Warfare in the Spirit Realm

Sometimes when we are in a difficult season it can feel overwhelming. During these times, I want to encourage you to change you perspective and take the battle you’re facing to the spirit realm. Now, let me explain what I mean.

There is one passage in Scripture that really highlights this to me, found in the book and example of Esther. Queen Esther had to fight against an attack from Haman aimed to annihilate her and the entire Jewish people. In response to this attack, however, Queen Esther declared a fast and chose to give the battle to God instead of taking it into her own hands as a Queen (Esther 4:16).

When hell breaks loose in your life, you need to take your battle to God in the spiritual realm to effectively fight spiritual warfare. Here is how you can begin to do that.

Practical Steps To Take

1. Move the Battle

Eagles don’t fight snakes on the ground; they take them into the air to fight. In the battlefield of the air, the snake has no stamina or power, so it becomes weak and vulnerable. Similarly, I believe that God wants us to be like spiritual eagles and learn how to fight our battles in spiritual realms. Complacent, disobedient, casual Christians, often fight spiritual battles on Satan’s battlefield and comfort zone, like the snake on the ground.

We must understand that when it comes to battles we face, sometimes the root is generational. And, although it did not start with us, that generational curse can end with us by God’s grace. Some examples of issues that may arise because of generational curses, include:

• Mental Health Disabilities (anxiety, depression)
• Obesity
• Health crises
• Premature death
• Broken family or relationships
• Barrenness
• Miscarriages

Although not every problem in life is a result of demons and generational curses, many issues can be attributed to demonic bondage and curses. The root causes of many issues are often spiritual, although the hardship is experienced in the natural. This is why fighting spiritual warfare using natural or physical methods does not bring about deliverance.

Prayer and fasting are two very powerful ways to humble ourselves before God, surrender, and allow Him to step into the battle (Matthew 17:21; 2 Chronicles 20:3-17). During our lowest moments in life, we must choose to humble ourselves before the Lord.

During a time of fasting, you may be tempted to throw in the towel, but don’t give up! Surround yourself with people who will uplift you and encourage you as you seek God.

2. Remove Your Rags and Put on God’s Garments

Secondly, we must learn to remove the “rag” of our problems, and dress up in the royal “garments” of His promises.

Esther, after the fast, puts on her royal garments (Esther 5:1) and steps into the palace of the king. Now at this point, nothing had changed in the natural, but everything had changed in the spiritual. In the natural, Haman was still well respected. In the natural, the plan to annihilate the Jewish people was still in order. But Esther decides to enter into the presence of the King with royal garments. What does this symbolize?

Every time that we get engaged with spiritual warfare in prayer, it must translate to renewing of your mind. If we win the battle in the spirit but lose the battle in the mind, the miracle God has for us might not manifest. I believe that God doesn’t just want us to win the battle in the realm of the spirit through prayer and fasting, but He also wants us to win the battle in our mind, why? After a while when you have lived with the same problem for too long, this problem becomes your “dress code.” It becomes your pattern of thinking and your attitude.

However, John 8:32 says that we will know the truth and the truth will make us free.

Whatever you may be facing may be true but it’s not the truth. The truth of who you are and where your victory and help comes from is found in God’s word. Instead of filling yourself what with your eyes are seeing in the natural, feed yourself with thoughts from the word of God.

Faith thoughts are not just going to stay, they need to be assisted. Similarly, fear thoughts are not just going to leave, they need to be resisted.

3. Eat in the Presence of Your Enemies

As we continue in the story of Esther, we see that she Esther did not use her husband, the King, to get whatever she wanted. Rather than just going before him to petition what she wanted immediately, she invited him to a banquet to feast with him first (Esther 5:4). And, instead of just feeding her husband, she invites her enemy to the feast also. In this portion of the story, I am reminded that we should not just come to God to get whatever we are hoping for from Him, but rather feast with Him despite whatever we may be going through.

Learn to eat in the presence of your enemies (Psalm 23:5). She wasn’t just trying to use him to get a breakthrough. She was giving him a banquet.

Remember that we don’t serve God, pray to Him, humble ourselves in prayer and fasting only so God can give us a breakthrough, and if he doesn’t we quit. We should never use the Lord. He uses us, we give him a banquet.

While the miracle is still pending, we are to feed our spiritual life, and learn to eat in the presence of the enemy. Even if the problem hasn’t been removed, rest assured, God is in control. The king is aware. Eat. Feed your King with worship. Don’t let the demons starve you spiritually.

Press into the Lord, and watch what happens when you place Him in first place.

Read: Spiritual Warfare