Is what you are experiencing spiritual warfare, or ‘just life?’

For many months I blithely walked around my favourite local park, enjoying the gardens, the scenery, and my time out, oblivious to any dangers that might be lurking in the shrubbery.

Then one day I read a newspaper article about a boy who had been bitten by a snake in the same park just a few days before, and had been taken to hospital.

We are Kiwis living in Australia. We don’t have snakes in New Zealand. We can walk in the bush in our ‘jandals’ without a care in the world.

On my next visit to the park, I was on high alert. Tense, and on edge, I watched the path and was alerted by every rustle in the bush. There seemed to be an awful lot of rustling! I did not enjoy the walk that day.

Sure enough, I soon settled down and was back to taking pleasure in my walks. However I took some basic precautions; not veering off the paths and ensuring that I had my mobile phone with me if I was walking alone.

In Luke 10:19-20, Jesus said,

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Like my response to snakes in the park, there are two errors that we can fall into with regard to spiritual warfare. One is to ignore it altogether (2 Cor 2:11) and at the other extreme, to make too much of it.

Balance requires us to always step back and discern whether what we are experiencing is spiritual warfare, or just something happening that is physical and emotional, or a combination of both.

12 signs you may be experiencing spiritual warfare

Our goal in spiritual warfare is not to draw or pay attention to what the devil is doing. It is to focus on God and pay attention to what HE is doing—and not put up with less than His best.

Here are some signs of a spiritual battle taking place. Being alert to these can help you weigh up whether or not a situation is being affected by spiritual warfare.

1. Changes for the worse (especially sudden or severe) in areas of health, finances, relationships

Important note: When we are sick or when bad things happen to us, it is not always the devil that causes it
·It may be just physical
·Sometimes it is just life
·Sometimes (e.g. financial or relationships) it is others’ or our own wrong choices.

2. Temptation to sin—beyond the normal

Temptation originates with our own weakness and ungodly desires (James 1:13-15) but the enemy can use situations and people around us, to apply extreme or sudden pressure on us in these areas.

3. Pattern of recurring negative events

Note that this can also be indicative of a curse in operation.

4. Atmosphere – of pressure or oppression

In Rom 14:17, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. When we are robbed of these things, we need to pay attention. What happened?

5. Severe discouragement

We need to particularly pay attention when the first signs of discouragement strike. Discouragement or confusion should be like an orange flashing light, alerting us to the possibility that we are in a spiritual battle.

According to Rick Joyner, the progressive ‘sting of witchcraft’ is: discouragement, confusion, depression, loss of vision, disorientation, withdrawal and despair leading to defeat. These are the signs we need to pay attention to when on the alert for spiritual warfare in our personal lives and ministry [1]. One example of this in operation is Elijah’s response after he was threatened by Jezebel. (1 Kings 19)

6. Crippling condemnation

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is specific and brings conclusion through repentance, but condemnation is cloudy.

7. Intimidation and Fear (I Can’t)

This is especially so when the fear is pressuring you to stop moving in the direction of God’s revealed will for your life, or that of your family, ministry or church.

8. Confusion

The enemy thrives in confusion. We think it’s us. Everything gets hazy. Confusion is often an attack on our minds, but it can also be apparent in relationships where communication becomes distorted, perverted and misrepresented.

9. Anything that brings pressure to bear AGAINST God’s revealed will for your life

10. Pressure (beyond the normal) on important relationships

11. Battle in the mind – negative ‘tapes’ playing

Our mind (and that of others) becomes a central battleground (2 Cor 10:5), where the enemy tries to sow messages that are contrary to the word God has spoken to us or revealed in the Bible underscoring feelings such as failure, fear, condemnation, hurt, or even attack and accusation of others.

12. Distinct start time,

With spiritual warfare, there is usually a distinctive time of onset. If you have an ongoing history in one of the above areas, e.g. fear, relational or sin issues, it is probably not warfare. It may be personal ‘baggage’ that you need to deal with.

The Battle Won

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Christ] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 2:15)

The good news is that Jesus has won the battle for us on the cross. We can apply the authority He has given to us and enter into His victory.

In the next blog post I will begin exploring some ways to deal with spiritual warfare once you have discerned it taking place in your personal life, church or ministry.

If you have any ideas about other signs of spiritual warfare or personal experiences, we would love to hear your response in the comments section of this post.

Snakes Alive!

My first real-life encounter with a snake came later, in another park. The Hunk and I were exploring a trail when we came across a poisonous brown snake barring the way to our destination.

My intrepid husband crept closer to the snake doing his best Steve Irwin impression (‘Crikey! Isn’t it a beauty?)

I, on the other hand, dug my heels in and refused to progress any further, even when the snake veered off into the undergrowth. What if it was there again when we returned?

It seems that some things never change!

