Spiritual Warfare Howard Culbertson Southern Nazarene University.

Spiritual WarfareSpiritual Warfare

Howard CulbertsonHoward Culbertson

Southern Nazarene UniversitySouthern Nazarene University

““Spiritual warfare? Isn’t Spiritual warfare? Isn’t Jesus the Prince of Jesus the Prince of

Peace?” Peace?”

Yes, He is. But just listen to Yes, He is. But just listen to these Bible verses . . . these Bible verses . . .

““The weapons we fight with . . The weapons we fight with . . . They have divine power to . They have divine power to demolish strongholds. . . We demolish strongholds. . . We take captive every thought take captive every thought to make it obedient to to make it obedient to Christ.“ -- 2 Cor. 10:3-5Christ.“ -- 2 Cor. 10:3-5

““Put on the full armor of God so that Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” Eph. 6:10-12heavenly realms” Eph. 6:10-12

““Resist the devil, and he will Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“ James 4:7flee from you.“ James 4:7

““In all these things we are In all these things we are more than conquerors . . . more than conquerors . . . (Nothing) shall separate us (Nothing) shall separate us from the love of God” Romans from the love of God” Romans 8:38-398:38-39

War imagery catches the War imagery catches the epic proportions of what epic proportions of what

goes on in the goes on in the supernatural realm.supernatural realm.

And though this world, with devils filled,And though this world, with devils filled,

Should threaten to undo us,Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willedWe will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through usHis truth to triumph through us

-- from “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by -- from “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Martin LutherMartin Luther

A pro-active approach to A pro-active approach to being a world Christianbeing a world Christian

““Team members must be Team members must be committed to intercession and committed to intercession and spiritual warfare” spiritual warfare”

-- -- Daniel Psaute, missionary in the Daniel Psaute, missionary in the BalkansBalkans

Commitment to spiritual Commitment to spiritual warfarewarfare

1. Uses a biblical world view1. Uses a biblical world view– Takes seriously Biblical Takes seriously Biblical

warnings about an enemywarnings about an enemy ““Your enemy the devil prowls Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion” I around like a roaring lion” I Peter 5:8 Peter 5:8


1. Uses a biblical world view 1. Uses a biblical world view (cont.)(cont.)

– Recognizes supernatural Recognizes supernatural forces beyond human forces beyond human knowledge and control.knowledge and control. Like Job we don’t behind the Like Job we don’t behind the scenesscenes

– ““Flaw of excluded middle”Flaw of excluded middle”

2. 2. Adopts an “at war” Adopts an “at war” attitudeattitude

– No longer “playing it safe”No longer “playing it safe”– Willingly making those sacrifices Willingly making those sacrifices

which God asks of uswhich God asks of us ““Endure hardship with us like a Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” 2 good soldier of Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 2:3Timothy 2:3

We share in God’s victory -- the We share in God’s victory -- the empty tomb -- only when we also empty tomb -- only when we also share in God’s loss: the cross.share in God’s loss: the cross.


2. Adopts an “at war” 2. Adopts an “at war” attitude attitude (cont.)(cont.)

– Desires to be on front linesDesires to be on front lines– Thinks like an overcomerThinks like an overcomer


3. A tighter focus3. A tighter focus– Guards against distractions Guards against distractions

or having “your buttons or having “your buttons pushed”pushed”

– Recognizes the Enemy wants Recognizes the Enemy wants us entangledus entangled


3. A tighter focus3. A tighter focus (continued)(continued)

– Pursues what moves you toward Pursues what moves you toward the objectives the objectives (That’s why we don’t smoke, drink or (That’s why we don’t smoke, drink or

chew or go with the girls that do).chew or go with the girls that do).

– Understands importance of keeping Understands importance of keeping eyes on Lord, not on your abilitieseyes on Lord, not on your abilities


4. Disciplines thoughts and 4. Disciplines thoughts and actions actions – Takes sin seriouslyTakes sin seriously– Embraces spiritual disciplines that Embraces spiritual disciplines that

strengthen and preparestrengthen and prepare ““Guard your heart”Guard your heart” Welcomes accountability Welcomes accountability structuresstructures


4. Disciplines thoughts and 4. Disciplines thoughts and actions actions (cont.)(cont.)

– Stays alert to Holy Spirit’s leadingsStays alert to Holy Spirit’s leadings– Righteous living in obedience to Righteous living in obedience to

God’s WordGod’s Word


5. Makes prayer central 5. Makes prayer central

““The prayer of a righteous The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and man is powerful and effective” -- James effective” -- James 5:165:16

““Diligent, Diligent, intentional prayer is intentional prayer is

crucial to every crucial to every aspect of our aspect of our

strategy”strategy” -- Missionary Dan Psaute-- Missionary Dan Psaute

Prayer is not what we do Prayer is not what we do when we don’t know what when we don’t know what

else to do.else to do.

Prayer Prayer isis what we do. what we do.

Prayer is not what we do Prayer is not what we do when we don’t have a clue when we don’t have a clue

on how to begin.on how to begin.

Prayer is Prayer is howhow we begin. we begin.

Prayer is not how we Prayer is not how we seek for a strategy.seek for a strategy.

Prayer Prayer isis our our strategy.strategy.

We are at war with demonic We are at war with demonic forces not because of who forces not because of who

we are, but because of who we are, but because of who we servewe serve

Spiritual WarfareSpiritual Warfare

(End)(End)

Howard CulbertsonHoward Culbertson

Southern Nazarene UniversitySouthern Nazarene University

Spiritual Warfare Howard Culbertson Southern Nazarene University.

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