To fight spiritual wars effectively, it is important to understand seasons. As The earth remains, so do they (Ecc 3:1) There is a season to be attacked, and to attack(ecc 3: 3). Rulers(Ephesians 6:11) are the generals of the powers of darkness. They fight co-operativey (Ps 2:2). The Kingdom of darkness cannot be played against each other.(ex 23:32). The sheep are his meat(ps 17:12)and the good thing is that the adversary too is meat to the saints (Num 14:9). There is a raging war and at stake is the glorious heritage of the saints(eph 1:18).
There are major seasons and micro-seasons within them. Some last over several generations(like the ages - the age of grace since the coming of Christ and the coming age of the reign of Christ), some are shorter seasons, like a few years, months, or days. It is similar to climate Vs weather scenario. Both the wicked and the righteous go through the seasons. God causes it to rain on both. There are times of being beat down and you should not complain(2 Tim 2:3) These are times when rulers arise against the sheepfold . We have already seen that they they wield the sword by the authority of God for all powers on the universe are sanctioned by Him(Rom 13:4). If so, how would you rise against the power of God? You yield. Become a sacrifice to this fire that will cleanse you to a new glory. Yielding pacifieth great offences(ecc 10:4). Until the season of the battle rolls over you. You let go of your life and you will gain it(2 co 4:11). This is not giving up. It is submitting the battles to the right hands that can wage the war on your behalf. You stop throwing blows at that time. Such attacks keep the sheepfold under the protection of the grace that comes with humility. Such take advantage of even minor missteps to gain entry and exploitation. Sometimes spiritual attacks come when you engage in war prematurely, or simply when it is their season to come. They always do.
Yielding is laying your life at the feet of Jesus, hoping He will keep you safe. Try it in your season of war. It is a weapon that result to a translation to a safe place where darts of war cannot reach, until its time to fight back. Then you will sense the waves of the storm beating on your ship and its almost crippling effect, its humbling experience, but it will not harm you. This is the best way to go through a season of war and emerge still sane. It is like passing through fire without getting harmed, while feeling it. Even the hair of your head staying intact. The disadvantage of throwing punches at this time is that you will get blows back from the adversary. This wears down, and drains more strength out of you. Understand it is a season, and hide until the storm passes, until the time of recompense arrives. It always comes.
This is how you know it is a season to wage war, to take up the sword. The war may still be going on, or there may be a lull, when suddenly, a flash of thoughts dawns on you, especially on the promises of God concerning your battles, your victory, your place in God, or anything that may apply in your situation. Open your mouth and declare these as against your enemies. Be cunning in using the word of God to your advantage. This is the counsel of God that wages war(prov 24:6). Thus fought, you will not feel like you are fighting with your strength because you wont be. God is. And where his counsel is, is power. The purpose of the declarations is that they are the preparation of the horses and the chariots. The horses are the hordes of the angels of God. They only hearken to the word of God. Thus you shall feed them and offer the weapons they need for the victory. Give them enough of the word to ensure that the cities or Kingdoms that arise against you are slain of everything that has life in them, like Jericho, that their thrones are forgotten from the memory of men, spoiled dry to a desolation. But there are precious things within them, the spoils or the glories of the battle. With them, do what Joshua did: let everything that can pass through fire do so, as an offering to God. Do not hoard like the rich, great men of the earth do. Store your treasures in heaven and after many days it will be found. It is where moth do not eat, and thieves do not dig holes in the hedges to get to them.
Make absolute ruins of the cities when you have power to wage war against them, lest they rise against you again(Num 21:2). The revenge of God against the enemy ushers in a new season. These will be seasons of declarations, of planting, of replenishing the spirit. They are a season of glory and movement, of enjoying the table of the lord before the enemy. Take time to rest, as seasons are not forever. Also guard your heart against unnecessary offenses to avoid entrapment into war zones. However generally, the devil becomes friendly when He sees the sword in you hand. He knows it is a season of your triumph and waits until one is vulnerable to wage any wars. At your season of triumph, even your enemies make peace when they see the power to wage war just shifted to you. Fight principalities and powers in the high places, not men.