[1] Rick Joyner, The Surpassing Greatness Of His Power, 1996, Whitaker House:New Kensington

Related Posts:

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Your Prophetic Word and Spiritual Warfare

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare In The Church

© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing

Have you Ever had the Opposite of Your Prophetic Word Happen to you?

You have received your prophetic word for 2010 and you are excited about it. You feel close to God. You are highly motivated to live out the word and hold onto it throughout the coming year.

But then, it happens.

Out of nowhere, you are sideswiped; a problem, a negative word, a criticism, or a disappointment comes your way. Perhaps the very opposite of the promise God has given to you begins to happen. You find yourself swamped in spiritual warfare and oppression.

You have entered the next stage of fulfilling God’s word for your life: it’s time to contend for your prophetic word.

Where is God When we are in the Trial?

One day, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ They joined Him in the boat and began their journey.

Suddenly, a terrifying storm blew across the lake, and the boat began to be swamped with water. Finding themselves in peril for their lives, the disciples looked for Jesus. He was asleep in the stern.

Jesus had given the disciples a word, ‘Let’s go over to the other side.’ But halfway across the lake, it looked as though they weren’t going to make it. They woke Jesus up and said, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ (Mark 4:38)

The disciple’s response is familiar to our own. When difficulties overwhelm us, we find ourselves wondering, ‘Where is God? Does He even care at all?’ It seems as if Jesus is asleep in the boat of our lives.

We have His word, but like the disciples, we find ourselves in trouble at the place in-between. The distant shore of our word’s fulfillment is impossibly out of reach.

What hurts the most is, that we so willingly followed Jesus and believed His word in the first place. We have been doing our best, and now, all hell is breaking loose against us.

If this sounds familiar, take heart! Jesus is the Lord and master of your situation. God’s word for your life will be fulfilled.

The disciples cried out, ‘Master, master, we are going to drown!’ (Luke 8:24). Their statement of negative prophecy was the very opposite of what Jesus had told them would take place. However, their words and their fear were no obstacle to the grace and power of God.

What a wonder God’s grace is. Even when we slip into being negative and afraid, God brings us through the hardship. Like Jesus’ disciples did, we need to keep our confession of Jesus’ Lordship in the midst of the trial.

Having been called upon to save them, Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves and as suddenly as the storm had swept up, calm reigned.

Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

Jesus’ response to the tempest seems to indicate that spiritual warfare was taking place.

The disciples had the two ingredients necessary for faith. They had Jesus’ word, and they had Jesus presence with them. And yet they still doubted in the storm.

How Should we Respond in the Trial?

The disciples’ acted in a way that we often do in times of testing:

• They forgot, or doubted, Jesus’ word
• They looked at the circumstances versus their own ability and believed the situation hopeless
• They believed the word would not be fulfilled and spoke out of that unbelief
• They were afraid
• They felt that Jesus didn’t care for them because He did not appear to be acting on their behalf at that time.

I read this story and wonder, how should the disciples have responded?

What would they have done that would have resulted in Jesus praising them for their faith, rather than rebuked them for their fear?

They could have:

1. Used the authority Jesus had given them and rebuked the storm themselves
2. Immediately gone to Jesus, instead of trying to save the boat in their own strength, and given control of the situation over to Him
3. Not given way to fear, but responded in faith
4. Not given voice to doubt, but spoken in confidence and trust.

This coming year, times of trouble and spiritual warfare will come.

Let’s live out of the Spirit’s enabling power, and respond in faith, not fear, when opposition comes to God’s prophetic word over our lives.

There will inevitably also be moments when we respond wrongly during the trial. We might believe we have it all together, but God will allow situations to come along that reveal just how weak we are and how in need of His grace we are.

We won’t always get it right, and that’s OK. At the end of the day, it is not our performance that counts, but that we stay in relationship with Jesus, the Giver of the word.

In those moments, the words, ‘Master, save us!’ are the only ones we need.

For more of the story, check out Matt 8:23-27, Mark 4: 35-41, Luke 8:22-25

Related posts:

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Prophetic People in Testing Times: The Reason for the Season

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© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

We have a canary called Tweety Bird. The name of our neighbour’s cat is a mystery, but she is black and white and we have dubbed her…wait for it…‘Sylvester.’ Here is a classic shot of Tweety Bird enjoying the sunny outdoors. Check out his onlooker!

So far, Sylvester has had no success in her quest to catch and eat Tweety Bird, and as Tweety Bird’s protectors, the Hunk and I have no intention in allowing her to succeed in carrying out those evil schemes.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8-9, ‘Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.’ Unlike Tweety Bird, however, we enjoy freedom and have the upper hand. We know the outcome before the battle starts. We also know, because the Bible tells us, that we have access to the victory Jesus has won for us on the cross (Col 2:15).

Last week I posted a blog exploring the distinction between spiritual warfare and God testing us (both can be taking place at the same time). I looked briefly at how spiritual warfare can benefit us by strengthening our faith, as well as heightening our experience and understanding of our spiritual authority.

