Christians need to be equipped for Spiritual Warfare – Jill Southern-Jones, Ellel Ministries

 

In the recent international Ellel Ministries conference, we have the opportunity to interview Jill Southern-Jones, Executive Leader and Regional Director of Southeast Asia for Ellel Ministries, who shared with us valuable insights from her 16-year leadership over Ellel Pierrepoint in Farnharm, UK.

 

Every Christian will need to wage spiritual warfare at one time in life

Spiritual battles are real and every Christian needs to be equipped for spiritual warfare. We are told to ‘put on the full armour of God… when the day of evil comes’ (Ephesians 6:13). It is not ‘if the day of evil comes’ but ‘when’. This means the day of evil will come to every believer. So, what do we do?

 

 

Christians can harbour evil spirits without knowing

Some of us believe that it is impossible for any evil spirit to harbour in them. And demons would love us to remain innocent, so that they can remain hidden without being cast out. 

 

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions, … As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:5a; 7-8)

 

When Jesus sent out His disciples, He told them to do four things, which include: preach the Kingdom of Heaven, heal the sick, cleanse those with leprosy and drive out demons. 

If preaching the Kingdom of Heaven automatically drives out demon, then why did Jesus added the command of ‘drive out demons’? It would be unnecessary and redundant. 

 

 

In conclusion, it is these four-fold things, which make the gospel wholesome. Note that Jesus did not come just for our salvation, but redemption of us to become whole in Him on earth. 

Also, ‘one thing that has helped us in our understanding is the realization that every person is made up of three parts: spirit, soul and body. When Jesus comes into a believer’s life, He comes into that person’s spirit. John 3:6 tells us clearly, “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (NKJV). A demon cannot dwell in a Christian’s spirit because that is where Jesus and the Holy Spirit dwell’ (Charisma Mag).

 

 

‘It is the other components that make up a human being — the soul (mind, will and emotions) and the body–that are the targets of demonic attack. Demons can dwell in those areas of a Christian’s life. So when we say that a Christian is demonized or possessed, we are not saying he has a demon in his spirit but in some part of his soul or body’ (Charisma Mag).

 

In fact, deliverance is a covenant only for the believer

It is very important to note that deliverance is not for the unbeliever, but for the believer. For ‘what good would it do to cast demons out of an unbeliever, unless he is planning to get saved? Unbelievers cannot maintain their deliverance. In fact, according to Luke 11:24-26, after undergoing deliverance, the unsaved person is subject to receiving seven times as many demons as he had before’ (Charisma Mag).

 

 

Christians can be affected by the devil who has certain control over our external circumstances

The devil has control over this world (1 John 5:19), although limited by God. We know this because the devil is also called ‘the god of this age’ (2 Corinthians 4:4), ‘the ruler of this world’ (John 12:31) and ‘the prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2).

When Jesus wanted to cross the lake to deliver a demon-possessed man, a large storm brewed up. So, Jesus woke up and he ‘rebuked the wind’ (Mark 4:39). Why did Jesus rebuke the wind if it is not of spiritual origin? We cannot rebuke a dead object like a table or a chair, which would garner no response. This goes on to show us that the devil can also control certain external circumstances in our life.

But remember this: the One who calms the storm is residing in you. 

 

 

We are given spiritual weapons to triumph over the devil

#1 Pray and intercede

Now, this is written not to instil fear, which is the devil’s agenda. The devil controls through fear. But God rules and reigns through love. His perfect love drives out all fear (1 John 4:18). Now, that is the big difference.

Some ‘gods’ of other religions needed to be appeased of wrath. But God, who gives us free will, does so by lovingly bidding us to choose to love Him back by us receiving His Love first (1 John 4:19). The point is God never intended us to live in fear, except for a reverence of who He is (Proverbs 9:10).

Nevertheless, we have a powerful weapon called ‘prayer and intercession’. Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). Imagine such authority God has given to His children!

 

 

Jesus also says, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:18).

And finally, if any two of us agree on earth anything we ask for, it will be done by God (Matthew 18:19). That is why one of the enemy’s tactics is to isolate you, because there is power in agreement even by just two followers of Jesus Christ.

Hence, there is no reason to fear. God did not give us a spirit of fear but power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).

 

 

#2 Put on the armour of God

Since we are fighting against evil forces in the heavenly realms and not flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), we are called to take on spiritual weapons as well.

Firstly, we are told to ‘stand firm’ with the belt of truth.

Secondly, we are to put on the ‘breastplate of righteousness’, which comes from the blood of Jesus Christ covering us, making us righteous before God.

Next, we are told to have our ‘feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace’.

 

 

Fourth, we are called to take up our ‘shield of faith’, knowing that we stand on every promise of God as His children, thus ‘extinguishing all the flaming arrows of the evil one’.

Fifth, we are to take the ‘helmet of salvation’, which protects the head, where the whole body depends on. In other words, we need to be stand firm on our belief that Jesus Christ has torn the veil between us and God, through his death and resurrection, that we can boldly come to His Throne (Hebrews 4:16).

 

 

And lastly, the powerful weapon of offense is the ‘sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God’ (Ephesians 6:16-17). God says, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it’ (Isaiah 55:11).

