Spiritual Warfare and Territorial Spirits (~5.5 MB) - Moriel Ministries

Continued: Feature Articleand say, “I rebuke you” and that’s goingto be the end of it? It’s ridiculous, isn’tit? It’s absurd. I wish it were that easy.Jerusalem – oh, boy. When they seethe Dome of the Rock and the Mosque ofAqsa where the temple used to be, theydo ring-around-the-rosey on that thingand begin their taunt. That thing has been“bound” so many times I’m surprised itdoesn’t have Christmas packaging on it.There is a connection between ourprayers and the spiritual battle. Rememberwhen Moses was praying, and whenhe put his hands down, the enemy Amalekprevailed. Daniel had to fast and pray.We do participate in spiritual warfare.The ability of angels to overcomeagainst these principalities isdriven in part by our prayer and fasting.We do have a weapon, but it’s notthis easy formula, “I bind you! I looseyou!” It’s real prayer. It’s deep prayer.1st Principle:Never CompromiseLet’s look at some more things at thebook of Esther. These are the principles.Esther 3:2...But Mordecai neither bowed downnor paid homage.The first principle of spiritual warfareis never compromise with false religion orthe powers in back of it (see Judges 2).If you begin compromising withthings like ecumenism and liberal Protestantism,they’re going to win. The BaptistUnion in this country has entered the interchurchprocess, uniting with liberal Protestantsand the Roman Catholic Church.What would John Bunyan have said tothat? What would Charles Spurgeonhave said to that? What would the Anabaptists,who were murdered by the Romanchurch, have said to that? “They’vebegun compromising with them.”The Church of England has not onlycompromised with nominal Christianity,it has compromised with other religions’fables. Once you compromise with them,they’re going to win. That’s what it saysin Judges, and that is what’s going to happen.(See Esther 3:2 and Judges 2:2-3.)2nd Principle:Prayer and Fasting“Go, assemble all the Jews who arefound in Susa, and fast for me; do not eator drink for three days, night or day. I andmy maidens also will fast in the same way.And thus I will go in to the king, which isnot according to the law; and if I perish, Iperish.” (Esther 4:16). Moriel Quarterly • June 2007Look at Esther’s countenance. ForChristians to really go up against the avalancheof demonic influence coming intoour society, we have to have the attitude ofEsther, a courageous woman. I wish moreChristian men had the integrity and courageof this woman. “If I perish, I perish.”That was the attitude of the early Christianswhen they went up against the Paganreligions of imperial Rome. “If I perish, Iperish.” That is the only way you’re evergoing to turn these things around: thosewho do not love their life in this world.I don’t seek a martyr’s crown, but bythe grace of God I want to be able to sayif it happens, it happens. I’d rather wina martyr’s crown than compromise andextend my life. I’m not looking to be amartyr, believe me. I haven’t got the guts.But then look: she fasted and prayed.What did Daniel do in 10:3? He fastedand prayed. Not a 2-minute prayer meeting,a 10-minute prayer meeting, the Jewsfasted and prayed. Esther with her handmaidensfasted and prayed three days;Daniel did it for three weeks. You’renever going to overcome these thingswith “I bind you! I rebuke you!” It’scrazy! Jesus said this kind only goes outwith prayer and fasting (Matt. 17:21).3rd Principle:Preach God’s WordThus the Jews struck all their enemieswith the sword, killing and destroying;and they did what they pleased to thosewho hated them (Esther 9:5).Our sword is not the physical swordany more. What does the book of Ephesianssay the sword is? (Eph. 6:17) This isour sword, the Bible. Pick up the sword.Witness to Muslims. Witness to RomanCatholics. Witness to Hindus. Witnessto Orthodox Jews. “If I perish, I perish.”Those Are the PrinciplesWe saw what happened in this centurywith the Third Reich: God’s Spiritwas grieved, it didn’t convict, governmentgot away from Christian principles,Higher Criticism and liberal Protestantismreplaced conservative Protestantism,replaced evangelical Protestantism.And what happens when the Gospel goesdown? When God’s Spirit is grieved,and when the government comes underthe influences of wrong spirits? TheHuns, the Teutons, the Visigoths, the ancientBarbarians. The Germans did whatthey always did before they had Jesus.What do you see in this country andthroughout the West? The football hooligans,the tribalism, the New Age Travelers.It is just going back to what it always was.What do you see in Northern Ireland?Hatred between the Catholics and Protestants!They’re actually putting on the muralsnames of the ancient Celtic gods suchas Ulidia, and are demanding the blood ofthe sons of Ireland and they’re getting it.In Japan, it’s the Shogun mentality.In Italy: corruption and instability.Israel: rebellion, sacrificing childrento demons. Every country, everynation, has its principalities. There arethree ways that it can be restrained:The Holy Spirit. But when the HolySpirit is grieved, He doesn’t do what Hedoes in John 16:8; He doesn’t convict, Hedoesn’t unite or empower the church to thesame degree. Unless there is repentance inthe church, and the Holy Spirit stops beinggrieved, the Holy Spirit is not going todo what He wants to do, and it’s our fault.Government. We need to pray forour leaders. I don’t like any of them. Idon’t like the American government, Idon’t like the Israeli government, I don’tlike the British government, I don’tlike any of them. But I have no doubtthat if I was a politician I’d be just asbad as all of them. Pray for the leaders.And third, there’s the Gospel.Esther is our model: don’t compromise.Don’t compromise with these otherreligions. We need to fast and pray likewe’ve never fasted and prayed before. Weneed to pick up the sword and, like Esther,we need to say, “If I perish, I perish.”It doesn’t matter if you call him“Amalek”, “Agag”, “Haman”, or “SaddamHussein”. It doesn’t matter if youcall her “Ashteroth” or “Our Lady ofMount Carmel”. It doesn’t matter if youcall it “Shiah Islam” or “Molech worship”.It doesn’t matter, it’s all the same.But there is a war. A war is going on,and our side is losing. We are losing thespiritual war. We’re losing against theforces of New Age; we’re losing againstIslam; we’re losing against ecumenism;we’re losing. It’s time to stop losing. It’stime to stop compromising. It’s time tobegin fasting and praying. And it’s time togo to war. And it’s time to say, “If I perish,I perish. We’re going up against it.”We’re going up against Islam, we’regoing up against New Age, we’re goingup against ecumenism. But it’s goingto require people that are not going tocompromise. It’s going to require peoplethat are going to fast and pray. It’s goingto require people who are going to pickup the sword. And it’s going to requirepeople who say, “If I perish, I perish.”