Spiritual War
Today, as the Underground, we come together in prayer and fasting. Every great move of God in the Bible and in history begins with Extraordinary Prayer and Fasting. From the other side of eternity we will find that the most influential people were not, perhaps, Presidents or Prime Ministers, but the people who walked with God through passionate prayer. This week we will be focusing our prayer and fasting on the theme of Spiritual War.
Movement 1: The Battle
Read:
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
2 Corinthians 10:3
Reflect:
We know the world we live in. We know it is not our home. We know the current “ruler” of this world and he is out to steal, kill, and destroy. There is a constant war waging – sometimes we are aware of it, sometimes we are not. But we know that “...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” (Ephesians 6:12). How does this world wage war? What weapons does it use?
Pray:
Ask God to keep you vigilant during the spiritual battle that
is always waging. Ask Him for protection in that battle. Ask Him to send His guardian angels to fight on your behalf. Pray authoritative blessing prayers of protection over you, your biological family, your extended spiritual family, and the places you exist.
Movement 2: Weapons & Strongholds
Read:
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:4
Reflect:
This verse makes it clear that we are in the fight. Whether we like it or not, whether we choose it or not, we are in this battle. And if we are in a battle, we must have weapons with which to fight. However, it is clear that we do not use the weapons of the world. We fight with weapons that have divine power. What are these weapons?
These weapons can demolish strongholds. A stronghold is defined as a place of security or survival. There are strongholds in each of our lives; in each of our minds. False places to which we run for security and survival in this life. What are the strongholds in your life that need to be demolished?
Pray:
Talk to God. Ask Him to reveal the strongholds in your life – the things you run to for security and survival instead of Him. Listen...
Repent for running to those strongholds instead of running to the arms of Jesus. Turn to Him and read this verse to Him in praise:
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalms 18:2
Ask Him to reveal to you the divine weapons with which you are to demolish these strongholds. Listen...
Movement 3: Take Captive
Read:
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 10:5
Reflect:
We are instructed to use these divine weapons to demolish arguments and pretensions (claims) that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. His knowledge is true – it is TRUTH. Whenever there is truth, the ruler of this world will come against it with lies. Typically, he whispers these lies to us in battle. They seep in and begin to build up as a stronghold in our minds. We begin to believe these thoughts that masquerade as places of security and survival. The longer they go unchallenged, the deeper they sink. But, we can come against these stronghold lies and take back our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.
Pray:
Meditate on God’s Word, His truth. Find a passage that speaks truth to the place you are in your life. Read it over and over. Pray it over and over. Sing it over and over. Write it over and over. Let His truth, His knowledge flood your mind, heart, and soul. Take your thoughts captive and make them obedient to the Lord of your life.