SPIRITUAL WAR

Neil Anderson

John 17:11 NIV 
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name

The Christian worldview perceives life through the grid of Scripture, not through culture or experience. And Scripture clearly teaches that supernatural, spiritual forces are at work in the natural world. For example, approximately one-fourth of all the healings recorded in the Gospel of Mark were actually deliverances from demon activity. The woman whom Jesus healed in Luke 13:11, 12, had been the victim of a "sickness caused by a spirit" for 18 years.

Many people I have counseled came with physical problems which disappeared shortly after the demonic influence was dealt with. The most common symptoms I have seen are headaches, dizziness, allergies, nausea and general pain throughout the body. The most conservative estimate by medical doctors is that 50 percent of their patients are suffering psychosomatic illnesses. Biblically, it is reasonable to expect that if a person's personal and spiritual problems are resolved, the physical body will be benefited. Stress is a leading cause of heart disease and cancer. The peace of God alone will cure many diseases. 

OUR VULNERABILITY

Luke 22:31, 32 

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail

It is critical that Christians understand their vulnerability to demonic influence. Those who say a demon cannot influence a believer's life have left us with only two possible culprits for the problems we face: ourselves or God. If we blame ourselves, we feel hopeless because we can't do anything to stop what we're doing. If we blame God, our confidence in Him as our benevolent Father is shattered. Either way, we have no chance to gain the victory which the Bible promises us. In reality we are in a winnable war against the defeated kingdom of darkness. But the lies of Satan can gain a measure of control if we believe them.

 What right did Satan have to sift Simon (Peter) like wheat? The context reveals that Peter and the other disciples were arguing about who was going to be the greatest in the kingdom of God. In other words, they were exercising pride. Sinful pride affords Satan a huge opportunity. Peter protested that he was willing to die or go to prison for the sake of Christ. But Jesus told him that, before the day was over, Peter would deny Him three times, and he did.