Spiritual Warfare

In the past, many people were unaware of the dangers of carbon monoxide. This gas is invisible, tasteless, and odorless, making it nearly impossible for people to detect in their homes. Because of these hidden qualities, carbon monoxide could silently seep into living spaces, poisoning people without their knowledge. It often led to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and confusion. In some cases, exposure to high levels could even result in death. For years, people lived with the risk, not knowing what was causing these mysterious and harmful effects.

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However, as scientific understanding grew, awareness grew, and the importance of carbon monoxide detectors became clear. With these devices in place, people could detect the presence of the gas, even though they could not see, smell, or taste it. Once detected, they could take immediate action—thereby preventing harm and ensuring safety. The rise of carbon monoxide detectors was a game-changer.

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Similarly, in modern Western culture, many people remain unaware of the negative demonic influences that can silently affect their lives. Demonic oppression—much like carbon monoxide—is invisible, often undetected. If it remains undetected, it can influence individuals in subtle but damaging ways. Demonic influence may come in the form of intrusive untrue thoughts, intrusive emotional distress, relationship distress, intrusive temptation, difficulty connecting with God, false spirituality or some physical health issues.

For many, the very idea of demonic oppression may seem irrelevant or outdated, dismissed as superstition or fantasy. This lack of awareness has allowed negative spiritual forces to affect people’s lives without them realizing the source of their struggles. Just as carbon monoxide was once an unseen danger in people’s homes, demonic oppression can work quietly in the background of people’s lives, causing harm without clear recognition.

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But just as people eventually learned about the importance of carbon monoxide detectors and action steps to take once it was detected, we can also learn to detect spiritual warfare and take action to get liberation. When we make it a priority to learn spiritual warfare tactics, it will help us live our freest, fullest and most spiritually fruitful life. These spiritual warfare tactics include discerning demonic oppression, using your authority in Christ, destroying footholds, submitting to God, the word of God, prayer and fasting.

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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #1: Discerning Demonic Oppression

• "So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes." (2 Corinthians 2:11)
  
• "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
  

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God wants us to grow in discernment of demonic oppression. In order to better detect it, we can look at the various ways it was depicted in the Bible. Below is a list of that. This is not to say that every time you notice these issues that they are caused by demonic oppression because many issues in life will have natural causes with no demonic influence. However, in order to grow in discernment, it would be wise to be on the lookout for these and see them as warning signs that you may have demonic oppression in your life. Then, you can go through the subsequent steps to seek freedom. Do you notice any of the following issues in your life?

• Intrusive Negative Thoughts: Spontaneous, intrusive negative thoughts are often from demons. They align with the devil’s character of being an adversary, deceiver, slanderer, temper, accuser, thief, destroyer and murderer.
  
• Intrusive Emotional Distress: At times, the enemy can influence or exacerbate things like anxiety, anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred, depression, guilt, shame, insecurity, envy, jealousy, thoughts of self-harm, thoughts of suicide and psychosis.
  
• Relational Distress: At times the enemy can influence things like arguments, divisiveness, vengeance, betrayal, lying, abuse, unforgiveness, thoughts to harm others and murder.
  
• Intrusive Temptation: Along with the various sins that are listed in the other categories, the enemy can also tempt you to engage in sins such as pride, selfishness, lust, stealing and greed.
  
• False Spirituality: This can include influencing things like blinding people’s minds from seeing the truth of Jesus and the Gospel, neglecting God, rejecting God, false teaching, false prophecies, false religions, legalistic Christianity, passive Christianity, idolatry and occult practices.
  
• Physical Health Issues: There are biblical examples of Jesus casting out demons that were causing seizures, blindness, deafness, muteness and crippling posture.
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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #2: Using Your Authority in Christ

• "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word.” (Matthew 8:16)
  
• “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew 10:1)
  
• “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)
  

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Another spiritual warfare tactic you can use is the authority Jesus has given you over demons. With this authority, you can command demons to leave. Sometimes a demon may be attached to you in which case you can say something like this out loud, "By the authority of Jesus Christ, I command every demon to come out of me, off of me and away from me. Leave me and this premises right now and never return to me!" At other times you can walk into every room of your home and say something like this out loud, “By the authority of Jesus Christ, I command that every demonic spirit leave our home right now and never return to any of us!”
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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #3: Destroying Footholds

• "Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27)
  

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Another spiritual warfare tactic is the concept of destroying footholds. Unrepentant sins can create a foothold for the enemy to have a place in our lives. Sometimes you need to destroy the foothold so the enemy no longer has that place in your life to mess with you. Below are steps to destroy a foothold using listening prayer, confession, repentance, and your authority in Christ.

• Open in Prayer: Get alone somewhere quiet where you can focus on Jesus. Pray something like, “Jesus, please destroy all footholds and liberate all demonic oppression in my life. Please speak to me in this moment and help me discern Your still, small voice. Please fill me with the fullness of Your Spirit and guard my heart and mind with Your perfect peace. Please silence my thoughts so that I might hear more clearly from You. (Then, say out loud:) I bind all demonic spirits and command you to be silent!”
  
• Uncover the Foothold: Ask, "Jesus, do I have a foothold in my life that has created a territory for the enemy?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you. He would reveal a sin in your heart that you may or may not have been aware of.)
  
