Spiritual Warfare Theology

The modem SW proponents have been "presenting" the church with evangelistic techniques, guaranteed to succeed if their detailed, how-to instructions are followed point by point. There is a picture on the box cover, a replica of the SW paradigm, and the pieces inside do, in fact, "fit' into this picture. The problem is that the picture is distorted. If that isn't bad enough, the SW picture-on-the­box is nested inside another, bigger box whose box-top panorama is Kingdom Now/ Dominion theology.

In our overview, it will be helpful to name names and cite the words of the proponents of this unbiblical understanding of salvation history.

Using Earl Paulk's words as his primary point of reference, Robert M. Bowman, Jr. has written about Kingdom Now / Dominion teaching. In the process he has given us a condensed summary of the Kingdom / Dominion ideology. Remember, current SW practice finds its conceptual home in this setting. Bowman writes:

"In the very beginning God created the universe and populated it with spirits (or angels) who lived in perfect obedience to Him. However, a third of these angels, led by Lucifer, rebelled against God's authority; becoming the demons... The angelic rebellion occurred in a "gap" between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. The result was that the earth, which was the "capital city" or headquarters of the demonic Evil Empire, was brought into chaos and made formless and void (Gen. 1:2). In order to win back unchallenged dominion over the universe, God introduced into the earth, Man, a race of creatures which God intended to become a resistance movement that would conquer the Devil's home planet and thus lead the way in taking back dominion over the entire universe. Man was to be a race of "little gods," exercising divine sovereignty ... thus overwhelming the devil's forces. Unfortunately the father of this race was tricked by the devil into forfeiting Man's place in this plan and actually brought God's first plan to naught. God was then forced to come up with a "Plan B" to take dominion over the earth. His solution: to introduce into this fallen race a man in whom the divine nature dwelled fully, who would become the prototype of a new race of human beings in which the original godhood of Adam was restored. This divine Man was Jesus Christ, a perfect manifestation of God, the Father, and the "first fruit" of the "incarnation of God." This race of "little gods" who are spiritually united with Christ as members of His "body" is the church, constituting collectively with Him the complete incarnation, a corporate manifestation of God in the flesh, which together will overcome the devil and restore God's dominion unchallenged on the earth. Ultimate victory over the devil, then, depends finally upon the church accepting the calling to be little gods. It further depends on the church's submitting to the fivefold ministry through whom God is seeking to mobilize the church into a unified army prepared to take dominion back from the devil." 1

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/orrel15.html

B. Radical New Strategies for Evangelism

Wagner believes that God has given "strategic-level spiritual warfare" to the Church as the greatest power boost for worldwide evangelism since William Carey’s pioneering missionary endeavors. This "new spiritual technology," as Wagner dubs it, involves much more than casting demons out of people (which he refers to as "ground-level spiritual warfare"). It involves even more than aggressively confronting stronger demonic powers propagating the occult (which he labels "occult-level spiritual warfare"⁵). Strategic-level spiritual warfare incorporates the direct confrontation of territorial spirits—demons believed to be controlling geographical regions in order to dominate people groups. But the new methodology also incorporates other novel strategies such as "spiritual mapping," "identificational repentance," and "prophetic acts."
Spiritual mapping is a strategy to "map out" the demons’ geographical activity with the help of individuals who, according to Wagner, have "gifts of prophetic espionage" or a spiritual "hunting instinct to track down the enemy’s manipulations."⁶ This strategy also includes learning the names of controlling demons who manipulate political figures or inflict social oppression. Spiritual mapping incorporates "overt and systematic attempts to discover the devices of Satan,"⁷ with the goal of praying more effectively against Satan’s control of those without Christ.
Identificational repentance involves Christian confession of the sins of a non-Christian people group so as to help "get to the roots of any present-day social and spiritual sicknesses" that prevent the reception of the gospel.⁸ Prophetic acts are public displays styled after the ministries of the OT prophets, intended for the purpose of community evangelization. It is implied (at least by the author’s illustrations from history⁹) that, like the prophets of old, we should challenge demons head-on by destroying pagan shrines and idols. Legal and ethical ramifications of such practices are altogether ignored.
http://www.faithalone.org/journal/1997i/Hart.html

Also...something else I came along...this...umm..Bothers me, to say the least.
http://www.greatbiblestudy.com/index.php