Hallelujah! That is the power of God’s Word. And every Word stands true and becomes a reality when we proclaim them by faith and in the Spirit.

Hence, pray and put on this full armour of God every day before you start your day.

 

 

#3 Keep our soul or ‘house’ clean

So, when can the devil truly affect us?

When we sin, we give authority to the devil by opening the doors of our soul. Temptation is not sinful. But giving into temptation is sinful.

Jill illustrated our soul to a ‘house’ of four doors – one front door, one back door, and two side doors.

The front door is opened when we deliberately welcome sin into our life by watching pornography for example.

 

 

The back door is opened when we inherit generational curses from our family four generations before us (Numbers 14:18). So, for example, if our great-great-grandparent has a history of adultery, we need to renounce that in Jesus name.

The side doors are the sins of others affecting us such as abuse, ungodly control or trauma. So, for example, if one experienced a bad accident suffering from physical injury, the accident can cause unseen bruises in our soul, which lies hidden but still exerts control.

The key is to guard these doors. ‘Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it’ (Proverbs 4:23). If these doors are shut, then the devil cannot exercise control over us.

 

 

Hence, if we confess our sins for the ‘front door’, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, purifying us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

We can also take comfort that God will not allow us to go through more temptation than we can, thus demonstrating the sovereign authority over the devil’s effect on us (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Pray to God during temptation that God will send His warring angels to stand in front of you when temptation comes. ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7).

 

 

Nevertheless, if we decide to go out of God’s will by choosing to live a sinful or disobedient lifestyle, the evil one can attack us in that sinful or disobedient part of our lives.

When we repeatedly sin, we become a slave to sin (John 8:34). This places us out of the total authority and protection of God. Hence, we become vulnerable to the devil in that particular area of sin. Don’t let the devil get even a ‘foothold’ into your life through sin (Ephesians 4:27).

So we keep our soul and ‘house’ clean by submitting to the Spirit. ‘Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life’ (Galatians 6:7-8). 

 

 

As for the back door, which is generational curses, we need to renounce that and cut that in Jesus name.

Lastly, for the side doors, we can remove ourselves from the presence of those who afflict sin upon us such as an abuser. In this case, we need to forgive him or her and give the right to avenge to Jesus Christ, thus letting go of our right to be angry of the person. We also need to invite Jesus Christ to heal our broken heart and bind up our wounds (Psalm 147:3).

 

 

#4 Submit to and walk with the Holy Spirit

Also, God has not left us alone to fight the battle. Jesus says, “I will ask the Father, and will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth’ (John 14:16-17a). ‘For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure’ (Philippians 2:13).

In the Amplified Bible (AMP), the Holy Spirit is known as the helper, comforter, advocate, intercessor, counsellor, strengthener, and standby (John 14:26a). In other words, the Holy Spirit is now living in our house.

Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit is a gentle spirit and does not coerce our free will to obey, as that will violate the free will that God gave us. Hence, as much the Holy Spirit offers us wisdom and counsel, it is still up to us to walk with Him and submit to Him.

 

 

And when we submit to the Holy Spirit, we learn to do spiritual warfare daily in our lives. Remember that even Jesus prayed, “Give us our daily bread… lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:11-13). We are supposed to be delivered daily from temptation and the evil one.

Also, we don’t clean our house once a year. But to keep a house in order, we ‘clean’ our house (or soul) daily to keep it clean. How do we do that? We are called to wash ourselves with the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26-27, John 15:3) and purify our soul by obedience to the truth (James 1:21).

 

 

#5 Change our mind to the mind of Jesus Christ

Lastly, the mind affects our emotions and our will, which are the three elements that make our soul.

So it is no wonder that the evil one would attack our mind by putting ‘junk mails’ into it. Therefore, we are called to ‘demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

 

 

What do we fill our mind with? We fill our minds with good things.

Paul says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

 

 

And like the psalmist, we are called to meditate on God’s Word day and night, so we will be like a fruitful tree that prospers in everything we do (Psalm 1:2-3). We can stay on the path of purity by living according to His Word (Psalm 119:9), not merely listening but doing it (James 1:22).

Also, we need to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). As we with ‘unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory’, we are also ‘being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). So, we do our part in gazing upon God, and God does His part in transforming us into His likeness.

 

 

Conclusion: Healing and deliverance is important for every believer especially new believers

Hence, healing and deliverance is pivotal especially after a person accepts Jesus Christ. Without healing and deliverance, it would be understandably difficult to walk with Jesus Christ especially when there are demonic powers living in our ‘house’ or soul, quietly wreaking havoc in our lives.

In fact, healing and deliverance is part of discipleship. New believers need to be healed and delivered in Jesus name, so that they can follow Jesus without ‘everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles’ (Hebrews 12:1). This is also called as the ‘spring-cleaning’ of a house.

 

 

Struggles against addictions or bondages are not our lot of suffering! God wants to break this bondage and set us completely free. ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom’ (2 Corinthians 3:17)! You are called to live in freedom.

As for more mature believers, let us be like King David, follow God wholeheartedly day by day.

May the LORD train every one of us for war and fingers for battle (Psalm 144:1). Also, let our spirit not slumber, for that was how King David fell (2 Samuel 11:1). Wage war during war, and allow rest during rest. 

 

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