Avoid handing over your battles to other people. They are opportunities of growth, of shedding the outer skin to make room for more glory. If not fought, they are just quiet, not defeated. They will be thorns in your sides and snares and will creep into your territory, continuously fleecing you out of your heritage. Soon, you will be a squatter in your own land. A prophet of God has rule over his spirit. No one is excused for even in babes, God has perfected war. The very fact that your enemy considers you a worthy opponent is testament to your ability to win. All enemies that arose against Israel, in their hay days, God gave them over for their victory. The same principle applies. Besides, its not you who fights anyway(ps 60:12, Josh 24:12, Deut 31:26, 3: 22). Do not be afraid of any King, Principality or ruler, for the battle is the Lords. Its Gods business.(Josh 5:13,14) Ignore the fear in your heart, if any, and act on faith. go after all that has your name on it (that's basically all the treasures of the wicked, that they unknowingly store up for the righteous.)
Times of spiritual war when one is attacked are tedious. Retrogression in dreams presentations among other shameful and even senselessly vain works of darkness and even persecutions being rife. This are modes of draining the power of the sheep. It is refered to as turning the glory of God into shame because the glory of God gradually dissipates once one engages in such vanities. Prayers are important for replenishing, and the word too. Before counsel is provided, avoid being confrontational in your prayers towards the principalities. This would be waging war without weapons. The graces covering the saints are parted thus, and on their vestures, lots are cast(Psalms 2:1-4) during these vain spiritual confrontations with the powers of wickedness. This ensures a compromised armour. They feed you on deceptive meats(prov:23:1-8,also the bread of the whore- prov 6:26) to ensure you have vomited you words, especially in the spirit. This is when you want to talk but cant get the words out. For this reason, unnecessarily close spiritual association(unequal yokes that grow by spiritually intense fellowships) with the sons of darkness is discouraged. This is because a level of angelic permissive intrusion is usually allowed at this time for purposes of testing(prov 18:5, 1 cor 5:13). Like Judas, they will offer you to the rulers and judges at a price(in the spiritual realm). This is the meaning of merchandising of the souls and spirits of men. Unless rebuked such have a way of cajoling engagement as the familiar spirits in dreams. Some familiar spirits lay hands on people in dreams. The effect can be nothing or the transfer of a certain kind of "anointing" that is impure, with the effect of turning the glory of God into a vain thing. This is why one loses strength gradually as these continue. These mischievous spirits are also referred to as thieves and when you catch a thief(referring to the availability of power to make war with them), make them repay seven times, and with their household too(prov 6:31).
Powers of darkness like secrecy, and exposure is a powerful weapon of war. This is the light, which is the sword of the spirit.( Eph 5:11-13). Paul gives a demonstration(Acts 13:8) Job did the same to his alleged friends. This exposure should also be done in the presence of good counsel, because it is a weapon of war. Timing is everything. This applies when dealing with people who are spiritually contentious in a fellowship(may be people that come into churches to scatter them). The three books of John deal with this issue. Outside the fellowship, their judgement belongs to God.
Finally similar spiritual attacks are encountered by all member of the sheepfold. Both the lost and the found. If you are not saved, yet go through similar attacks, you are a lost sheep and need to connect to your protector, the true shepherd. There are no true relationships between the prey and the hunters, and you are in the wrong camp. The Sheep know the voice of Jesus when He impresses on their heart and they open up to him, so don't be hardened. It is the sheep who are lost. The hunters know and are exactly where they want to be(1pt 5:9).
Stepping into battles without counsel of God ushers in a new season of storm within another war. This though you may survive, draind physically nand spiritually more than it would have. The process as laid out is key. Sometimes there is a lull in the midst of the storm, to allow some refreshing, even movement. Do not seek out war without a reason(prov 2:11) because God is a fair judge. Seasons of war will always come knocking, according to whatever the Lord thinks you are ripe for.
This is the generation that is poised to raid the principalities of this world, already being delivered, and to usher in a new dispensation. We are equipped with an Angel of war, and just the right season(wait for counsel before attacking though)Where the carcasses shall lie, the eagles will gather. As at now, the heavens are seemingly a little non-responsive. But it is usually darker just before dawn.
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