipers approached McCormick Place with the specific intent of taking over the platform and stopping the crusade service that was in progress. They announced their plan in advance, but I didn't dream they would actually try to storm the platform. We had just sung the second hymn of the evening. George Beverly Shea had sung a gospel song, and Cliff Barrows was about to lead a ma.s.sed choir in a great anthem of praise. At that moment a policeman rushed to the stage and whispered something to the mayor, who was present that night to welcome us.

At the same moment, the Satan worshipers forced their way past the ushers at the rear of that s.p.a.cious auditorium and were proceeding down the back aisles toward the platform. There were more than thirty thousand young people in our Youth Night service. Only those seated near the back saw the Satan worshipers enter. The mayor of Chicago turned to me and said, "Dr. Graham, we'll let the police handle these intruders."

"Let me try it another way, Mr. Mayor," I suggested. I then interrupted the choir's song and addressed the thirty thousand young people there in McCormick Place. I explained, "There are about three hundred Satan worshipers now entering the auditorium. They say they're going to take over the platform. You can hear them coming now."