• Uncover the Lie: Ask, "Jesus, what lie am I believing that's keeping this sin active?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you.) Hand Jesus the lie.
  
• Uncover the Truth: Ask, "Jesus, what is the truth you want me to know about this sin?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you.) Declare the truth.
  
• Destroy the Foothold: Ask, "Jesus, what sinful thoughts, attitudes and actions have I engaged in that contributed to this foothold?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you.) When He shows you something, confess it to God. Keep doing that until He's shown you everything relating to that foothold. Then say, "Jesus, I hand You all of this. Please take it from me. I now turn in repentance of these sins.”
  
• Rebuke the Demon: Now that the foothold is destroyed, the enemy has no more place. Take authority over the demon out loud and command it to leave.
  
• Check for Other Footholds: Repeat steps 2-6 in case Jesus reveals any other footholds to be destroyed. Do this until He no longer shows you any more.
  
• Divine Exchange: Ask, "Jesus, what do you want to give me in return for this?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you.)

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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #4: Submitting to God

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

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Another spiritual warfare tactic is submitting to God. Similar to a foothold, sometimes there are sins we have been holding onto that we have not submitted to God. This can allow the enemy to have territory in our lives. We need to discover what these are and submit them to the Lord so the enemy has no more ground to stand on. Below are steps to help you submit to God using listening prayer, confession, repentance, and your authority in Christ.

• Open in Prayer: Get alone somewhere quiet where you can focus on Jesus. Pray something like, “Jesus, please help me submit everything to You and liberate all demonic oppression in my life. Please speak to me in this moment and help me discern Your still, small voice. Please fill me with the fullness of Your Spirit and guard my heart and mind with Your perfect peace. Please silence my thoughts so that I might hear more clearly from You. (Then, say out loud:) I bind all demonic spirits and command you to be silent!”
  
• Uncover the Sin or Issue: Ask, "Jesus, is there something in my life I haven't submitted to You?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you. He would reveal a sin or issue in your heart that you may or may not have been aware of that you have been holding on to and not letting go of.)
  
• Repent of Fear that Leads You to Hold Onto the Sin or Issue: Ask yourself, "What am I most afraid I would lose or have to endure if I submitted this to God?" In regards to whatever answer comes to your mind, confess and repent of that fear. Then ask, "Jesus, will you now take this fear from me? I hand it to You."
  
• Submit the Sin or Issue to God: Confess and repent of holding onto the sin or issue that God showed you that you were not submitting. Lay it at His feet and commit to turning away from it while doing your best to never pick it back up.
  
• Rebuke the Demon: Now that you have submitted to the Lord, actively resist the devil by taking authority over the demon out loud and commanding it to leave.
  
• Check for anything else: Repeat steps 2-5 in case Jesus reveals anything else you need to submit. Do this until He no longer shows you anything else.
  
• Divine Exchange: Ask, "Jesus, what do you want to give me in return for this?" (Stop, close your eyes, look and listen for what the Holy Spirit's still small voice reveals to you.)

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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #5: Prayer

• “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:18)
  

Another way to lean on God's power to overcome spiritual warfare is to engage in prayer. Spend time connecting with God in prayer to better know Him, love Him and follow Him. Also, pray for yourself and others to get deliverance from demons. Ask others to pray for you to get deliverance from demons. If there's a moment you can't speak out loud, you can pray in your mind and ask God to dispatch angels to remove demons from any situation.

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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #6: Faith in God’s Word

• "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:10-17)
  
• "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
  

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Since one major tactic of the enemy is to suggest lies into your mind, it will be important to compare thoughts to the truth of God's word. Regularly immerse yourself in God's word, to know Him, love Him and follow Him. Immersing yourself in God's word will help you identify and counter the lies, temptations and accusations that demons will try to lay on you. Below are ways you can immerse yourself in God's word.

• Read it
  
• Listen to it (audio Bible)
  
• Exposit it
  
• Pray through it
  
• Memorize it
  
• Meditate on it
  
• Apply it
  
• Teach it to others
  
• Catch thoughts that are contrary to God's word, hand them to God and declare the biblical truth that counters that lie.
  
• Listen to sermons
  
• Read Christian books

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Spiritual Warfare Tactic #7: Fasting

• "This kind [of demon] can come out only by prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:29)
  

Sometimes if the demon does not leave when you go through the above biblical principles, try fasting and praying. Plan a day with no food to spend time alone with the Lord praying and then use these spiritual warfare principles.

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Final Thoughts

While God sometimes allows spiritual warfare trials in our lives to help us grow, we are never left powerless. We have the Holy Spirit within us, direct access to God in prayer, the truth of His Word—which is sharper than any double-edged sword—along with divine spiritual weapons including discernment, repentance, fasting and the authority of Christ over all demonic forces. The ultimate victory has already been won through Christ’s triumph on the cross. To win the daily battles, we must remain vigilant and actively engage in the fight. If we aren't intentionally participating in spiritual warfare, we will likely drift away from the intimacy, purpose, security and freedom that God created us for. Don’t allow the devil to influence you any longer. Stand firm, stay alert, and be strong in the Lord.