WINNING THROUGH THE WEAPONS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Part 2
By Rev Alfred Osafo-Yeboah
In the first part of this article, I shared with you the power available in using our defensive weapons to win our spiritual battles. The defensive weapons are perfect and complete in protecting you from the enemy, but they are not enough to win the battle. In this battle against the devil, you do not only defend, but you also attack. More often than not, God wants you to be on the offensive once your defensive weapons are in place. God gave you offensive weapons, too so that you can attack the enemy. In this second article, we are looking at the types of offensive weapons which are available to the believer, and how they can be used.
OFFENSIVE WEAPONS
Offensive weapons are used for invading the enemy’s camp, so you can take back what he has stolen from you. They are also for destroying his activities and plans.
God’s Word is an offensive weapon
In Ephesians 6:17, the word of God is referred to as the sword of the Spirit, and it is an offensive weapon. Offensive weapons must be used together with your defensive weapons. In normal military practice, defensive weapons are pre-requisites for using offensive weapons. It is actually improper and unprofessional for an army to engage in a battle and use its guns, armored vehicles and missiles when the soldiers are not dressed in the standard military gear. Similarly, in the realm of the spirit, it is risky to use offensive weapons when your defensive weapons are not complete. That is why it is dangerous for an unbeliever or a believer who is living in known sins, or anyone who has very little faith in the weapons of warfare, to engage in spiritual warfare.
STRATEGY
The strategy for using offensive weapons is to make the devil feel uncomfortable and threatened, so that he will flee and not want to return. The believer should believe in God’s power which has been deposited in himself, and must also have faith in all the weapons which are available to him. This confidence should result in a positive attitude in the believer when confronting the devil. An attitude or a feeling of being superior to the devil will help the average believer to exercise dominion over every situation that the devil brings along.
There are many ways in which you can be on the offensive against the devil, and all of these must be based on the word of God. I believe there are as many offensive weapons as there are scriptures, which can be used against the devil. So any scripture, which you know will sound unpleasant, distasteful, disgusting or insulting to the devil, is a weapon against him. This is based on three fundamental truths – The power of the Spoken Word, the supremacy of the Name of Jesus and the redemptive power of the Blood of Jesus.
THE POWER OF THE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD
Our offensive weapons have no power if they are not based on God’s word. The word is only a weapon, when it is spoken. The word of God has the power to give life and the power to destroy life. The power of the word is however released through the tongue. PROVERBS 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. The tongue of humans is small in size, but it is one of the most important organs in the body. The book of James says it has the power to determine one’s destiny.
JAMES 3:5-6
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
The tongue can be used to shape your life for the better or for the worse. In order to defeat the devil, words must be spoken. There are certain characteristics of the word of God, which make it very powerful. Your understanding of these will boost your faith in the words you speak:
The word is God Himself
In JOHN 1:1, the Bible says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ God’s word is God Himself. The word of God carries God’s mandate to perform His will in heaven and here on earth.
God’s word is spirit and life
Jesus said, ‘It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life’ (John 6:63) Spirits do not die, so God’s word does not diminish in power over time. As a spirit, God’s word cannot be barred, and its effect can be felt anywhere you desire, when it is spoken.
God’s word is sharper than any two-edged sword
The writer of Hebrews wrote, ‘For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ (Heb 4:12) God’s word has the power to convict you, reveal your deepest secrets, and make you see yourself as God sees you.
God’s word is like a burning fire
JEREMIAH 20:9
Then I said, "I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name." But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.
God’s word can burn your own passions, prejudices and beliefs and make you accept God’s will for your life. If God’s word is truly in your heart, you will have no rest until you obey it.
God’s word is like a hammer
JEREMIAH 23:29 (KJV)
Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
The word of God has the power to break every stubborn heart into pieces to allow God’s will to be done in our lives
The Word of God does what it is sent to do
ISAIAH 55:10-11
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Anytime God’s word is spoken, it can be likened to sending a very faithful employee to perform a task. A faithful employee accomplishes what he is asked to do. A faithful servant can only prove his worth when he does what he is told to do. Similarly, the word of God can be used to accomplish any task that conforms to God’s will. So anytime you speak the word of God, you have to make specific requests and demands on it, and watch them come to pass.
The Word of God is settled in heaven
Ps 119:89 says God’s word is settled in heaven forever. The Word takes its source from God. It is stationed, standing and established in heaven. It is heaven’s constitution for man, and so anytime it is spoken, it receives heaven’s backing.
The Word of God can create things
God’s word has the power to create the things that we desire, when we speak. God created the world by speaking His word.
GENESIS 1:1-3
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
MAKING THE WORD OF GOD EFFECTIVE IN YOUR LIFE
The characteristics of the Word mentioned above, and many more in Psalm 119 especially, reveal the inherent power of God’s word, which is available to every believer. But this power can only be released when the word is appropriate and is spoken in faith from the lips of a holy child of God.
Holiness is key
Normally God will not honour the words of a willfully sinning believer. For your words to carry its full force and power, you must be living a holy and righteous life. You must also have pure motives, even concerning what you speak. If you speak in order to accomplish things to show off, that word will be devoid of God’s power.
The word must be appropriate
For power to be released through the word that you speak, you must know what God says about the situation and speak words which are relevant in addressing that situation.
Speak by revelation and in faith
The level of your faith depends on the level of your revelation in the word of God. If you have no revelation on the ability of Jesus to heal all manner of diseases, you will not have the courage to pray for the healing of diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B. The amount of power which is released, when you speak, is proportional to the level of your revelation and your faith. You must therefore seek revelation of God’s word, through bible study and meditation.
