demons – jeremycouture.me

How to Survive a Spiritual Warfare Attack

A weathered bronze statue of a soldier wearing a helmet and armor, holding a spear, set against a textured stone wall.

The Apostle Paul addresses the subject of suffering headlong in his letters to the Christians in ancient Thessalonica. He praises them for their perseverance in the faith even though they experienced “much tribulation” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). He expands this theme in his second letter by addressing the place that suffering has in the life of every believer. God can and sometimes chooses to work through pain, heartache, and even spiritual oppression.

Paul’s words to another New Testament church paint an even clearer picture: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood… but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NASB). This struggle has become known as spiritual warfare – a topic with wide interest and almost endless speculation.

In his excellent book on the doctrine of angels, Satan, and demons, Graham Cole offers this definition of spiritual warfare: “Our common struggle as Christians against the machinations of malevolent spiritual creatures that are intent on thwarting God’s redemptive plan for his human creatures” (page 165). This thoughtful approach identifies the enemy in spiritual warfare as well as his overall objective. Satan wants to ruin God’s plans by ruining believers, the objects of God’s love.

The book of Ephesians urges the faithful to “put on the full armor of God” so they can survive (and even thrive) under these kinds of attacks (Ephesians 6:11). The breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation are all tied to the character of Christ, which are all put on through faith. When we step back and look at the rest of the New Testament, we discover some additional ways to fight back.

Be alert. Satan and his allies are elusive and relentless. They can only be stopped through constant vigilance. (1 Peter 5:8)
Pray. God makes his provision, guidance, and protection available through prayer. The start of any spiritual conflict should be a reminder to call out in prayer. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Persevere. Spiritual attacks carry the inherent temptation to give up and give in. But this is the opposite of God’s will for the life of the believer. (2 Thessalonians 1:4)

Suffering is an unpleasant, but fruitful reality for every Christian. God can and does use the struggles he allows into our live to do his work in us and accomplish his plans for now and for eternity.

Three Book Recommendations for Studying Angels after Christmas

Want to know more about angels, Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare? Here are 3 books that can help.

The story of Christmas can’t be told without including the activity of angels. It was an angel in Matthew’s Gospel who delivered the news of Mary’s virgin birth to Joseph in a dream. An angel visited Mary too and told her about her miraculous pregnancy. A multitude of angels appeared to shepherds watching over their sheep outside of Bethlehem to tell them about coming of the Savior. Spiritual agents, both good and evil, play a critical role in God’s overall story of redemption.

Here are three great books to help you study Angelology and Spiritual Warfare this season:

1. Angels and Demons by John R. Gilhooly

John R. Gilhooly has become a well-know authority on angelic beings and the spiritual world. This new book defines angels and demons and then traces their respective activities through the Old and New Testaments. Gilhooly also includes a lengthy chapter that answers twelves of the most common questions about angels and demons. This book is great for those who want a Biblical overview of the spiritual world without begging bogged down in theoretical questions and for those who have a specific question about angels.

2. Discipled Warriors by Chuck Lawless

Chuck Lawless has a unique blend of pastoral and academic experience, which makes this book very approachable. In it, Lawless explains and applies a model church health to the various facets of our struggle against Satan. Each chapter contains practical applications as well as tips for further reading and study. This book is perfect for the church leader who wants to organize his congregation for maximum effectiveness and spiritual vitality. Rank-and-file Christians will also benefit from this actionable approach to engaging the spiritual world.

3. Against the Darkness by Graham A. Cole

This book is part of a larger series on evangelical theology. Graham Cole makes a huge contribution to that series with this book on angels, Satan, and demons. Cole includes a string of rich theological insights on these topics that includes a throughful understanding of the extra-Biblical writing. The chapter on Satan as the “Malevolent Spoiler” is particularly valuable. This book is ideal for the Bible student who is chasing a deep understanding of angels and wants to know what various authorities have had on the subject through the years.

These books are available at your favorite retailers and may even be found in your local library.

You can find an introduction to my “Three Things” series here: https://wp.me/p1hRxR-lc

How Should We Relate to Angels?

This past Sunday we started a sermon series in the book of Hebrews titled, Jesus is Greater. In the very first sermon we learned that Jesus Christ is God’s supreme revelation to mankind. As such, Jesus Christ is superior to the angels.

Angels are mentioned frequently in the teaching portions as well as the narrative portions of Scripture. They are mentioned 12 times in the book of Hebrews alone alone with one reference to the devil. This brings up the question of how believers are supposed to relate to these mighty spiritual beings? What does the book of Hebrews add to our understanding of angels?

1. We should not obsess over them (Hebrews 1:5-13, 2:1-9). Angels are created beings just like humans. They may have supernatural powers, but they are not to be worshipped. When John encountered an angel in the book of Revelation, the angel refused to be worshipped (Revelation 19:10). Instead, we should view them as agents working to advance God’s will.

2. We should be aware of them (Hebrews 12:18-24). Angels inhabit the heavenly realm. As God’s redemption story unfolds in real time, we are all moving towards a place where angels are common place. They are part of the created world and part of God’s plan. We should not treat them like myths or relics of the past.

3. We should “entertain” them (Hebrew 13:2). There were a number of people in the Old Testament who interacted with angels in human form without realizing it (Genesis 18 and 19). This possibility is used in Hebrews as motivation for hospitality. We should welcome and care for others as if they were a representative of God.

A biblical view of the world includes a biblical view of angels and demons. They are supernatural beings made for our benefit and God’s glory. We would do well to treat them accordingly.