School of Prayer: Spiritual Warfare 101, Pt1

Not everything that happens is sent from the enemy. Sometimes we give him too much credit. Some things are heaven sent (even bad things), some are hell sent, and some things just happen. It is important to understand how the enemy fights us. When we recognize something as a spiritual attack it changes how we pray, confront it, and declare the right enemy. Here are a few areas Satan attacks us.

Weaknesses Man is tempted when he is drawn aside by his own lusts and enticed. (Notice: Drawn away and enticed) James 1:12-15. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted (to try whether a thing can be done, to make trial of or to test), I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away (lure forth as in hunting and fishing when something is lured from its hiding place or as a harlot would seduce a person) of his own lust (desire, craving or longing), and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 1 John 2:16 lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Weaknesses are a key way the enemy fights us. He watches us and looks for a way to trip us up. He appeals to anything he can throw our way to get us to compromise (see Parashat Balak). Have you ever noticed a strategic string of temptations and appeals that seem to come at the right moment, at your weakest point? Much of it is intentional. The enemy bargains that his temptations are stronger consecration.

Imaginations, High Things, Thoughts 2 Cor 10: 3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds -arguments and reasonings) Casting down imaginations (reckoning or reasonings hostile to the faith), and every high thing (anything lifted up as a barrier) that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (Yeshua).

What Eve wanted was wisdom and she was jealous of Adam. Satan offered her a way to get it outside of God, but she also compromised her person in the process. Humanity is most resourceful when looking to justify sin or dwell on things like offenses, unforgiven sin, or anything that seems to be hurtful. Most of the war is in our minds and if it is not addressed, at some point it spills over into action. Recognizing a mental attack and confronting it directly is the only way to stop the onslaught.

Lies and Deception The enemy also combats us with partial truths and outright lies about ourselves and the word of God that are designed to deceive and cause suffering. See Emotional Lie ID Sheet (can send over email). Notice in Jn 8:44 that the purpose of the enemy is to make us like him. God made us in his image and the devil tries to steal or corrupt that godly reflection. Another tactic is to take a general truth and couple it with a very specific application that in the end leads us to disobedience. With Eve, Satan first inferred that God blocking them from the tree for selfish reasons. Satan lied about God's motive but was correct with the universal truth that their eyes would be open to knowing good and evil and a form of wisdom would come. Meeting this need in an ungodly way supposed sin and separation that was not in their midst (see Jn 10:1-3, 8-10. vs 10 states the purpose of the enemy is to steal (hope and faith), kill (every promise, purpose, and truth), and destroy (the person and corrupt him/her completely).

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it.

Physical Weaknesses Yeshua (Jesus) was hungry that is when he was approached. Temptations were designed to appeal to Yeshua's person, personal purpose, and ultimate mission. The idea of the temptation was to corrupt him anywhere or get him to take a shortcut. Notice both Yeshua and Eve were tempted with food and the enemy offered justification for doing it. Also, notice the trade when the enemy offers carnal fulfillment which is temporary for true obedience which glorifies God. The enemy looks for weak points and bad situations to leverage temptation and take advantage of us.

Matt 4, Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him

Physical circumstances This is best depicted in Job chapters 1-2. In Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-6 Satan came before the Lord admitting that he was looking for someone to wreck. Presumably, this was to be someone godly. God actually recommended Job. Satan was familiar with Job already and knew that God had a hedge around Job because of Job's love for God, his sacrifices, and his intercession for his family. Satan attacked him in vs 13-15, 17 Satan turned people against them that took his oxen (symbol of strength) and killed his workers; Then another time another group of people took his camels (symbol of wealth) and camel herders.

Vs 16, 19 Satan turned the weather against him and killed his sheep (symbolizing purity and innocence) and shepherds, then caused a great wind to blow down a house and killed his children.

If you have ever been in a dynamic move of God for long enough, odds are you have seen this in one fashion or another. God may have given the Rabbi a sermon that will stop the enemy's oppression and the enemy will fight to stop it. Many times that is played out in the heavens and will be seen in the storms. Several times we have seen moves of God where we were cautioned that storms were coming to disrupt our services and activities. When Yeshua stood up and rebuked the storms from the boat (Luke 8:24-25), he was not just speaking to the wind and waves, he was speaking to the enemy and telling him to stop. We need to do the same.

Rav Calev Lehrer Apostolic Messianic International-Gulf Coast