JOSHUA 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
THE POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS
The name of Jesus is another powerful weapon against the devil. Jesus defeated the devil during his earthly ministry, and the devil’s defeat was sealed through the death and resurrection of Jesus. When Jesus resurrected from the dead, his name was exalted above every name on earth, in heaven and under the earth. This means that there is no one, including satan and all his evil spirits and all the angels in heaven, who can be compared to Jesus. Nothing can stand against the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is so powerful that anytime it is mentioned, it is as if Jesus Himself is present. Jesus Christ did not need to be given a great name because he was already above all. But God invested in the Name of Jesus for the Church.
PHILIPPIANS 2:8-11
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Your victory in spiritual warfare cannot be guaranteed without the name of Jesus. It is the only name satan fears. The devil has been around longer than all of us, and he knows more than we do, so he does not fear your name or your family background. The devil does not fear your knowledge of the scriptures and even how long you can fast and pray. The only name he knows and is afraid of is the name of Jesus Christ. When the name of Jesus is mentioned in prayer of warfare, it is as if Jesus has appeared on the scene, and that makes the devil and his demons shiver; they have no choice than to bow and confess that He is Lord. When you face the enemy, the name of Jesus must be exalted continually. The name does not only give you access to God, but it also sends “arrows” flying in the realm of the spirit against the powers of darkness.
THE POWER IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS
REVELATION 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
The blood of Jesus secured our redemption from the devil. (Hebrews 9:11-12). When Jesus shed his blood, he paid for our salvation from the kingdom of darkness. The blood bought us legally from the hands of the devil. The shed blood was powerful enough to free us from bondage to the devil. (Hebrews 2:14-15). Our own experiences, talents, abilities and good deeds could not overcome the devil, but the blood of Jesus did. The devil was not pleased when he realized he would have no power over those who would be saved. This event took place over two thousand years ago, but the legality of this redemptive act of Jesus Christ through his blood is still valid. Our redemption by the blood of Jesus cannot be set aside because Jesus fulfilled all the terms of our purchase from the hands of the enemy. His blood was enough to pay for our liberty from the devil (1Pet 1:18-19). The devil has no basis for attacking the believer. Anytime he hears of the blood of Jesus, satan feels threatened; it reminds him of his bitter past. It is therefore a strong weapon against him.
The Name and the Blood of Jesus are Reminders
The Name and the Blood of Jesus make satan and his demons feel uncomfortable because they remind them of their defeat. The Name and Blood of Jesus remind them of the day they lost their hold on man, when they were displaced from their high position and made to know that they were to face a stronger opponent. The Name and the Blood also serve as constant reminders to the devil of doomsday or the day of judgment when he and his demons will be cast into the bottomless pit. So any scripture or Word, which exalts the name and the blood of Jesus is an offensive weapon against satan’s kingdom. This weapon is however activated when we speak the Word.
All the weapons must be used together
As mentioned earlier on, all the weapons of warfare must be used, in order to ensure your total victory. Faith alone is not enough, neither can we rely only on righteousness, or the truth or the name of Jesus alone. All the defensive and offensive weapons have to be utilized together through the medium of prayer.
PREVAILING PRAYER IS THE KEY
You have weapons of warfare but they must be used in order to see victory over the devil. Prayer is the medium for releasing these weapons. Spiritual warfare involves aggressive and persistent prayer; and like the widow in Jesus’ parable in Luke chapter 18, it involves praying continually till tangible results are obtained. Jesus used this parable to teach us that, when we are faced with any problem, we have to pray and not stop until we see the answer to the problem. We should not be discouraged when we do not see results initially. In Luke 18:1, Jesus says we should pray and not lose heart.
Many Christians are not able to drive demons out of their lives because they pray once and stop, and expect God to do the rest. Jesus is your Chief Commander but you must do the battle. Truly, the battle is the Lord’s, but you still have to fight.
It is good to study and know God’s word. It is good to have faith and live a holy life. It is good to work in the church, as a chorister, an usher, a counselor, an instrumentalist, a Sunday school teacher or a home-cell leader. It is even more honorable to serve in the five-fold as a pastor, teacher, apostle, prophet or evangelist. But all these will not give you victory over the devil. If you are involved in the ministry and you do not pray, you will never have a fruitful ministry. Speaking God’s word in prayer is the most effective means of defeating the devil, so do not allow anything to stop you from praying. Whether you are in sorrow or in joy; whether you have money or not, you have to pray. Even if you are busy working for God, you must still make time to pray. After all, you need power to be effective in your service to God; and prayer is one of the ways of taking power from God. Prayer should therefore not be compromised. We should pray without ceasing (1Thes 5:17). Beloved, cheer up, and do not be afraid to mention the name of Jesus and the blood of Jesus, in any circumstance. They are the secrets to your deliverance. With these weapons and the word of God, we can deliver ourselves and other people from every power of darkness.
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***** This article was culled from the same author’s new book, ‘Trampling Over Demonic Spirits’. The book can be purchased on the Amazon bookstore at:
Rev Alfred Osafo-Yeboah is the senior pastor and founder of the Refreshing Word Ministries (Evergreen Church), a ministry committed to transforming people and directing them towards God’s purpose for their lives. He is a Conference Speaker, Bible Teacher and Pastor. He is also devoted to ministerial and leadership training. He and his wife Gloria and children reside in Tamale, Ghana.
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