An Allegory by Marsha West on Spiritual Warfare and Putting on the Whole Armor of God: The Old Serpent and the Slacker
Understanding spiritual warfare as described in Eph 6:1-19 and 2 Cor 10:1-4, read:
Spiritual Warfare Movement examined:
Excerpt from Marsha West’s “Gladiator-style takedown of demonic forces, Part 1”:
A large number of Christians throughout the world consider themselves to be spiritual warfare prayer warriors. What they do is known as “intercessory prayer.” Most likely these prayer warriors are connected to a deliverance ministry. Deliverance ministers use “strategic level prayer” to “bind” the “territorial spirits” to remove demons who are in control of organizations, communities, cities and in some cases entire nations so that evangelism will go unimpeded. These demon fighting gladiators believe that poverty and other societal troubles will not be eliminated until “demonic strongholds” are torn down and demons are “bound.”
The aim of the Spiritual Warfare movement (SWM) is to take “dominion” over societal institutions and government. Once they have accomplished this lofty goal they’ll take over the kingdoms of this world and build a literal Kingdom of God on earth. This is known as Kingdom Theology. The aim of the Spiritual Warfare movement (SWM) is to take “dominion” over societal institutions and government. Once they have accomplished this lofty goal they’ll take over the kingdoms of this world and build a literal Kingdom of God on earth. This is known as Kingdom Theology.
What is the basic premise of Kingdom Theology?
[M]an lost dominion over the earth when Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan’s temptation in the Garden of Eden. God “lost control” of the earth to Satan at that time, and has since been looking for a “covenant people” who will be His “extension,” or “expression,” in the earth and take dominion back from Satan. This is to be accomplished through certain “overcomers” who, by yielding themselves to the authority of God’s apostles and prophets for the Kingdom Age, will take control of the kingdoms of this world. (source)
Kingdom Theology and deliverance/spiritual warfare prayer stem from the New Apostolic Reformation/Dominionism (NAR/DOM). I’ve covered NAR/DOM in other articles that can be read here. The purpose of this piece is the SWM, as this false teaching has spread through Charismatic and Pentecostal churches like a wildfire on a gusty day and it’s rearing its ugly head in conservative churches.
Many spiritual warfare prayer warriors are sincere people who believe what they’re doing is serious work, thus they don’t enter into it lightly and are very cautious when they engage in intercessory prayer. They also admit that they’re still learning the process of warfare prayer. The process they go through to rid the “client” of demons is called “therapy.” A person who’s cleansed of “cosmic beings” is deemed a “survivor.”
Some in the deliverance ministries put their focus on so-called demon possessed people. As I said, many of them are serious sincere people who do not take exorcism lightly — but the fact remains that they’re involved in an unbiblical practice.
So — imagine for a moment a sixty-five year-old woman who has never seen the inside of a gym, toe to toe with a burly man she believes to be possessed, body and soul, by a cosmic being. After a lengthy conversation with the man, she has determined that he’s possessed by a “demon of alcohol.” So the diminutive woman musters up her courage and glares into the drunk’s blood-shot eyes, “In the Name of Jesus Christ,” she bellows, ” I command you, demon of alcohol, depart from this man!” fully believing she has just sent a demon to the pit of hell. She also believes that the drunk has been set free from the demon once and for all.
You may be asking, “If a ‘demon of alcohol’ does exist, how could the woman know with certainty that it had packed its bags and fled the scene never to return again?”
Before I answer the question, I need to provide some background on angels and demons. For the Christian to get the facts on creatures that dwell in the spiritual realm he or she must go to the final authority on these sorts of things — the Holy Bible. God reveals what He wants us to know about the supernatural world in the pages of Scripture. Anything beyond what the scriptures expressly teach on angels and demons is nothing more than pure speculation. Those in the SWM have taken speculation to a whole new level for the simple reason that much of their doctrine is based on just that — speculation. Also, they claim they’re receiving “new revelation” that replaces the Word of God even though Paul clearly taught that the revelation he and the other apostles received was the complete and final revelation from Jesus Christ. Paul even cursed those who brought a different gospel:
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:8) (Source)
PHRASES, PRACTICES & TERMS
Rachel Tabachnick’s “Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare (SLSW) Glossary.” The terms are defined here (We do not recommend Talk to Action)
- Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare
- Binding the Strongman
- City Gate
- Community Transformation
- Corporate Sin
- High Places
- Identificational Repentance and Reconciliation
- Divorce Decree from Baal (as part of Identificational Repentance)
- Intercessory Prayer
- Naming of Spirits
- Neighborhood Reports
- Prayer Expeditions
- Prayer walking
- Principalities and Powers
- Spiritual Beachhead
- Spiritual Breakthrough
- Spiritual Mapping
- Warfare Prayer
- 10/40 Window
- Territorial Spirits
LEADERS
(in no particular order)
C. Peter Wagner, Doris Wagner, Chuck Pierce, Rick Joyner, John Kelly, Bill Haman, Cindy Jacobs, Dutch Sheets, James Goll, John Eckhardt, Jim Laffoon, Mike Bickle, Jack Deere, Bob Jones, Barbara Yoder, Charles Kraft, Bob Beckett, Che Ahn, Naomi Dowdy, Mary Crum, Jack Hayford, John Arnott, Stacy Campbell, Patricia King, Bill Johnson, Beni Johnson, Steven Strang, Todd Bentley, Robert Stern, Stephen Strader, Paul Cain, George Otis, Ed Silvoso, Janet Porter, George Barna, Mary Glazier, Thomas Muthee, Tom Hess, Samuel Rodriguez, Eddie Smith, Lance Wallnau, Lou Engle, Loren Cunningham, Bob Beckett, Os Hillman, Jacqueline del Rosario, Jill Griffith, Francis Oda, Graham Power, Francis Frangipagne and many many others.
RESOURCES
New! Christian Parents Must Be Willing To Fight For The Heart And Soul Of Their Children–Marsha West
Christian, You’re Engulfed In An All-Out Spiritual Battle. Are You Prepared For It?–Marsha West
America’s All Out Spiritual Battle, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3–Marsha West
Angels Among Us
Are You Armed For Battle?–Marsha West
Armor of God–Berit Kjos
Bible Study Armor of God–Kjos Ministries
Dominionists Are on the Move…and they Mean Business–Marsha West
Gladiator-style takedown of demonic forces Part 1Part 2–Marsha West
How to Meet the Enemy – Ephesians 6:14-17–Ray Pritchard
The “Script” Underlying Spiritual Warfare Christianity–Orrel Sreinkamp
Spiritual Warfare Part 1Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Spiritual Warfare–Ray C. Stedman
Spiritual Warfare: Fighting to Win–John MacArthur…listen or read
Spiritual Warfare: What Does the Bible Say?
Spurgeon on Spiritual Warfare
What do you think about all this Satan stuff?–Marsha West
What Is The New Apostolic Reformation and why Is It Apostate?
Views expressed by individual authors and/or sources don’t necessarily reflect those of Marsha West