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"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the
world-forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians
6:12 (NIV)
Personal Questions
1. When have I faced a frustrating or difficult circumstance and failed to consider the possibility of spiritual
opposition? How would I react today to the same circumstance?
2. Is there currently a circumstance in my life or circle of influence that may be caused by spiritual opposition?
What do I feel is the best course of action to take?
3. Is there someone who is resistant to my sharing the Gospel for whom I need to employ spiritual warfare?
4. What is my greatest difficulty in prayer?
5. What is the biggest prayer challenge I am currently facing?
6. Spiritually, what are the weakest, most vulnerable areas of my life? What biblical steps do I feel God wants
me to take regarding these vulnerabilities?
7. Have I been a "fighter" or "pacifist" in regard to spiritual opposition? Why have I taken
this stance? Are there areas I should change or improve upon?
Group Discussion
1. What are some of the significant challenges and problems facing our local fellowship, as well as the Church
at large?
2. What solutions have been tried for these problems? Consider the possibility of spiritual opposition being a
cause of some of the challenges and problems. What steps can be taken to counter this opposition?
3. Could any preemptive actions have been taken to prevent the severe illness and subsequent brush with death that
David Wallis experienced?
4. What might be the impact locally if each person in our church were walking in personal victory and aggressively
confronting the spiritual powers of Satan? What might the national impact be? Global impacts?
PRAISE
IS THE KEY TO BREAKING DOWN
THE FORCES OF
DARKNESS
Are you the driver, or are you a passenger?
Deut 28:13 "And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and
thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee
this day, to observe and to do them:"
Crisis and Opportunity
The Chinese language has the same character for these two different words.
Dan 7:18 "But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for
ever and ever."
I Jn 4:4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than
he that is in the world."
WAR, WARFARE
The concept of holy war required that God declare the war <Ex. 17:16; Num. 31:3>. Every warrior considered
himself consecrated to God <Is. 13:3>. Before and during a war, soldiers abstained from certain activities
to sanctify themselves <Judg. 20:26; 2 Sam. 11:11>. Those who fought under a divinely ordained leader <Judg.
6:34> had to be singleminded in their devotion to God. Those who were frightened, newly married, or beset by
domestic or financial problems were asked to go home <Deut. 20:5-9>. The ARK OF THE COVENANT, the symbol
of God's presence, went with Israel's army into battle <2 Sam. 11:11>.
Indeed, the Israelites were forced to wander 40 years in the wilderness because they did not believe God could
help them win over the Canaanites, who outnumbered the Israelites in both manpower and equipment <Num. 14:1-12>.
The early prophets accepted the holy war concept and even stirred up war. But the later prophets often condemned
war, because they felt Israel's wars did not meet the qualifications for a holy war. The one thing necessary for
a holy war was that Israel trust in God without any doubt or reservations. But the nation increasingly put its
trust in the powers of the day, wealth, and political alliances.
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