Your Most Effective Weapons
A. You Must Know and Speak the Word
Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (See also Hebrews 4:12 and 1 John 5:4-5.)
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
B. Your Conversations Should Reflect the Mentality of a Conqueror
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
C. You Must Take Authority Over satan in the Name of Jesus
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.
Philippians 2:9,10 Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth.
D. You Must by Faith Clothe Yourself with God's Spiritual Armor
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
E. You Must Tap into the Power of Prayer and Fasting
James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Isaiah 58:6 Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?
F. You Must Draw Forth the Wisdom of God From Spiritual Veterans
Honor the vets of spiritual battle and learn from their successes and failures.
Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.
G. You Must Learn When to Rest and Not Directly Engage the Enemy
The devil's job is to wear down the saints (Daniel 7:25); the spirit of the antichrist comes to do the same (1 John 4:3). Therefore, we must learn wisdom with our warring and learn to rest in the Lord, physically as well.
Forces That Shorten Your Seasons of Struggle
A. Your Testimony
Agreeing with the Word of God that Jesus has already won the battle is a power tool the devil hates.
Romans 10:8 But what does it say? "The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" – that is, the word of faith which we are preaching. (See also Proverbs 18:21; Revelation 12:11.)
B. Your Praise
This creates a climate satan cannot tolerate.
1 Samuel 16:23 So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
C. Your Agreeing
Get others involved! Call forth the power of agreeing prayer.
Matthew 18:18-19 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven.
D. Your Seed-Sowing
This creates a partnership with God that involved Him to battle your adversary. Have a need? Sow a Seed!
Malachi 3:10-11 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of Heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it may not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes," says the Lord of hosts. (See also 2 Corinthians 9:6-12.)
Why Does satan Attempt to Oppose You?
A. You are the Potential Source of Pleasure to God
Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being."
B. The devil Attempts to Attack Those Closest to the Heart of God
That means – you and me! He does this because he is powerless directly against God – who is his real enemy. Therefore, he attacks God's friends.
C. To Prevent the Arrival of Supernatural Assistance
The devil wants to paralyze your planning, abort your dreams, and dilute your hope. He opposes anything that will give God glory.
What are satan's Favorite Weapons?
A. Delay
He wants to weaken your desire to keep you from reaching to God. It's like coming under the fog of fatigue and losing your way (Daniel 10:2-14).
B. Deceit
Satan is the master of deception, error and seduction. He attempts to derail God's purposes by making principles of the spirit into laws of legalism.
C. Distraction
Broken focus is the goal of all satanic attack. Our times of greatest intimacy can be our times of greatest battle.
Proverbs 4:27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.
D. Disappointment
This can occur toward others, self, church and God, etc. The enemy attempts to magnify the weakness of others to offend and embitter. Those closest to you have the potential to wound you the most – therefore we must be people who release mercy and forgiveness.
When Does the enemy Hit the Hardest?
We can learn to predict the seasons of your attack.
Matthew 4:11 Then the devil left Him (for a season), and angels came and attended Him.
A. Physical Exhaustion
Some of satan's greatest attacks on your life will probably happen when you get too little sleep.
B. Major Changes
This is especially true when there are geographical changes, when one is moving into a new region. Crisis occurs on the eve of change.
C. The Birth of a Child Destined for Prophetic Greatness
Matthew 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the Child and His mother, flee to Egypt
Satan's murderous scheme to attack a prophetic generation:
1. Moses with Pharaoh.
2. Jesus with Herod.
3. This generation with abortion.
2. Jesus with Herod.
3. This generation with abortion.
D. A Specific Miracle Leaving the Hand of God
An enemy attack can happen when a specific miracle has just left the hand of God toward you. Daniel's 21-day prayer retreat is such an example and the resulting conflict that occurred.
Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
An attack can occur when you make an effort to take a stand. The degree of intensity in spiritual warfare is proportional to the plan that you are to possess.
E. When You are Next in Line for Promotion
Remember, there are cyclic seasons. Satan came to Jesus seeking to entice and enslave Him, but left for a more opportune time.
Matthew 4:11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.
By James Goll, Encounter Network.
This is one of the better outlines I've seen on the topic.
