Spiritual Warfare

1 Peter 5:8-9 KJV “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

Ephesians 6:10-11, 18 KJV “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Spiritual warfare is a daily aspect in the life of a believer, but there are times when that warfare ramps up, and as Jesus told us to watch the fig tree (Matt. 24:32), we know that Israel has been at war since October 7, 2023, but this past weekend, Israel began to strike the head of the snake, Iran.

There is much demonic activity in the Church right now trying to convince Christians that Jews are not Jews and Israel is not Israel. We are in a spiritual war against Jew-hatred right now, and we are also at war with a spirit of stupor where the threat of radical Islam is concerned.

Jesus warned against deception in the last days, and I believe the greatest deception is the enemy causing the Church to stand against Israel. We all need to look up every reference to Israel and Jerusalem in Scripture – the land and the people are at the center of God’s plan.

We must guard against deception through knowing God’s Word and through prayer. Prayer is the final piece of armor mentioned in Ephesians 6.

Study the armor in Scripture, study prayer, and begin praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psa. 122). We are living in the last days, and we must be prepared through the Word and prayer to stand against every attack of the enemy in these days.

BIBLE READING AND STUDY STRATEGIES

There are three ways I recommend to read through the Bible. The first is to read straight through from Genesis to Revelation. The Second is to read in the Jewish order: The Torah (first five books); The Prophets (Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Malachi); and The Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles.

After you have done that, use the M’Cheyne Reading Plan, which will take you through the Hebrew Bible once and the New Testament twice each year.

When it comes to studying the Bible, you should primarily study books or essential topics. For short books, read them each day, taking notes and writing questions to guide your study time. For longer books, divide them into sections and read them over several months (e.g., John 1-7, 8-14, 15-21). This way, you will spend three months in John. Yes, this is a lengthy process, especially in the Hebrew Bible, but you will be surprised at how much you gain from studying in this way.

A topical study could focus on Israel, the covenant, healing, prayer, etc. Studying a character in the Bible typically accompanies a book study. When you study a topic, it gives you an overview of that area throughout Scripture, and it helps guard against misunderstanding that issue if you are studying a book.

The Scriptures are our primary spiritual weapon, and our prayer life is greatly helped if we are able to pray the Scriptures.

As events continue to unfold in the world, and we hear of wars and rumors of wars, when the markets become shaky, and when you or your family are under attack from the enemy, stand your ground in the armor of God, give the enemy no foothold, resist temptation, and overcome.