Israelites, Pharisees & Sadducees In The 21st Century Church

VII. Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual Warfare is the Christian concept of fighting against the work
of preternatural evil forces. It is based on the biblical belief in evil spirits, or demons, that
are said to intervene in human affairs in various ways. Various Christian groups have
adopted practices to repel such forces, as based on their doctrine of Christian
demonology. Prayer is a common form of spiritual warfare among Christians. Other
practices may include exorcism, the laying on of hands, fasting, and anointing with oil.
Doctrines of Demonology
Jewish demonology escalated with the rise of Jewish pseudepigraphic writings of the
1st Century BCE, in particular with Enochic apocrypha. Jewish apocrypha initially
influenced post-New Testament writings of the early fathers, which further defined
Christian demonology. Thus followed literary works such as The Didache, The
Shepherd of Hermas, Ignatius's epistle to the Ephesians, and Origen's Contra Celsum.
Mainstream Christianity typically acknowledge a belief in the reality
(or ontological existence) of demons, fallen angels, the Devil in Christianity and Satan.
In Christian evangelism, doctrines of demonology are influenced by interpretations of
the New Testament, namely with the Gospels, in that dealing with spirits became a
customary activity of Jesus' ministry. Mark states that "he traveled throughout Galilee,
preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons" (Mark 1:39).
Exorcisms may be promoted by evangelists referring to Jesus comment, "If I drive out
demons by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is upon you" (Matt.12:28; Luke
11:20).
Evangelical Christian traditions believe that Satan and his minions exercise significant
influence over this world and its power structures. A hostile realm in conflict with the
kingdom of God is recorded in the Bible by the Apostle John, "the whole world is under
the control of the evil one" (1 John 5:19) and by Jesus who referred to Satan as "the
prince of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), which may point to the concept
of Territorial Spirits.
Paul elaborates on demonic hierarchy in Ephesians 6 where he also mentions, by way
of metaphor, those qualities needed for defense against them. Two of those articles, the
helmet of Salvation and the breastplate of Righteousness, are also mentioned in the
book of Isaiah.
It is also believed that Satan occupies a temporal existence when the Apostle
Paul refers to him as "the god of this age" (2 Cor.4:4). Further, Paul's epistles focus on
the Victory of Christ over principalities and powers. Evangelical interpretation has
history divided into two eras: the present evil age and the age to come which supports
the concept of the Second coming of Christ.
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