In the church, the gifts and abilities of prophetic people particularly shine during times of battle and opposition. Here are three reasons why:

1. Prophetic people are most likely to pray (Eph 6:18)

There’s nothing like pressure or opposition to remind us that we are dependent on God, and prayer is the ultimate expression of that reliance. People with intercessory and prophetic gifts are the ones who will quickly turn to prayer and encourage others to do so. In times of spiritual battle in the church, this gift comes to the fore.

2. Prophetic people are more likely to discern the source of the warfare (2 Cor 2:11)

Prophetic people tend to be very aware of what is taking place in the spiritual atmosphere. We may be the first to sense what is going on. Frequently our prophetic gift is teamed up with a gift of discernment (1 Cor 12:10). Like the surgeon choosing the right instrument for a specific job, this discernment can help us pray with precision in times of warfare. Leaders in the church greatly appreciate this gift when it is used effectively and wisely

3. Prophetic people can see beyond the battle to the brighter future (Rom 16:20)

The prophetic gift helps us see beyond our current experience, and the trials in our church, to the future good that God has planned for us. When doing prophetic training, I encourage our intercessors to balance their discernment of the enemy’s presence and strategy, with prophetic insight regarding the positive outcome that God has planned for us as a church. By seeing clearly not only the present difficulties, but also God’s future redemptive plan, we can pray more powerfully.

Prophetic people, along with their spiritual gifts, are God’s front line protection when it comes to spiritual warfare in the church. We must remember that we don’t always get our discernment 100% correct (1 Cor 13:9) and to submit our insights with humility (1 Cor 14:29). When we do, God can use us for breakthrough in our families and churches in seasons of spiritual warfare.

My challenge to you today is, to think of some difficult situation that you are currently facing in your life, family or church. Using the above three points, ask the question, “How can I respond to bring positive change?” Leave a comment on this post for discussion and so that your ideas can help others on the same journey.

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Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?

Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the right hand side of this page to receive:

• regular blogs and teaching to help you grow in your gift of prophecy
• notifications about online prophetic training opportunities
• news of resources to help develop your prophetic gift

Check here for online prophetic training opportunities in 2010

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See also Prophetic People and Spiritual Warfare

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

Recently, The Hunk & I were leading a training session on spiritual warfare when one of the participants asked a very insightful question. He said,

‘How can you tell the difference between spiritual warfare and God testing you?’

That was such a great question that I wished I had thought of it beforehand! We were running short of time, but I have since given this a lot of thought, and this is what I’ve come up with so far:

It’s very difficult to tell the difference between spiritual warfare and God testing you, because both are generally taking place at the same time! The key is to know what God’s purpose is, and embrace it, and what your adversary’s purpose is, and turn the tables on it! This is, of course, easier said than done.

God’s purpose in spiritual warfare

God allows tests & trials, and these do include seasons of spiritual warfare. In these times, His purpose in allowing the attack is to purify our faith and strengthen our spiritual authority (see 1 Peter 1:6-7, 5:8-9, Rom 16:20).

He also allows us to go through temptations that serve to highlight our weaknesses (we tend to have blind spots when it comes to our own ‘stuff’) so that He can show us MORE of His grace and love and transforming power.

For example, in Luke 22:31-32, Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Peter went through denial and failure, but he was a better, more humble man for it and was greatly used of God in leading people to Jesus.

The enemy’s plan in spiritual warfare

Whilst God’s plan in testing is for us to come through the trial as bigger and better people, stronger and closer to Him and each other, satan’s strategy is that we get stuck in the trial.

He wants us to give up, hold back, remain hurt, and be afraid. He will mask his messages with our own thoughts. We need to be especially aware of the battle that is taking place for our minds. It can be helpful to step back objectively and review the ‘tapes’ that are playing in our thoughts. It is only as we identify what these are that we can address them by wielding the sword of God’s word—Bible verses that speak God’s truth into our situation.

As prophetic people, it is vital that we understand the difference between God allowing us to go through a season of testing, and the enemy seeking to rob us of our prophetic gifts and ministry call. Both usually happen at the same time. But we can definitely turn spiritual warfare to our advantage, because Jesus has already won the battle for us.

I dislike spiritual warfare, especially when it’s affecting those I love, and who would enjoy personal failure? However I’ve learned to see the benefits in both.

I’ve just skimmed the surface here, but if you have any more thoughts in response to this question, I would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment!

The information in this post is excerpted from the e-book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic and Prayer Gifts.’ If this post has ministered to you and you would like further help in the development of your prophetic gifts, click here to review the book.

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Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?

Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the right hand side of this page to receive:

• regular blogs and teaching to help you grow in your gift of prophecy
• notifications about online prophetic training opportunities
• news of resources to help develop your prophetic gift

Check here for online prophetic training opportunities in 2010

****************************************************************************************

See also Prophetic People and Spiritual Warfare in the Church and Prophetic People in Testing Times: Signs of Trial

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing