4 Spiritual-Warfare Lessons to Defeat the Demons Coming Against You
Demons and demonic activity are subjects that are often avoided because of fear. When demons have turned your life upside down in the past, your natural reaction is to avoid the very thought of a demon. However, avoiding demons is not the solution, because you were not designed to be on the run from demons. Instead, you have been given authority over them.
According to Luke 10:19, God has given you the authority to triumph over the enemy, declaring, “Look, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
To prevent demons from having free reign in your life, you have to walk in the authority Christ has given you. Here are some things you can do to defeat the demonic attacks upon your life.
1. Use your time of peace to prepare for times of spiritual warfare.
Don’t allow the silence of the enemy to fool you into thinking there is no activity. Demons are always present. They are waiting on their next assignment. The apostle Peter teaches us the following in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober and watchful, because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” There is no off-season when it comes to your adversary. Do not confuse low activity with no activity. You have to use the time of no warfare to fortify yourself against attacks of the enemy.
2. Never surrender to your opponent.
When you are living a life for God, you have to recognize the power that you have to stand on the head of the enemy that formerly lived in your head. No longer does the enemy have control over your mind, but you cannot lose your mind in the process and forget how to stand strong in the face of the enemy. Paul provides sound advisement on how to stand in the face of the enemy in his message to the church at Ephesus, declaring in Ephesians 6:10–11: “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
3. Don’t bring methods from an old battle to fight a new devil.
Every battle will require you to seek God for a new plan of action. You cannot use yesterday’s strategy to fight today’s battles. Follow God’s plan, and you will prevail. Jehoshaphat is a prime example of one who sought the Lord for a fresh understanding of how to prevent being overtaken by his enemies. In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat received word that a great multitude had plans to come against him and his people. Although Jehoshaphat was fearful of this great attack, he sought the Lord and declared a fast throughout all Judah so that they could gather to seek the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord declared in 2 Chronicles 20:17, “It will not be necessary for you to fight in this conflict. Take your positions, stand, and observe the deliverance of the Lord for you, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be filled with terror. Tomorrow, go out before them, and the Lord will be with you.”
4. Close the door completely to prevent demonic control.
There comes a point in your life that you stop having an open-door policy with demons. Whatever you want to call the demons in your life (drugs, sex, power, greed, lust, alcohol, porn and so on), you have to learn how to name them so they can come out of darkness and be exposed to the light, and let them go so they will have no more access to your life.
It is possible to live a victorious life in Jesus when we commit ourselves to defeating every demon that encroaches upon our lives. Don’t allow demons to continuously take root in your life. Walk in your God-given authority and serve them their eviction notice. {eoa}
Bishop Joseph W. Walker III, D.Min., is the senior pastor of the historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Nashville. His book Restored at the Root: Get to the Source of Social, Emotional, and Spiritual Struggle releases Aug. 6, 2019. Walker serves as the international presiding bishop in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He holds two honorary doctorates, from Meharry Medical College and Southern University. Bishop Walker is a regular guest on “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show” radio program and has been a guest on CNN, CBS This Morning and The Roland Martin Show. He and his wife, Dr. Stephanie H. Walker, have two children.
