Recently, we saw a Christian movie together as a family. There was a scene where the main character slapped someone in his dream as a sign of spiritual authority and victory. My daughter shouted; “Why is a child of God still slapping someone?” I responded; “He’s fighting the devil.” I then took time to give her some lessons on spiritual warfare.
Friend, you need to learn about spiritual warfare. An average 21st-century Christian knows little or nothing about spiritual warfare (1 Corinthians 12:1). Most times, we leave it to pastors and ministers of the gospel without realising that all believers are supposed to be involved in spiritual warfare.
There is a reason the Bible calls us soldiers and not civilians (2 Timothy 2:1-4). It means that we are supposed to be battle ready and well trained for spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-13). There is a God who fights our battles, but there is also the God who teaches our hands to war and our fingers to fight (Exodus 14:14, Psalms 144:1). Not knowing the difference has made many lazy and defeated Christians.
A sound local church ministry is one that is able to transform sinners to saints and saints to soldiers. The former is salvation. The latter is discipleship. The purpose of salvation is discipleship, and the purpose of discipleship is spiritual authority (Genesis 14:14, 2 Timothy 2:1-4).
Until God can mobilise you for endtime battles, you have not yet maximized God’s plan for your Christian life. Abraham mobilized his trained servants who were born in his own house for the rescue of Lot’s family (Genesis 14:14). For a local church, it is not just about your seating capacity. It is about your sending capacity (Luke 10:1-20).
Understanding spiritual warfare begins with knowing what Christ has done for you on the cross (Colossians 2:14-15, 1 John 4:4). When you know that Christ has defeated Satan on the cross, it would help you to fight from victory and not for victory. Knowing how to enforce the victory of the cross is what determines your reality on the earth (1 John 5:4).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria