Spiritual Warfare – What it is not

In the previous post we got to know from Scripture that Satan exists and has set up a counterfeit
program. He hates Jesus, he attacks God’s creation (Gen 3:1), God’s Word (Gen 3:1, 4), God’s character
(Gen 3:5), God’s truth (1Ti 4:1-5; 2Co 11:14), God’s Christ (2Th 2:9-11), and God’s children (Rev 12:10;
1Pe 5:8). We also know from Scripture that Satan uses the help of fallen angels who follow him (Rev
12:4; Mat 12:24-26). We also got to learn that there is indeed spiritual battle waging and the believer is
the battlefield and takes part (Eph 6:12) in it. This is, amongst other things.

The virtually unknown

If like me, you were wondering where things like “inherited curses”, “binding satan”, “pleading the
blood”, “rebuking the devil”, “ancestral spirits”, “In the Name of Jesus, power formulas”, e.t.c. did not
feature in my earlier article, it is because they are to a large extent unscriptural. Stemming from a faulty
theology and/or a misappropriation of scripture

By now you might be wanting to dispute that statement, this is because for the longest time, in the
charismatic Pentecostal circles, these terms have been the norm, accepted and practiced. However,
their teaching and use, is heretical, extrabiblical and in error.

The above terms and practices were propagated by the Spiritual Warfare movement, preached by the
third wave charismatic movement, i.e. C. Peter Wagner, Cindy Jacobs. Other’s like Don Basham, Derek
Prince, Win Worley, Bishop Larry Gaiters, Rev. Miguel Bustillos, Dr. Marcus Haggard, and Missionary
Norman Parish have published extensively on “Spiritual Warfare” and have inadvertently led “believers”
done a path of “binding demons”, “covering with the blood”, “deliverance” etc.

I have found myself laboring to even complete a few chapters of any of the books written as I cannot
establish a sound biblical basis for such writings. In my opinion, these are demonic “sideshows”. The
devil is at work to deceive. Rather than preaching the word, a “Christian” is comfortable locked up in a
room “waging war in the spirit” (shaking head), “binding” and “rebuking” the devil. As I said in my last
post, those propagating these teachings are agents of Satan himself, to which a fitting rebuke should be
“Get thee behind me Satan”.

But why the error?

Most of these ideas revolve around the false assumption that believers have the authority to bind and
rebuke Satan. That a believer can attempt to assert authority, that even angelic beings do not use. Let us
look at a few;

a) Binding Satan: There are no explicit scriptures instructing us to bind Satan or his demons. This idea is
based on the misinterpretation of three passages: Mt 12:29; 16:19; and 18:18. The context reveals that
Mt 12:29 was an illustration of Christ's personal power over Satan — not ours. And Mt 16:19; 18:18 are
in the context of fulfilling God's will on earth, including church discipline. (Gilley, “Spiritual Warfare” -
Part 3)

Well, that whole thing about binding Satan to me is a lot of hocus pocus that I don’t understand to begin
with. They keep talking about binding Satan, I don’t even understand what that means? That isn't even
in the Scripture. The only time Satan is bound is in the thousand year millennium, and the Lord is going
to do that [Rev 20:2]. I don’t know where that came from. I don’t know who invented that. (Bible
Bulletin Board, "MacArthur's Questions and Answers" by: Tony Capoccia)

There is no scriptural command to bind Satan, nor is there any biblical example of the practice. Satan
remains at large as the "prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2) until he is chained or bound (by
an angel, not a human being) during the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:1-3). The disciples cast
out demons, but they never bound them or Satan.

b) Rebuking the devil: Believers are never instructed to rebuke the devil or his demons. The N.T. views
rebuking as the sole prerogative of Jesus (Jude 9). As a matter of fact, this is a mark of false prophets (II
Pet 2:4-12; Jude 8,9). Why do people rebuke the Devil then? 2 Pet 2:12 and Jude 10 say they do so
because they do not understand what they are doing. 2 Pet 2:10 suggests that they do so because of
arrogance. (Gilley, “Spiritual Warfare” - Part 3)

Now if Michael, who is super angel, who is the champion of all angels, who can handle Satan, you just
read revelation 12 and you’ll see Michael can handle Satan, he can handle not only Satan but the whole
of the demon host. But the point [in Jude 9]… that is being made is not that Satan is a match for Michael,
but that Michael recognized the fearfulness of dealing with the devil, and it’s a warning to the believer
to stay away from those things, which are the manifestation of the devil. (Bible Bulletin Board,
"MacArthur's Questions and Answers" by: Tony Capoccia)

c) Pleading the blood: Christ's blood delivers us from sin. The only references to the “blood of the
Lamb” are found in the book of Revelation. Rev 7:14 infers the real meaning of the blood of the Lamb
which is the cleansing of sin as in 1Pe 1:19. In addition, Rev 12:11 speaks of overcoming the devil, but
overcoming him “because of” or “on account of” (dià with accusative, not “through”) the blood of the
Lamb. In other words, on account of Christ’s blood cleansing believers’ sins, they have overcome the
devil by being rescued from the dominion of darkness at salvation. So then, pleading the blood is a
pseudo-magical formula that does nothing that Christ has not already accomplished by the work on the
cross

d) Prayer Formula: In the Name of Jesus. The phrase “in the name of Jesus” is not a formula that sends
demons scurrying. The meaning of the phrase signifies the sphere of Jesus’ authority and command. In
other words, when someone is baptized in the name of Jesus, it means that they are being baptized in
obedience to the authority and command of Jesus (Act 10:48). When Paul cast a demon out of the slave
girl (in the name of Jesus), it was done in accordance with the authority and command of Jesus. The
demon left because of Paul’s special ability as a designated apostle of Jesus Christ (Mar 3:15; 2Co 12:12).

e) inherited/ancestral curses. This is a misinterpretation of Exo 20:5. We would all agree that sin can
have an influencing affect to the third and fourth generation. But influence is completely different from
a “curse.” The next verse shows that such influence is stopped when faith in God is exercised. At that
point, God shows lovingkindness, not cursing. Furthermore, Eze 18:20 teaches that each individual will
bear his own punishment and not the punishment of an ancestor.

Salvation delivers us from all sin — including occultic sins. The Bible does not recognize occult sin as a
special category that has not been dealt with at the cross. Ex 20:5 refers to the choice of each successive
generation to follow after the sins of their ancestors. Ezek 18:10-20 says that we will each be dealt with
according to our own sin. Ex 20:5-6; Deut 5:9-10 deals with Israel — not the church. (Gilley, “Spiritual
Warfare” - Part 3)