Top spiritual warfare and deliverance questions


Over the years, we keep getting asked the same questions. These are good questions that we need to address! These are a few of the top questions that are asked today about spiritual warfare and deliverance:
Can a Christian have a demon? Yes! Otherwise, it would be pointless to cast out demons, period. If all we had to do was get people saved so that their demons go away, then what is the point in casting them out?
What does it mean to be possessed with a devil? This is confusing, but you must realize that the NT Greek tells us that to be possessed does not refer to ownership, but rather means to have a demon, or to be vexed or tormented by one. You can be completely sane and yet have a spirit of infirmity like the woman in Luke 13.
Who can cast out demons? Anybody who is a true believer and follower of Jesus Christ. In Mark 16:15,17, we are told that those who believe will be casting out demons. All Christians have the authority necessary to drive out demons!
What are the symptoms of having a demon? There are many physical and mental symptoms that we may experience as a result of having a demon. Ongoing bondages to fear, depression, rejection(?), and so forth are usually good indicators. Many physical infirmities such as cancer or arthritis are also things to look for.



...Wait...Rejection is a demon? This is going hand in hand with the kingdom children always win idea right? So if you are rejected in something...it means you have a demon(if ARE saved in the first place)

Rejection could have nothing to do with maybe THEM having demons...Nor could it be that God just doesnt want you to have that Job. NO! NEVER! God wants you to have EVERYTHING you desire...he said so...he WILL give you the desires of your heart(yeah...but..I don't...ya know what...never mind)

Arthritis is a demon tooo, "Grandma...You are riddled With Demons! Ostioperosis? You mean more like Asteroth-perosis!! Get thee hence Demon of sinovitis!!


...and Cancer is a demon? Im not even touching that.



elsewhere on this site is this:(my words in blue)


"The goal of this Web site is to equip you to do spiritual warfare using the principals laid fourth in the Bible. it says ONE thing about spiritual warefare, and that is that we do it. It says Our battles or spiritual. Thats it, it says arm yourself with the Armour of God(ephesians 6:10-18), which is many ways to say, put on Jesus. Paul repeats it over and over...put on Jesus(romans 13:12-14)...Put on Jesus(Galatians 3:27)...put on Jesus!! You can fight and win spiritual warfare and come out completely free, but if you go about it without considering what the Bible has to say, you might as well resign right now!The Bible says put on Jesus, and Resist the Devil, you resist the devil by putting on Jesus, running TO Jesus. Resting IN Jesus. Through waging Biblical spiritual warfare, you can overcome and break free from the strongholds in your life and live in freedom!. . . . . ."The purpose of spiritual warfare and deliverance is not to fight the devil, but to learn what we have in Christ, and use the weapons Jesus gave us to experience victory in every area of our lives.JESUS, THE HOLY SPIRIT, is the weapon, that JESUS gave us! The purpose of confronting the devil No Dont Confront, Resist(ignore!) PRAY! Tell him to be gone, You belong to Christ Jesus, say it with authority..but SAY NO MORE! There is no need! is so we can remove the obstacles in our lives that are hindering us from experiencing the best that God has for us! If you want to live in spiritual freedom, peace, joy and love without constantly facing blockages and walls ahead of youIf you want that Put on and rest in JESUS! , then you need to learn what the Bible has to say about spiritual warfare, The Bible doesnt have MUCH to say about spiritual warfare...except that you do it, and to do it, is to PUT ON JESUS!! STAY IN THE SPIRIT, how? PRAYER! and begin to apply those principals in your life today!"



This is just sillyness. Devils are real, and YES, a christian WILL have to come face to face with some, YES, casting out demons CAN still happen...but JESUS will let you know (IF EVER) you should do that...how? THROUGH PRAYER!

Great...great post KS

Thanks Doc. Zone Got me started, thank her!

Its just...GOODNESS!! ...whats with all this Mystic jargon, and weird demonology obsession?

And what the Henry is this!:

"gifts of prophetic espionage" or a spiritual "hunting instinct to track down the enemy’s"


I must have that, becasue i can sence the enemy ALL over this type of stuff.

I know man....theres stuff like this all over Christian forums. they seem to be trying to battle "psychiatric illness" and "demon posession" which are probably the same thing...with lots of complicated tactics and drugs...and meetings..and self help...when the real answer is....

BEING TRULY WITH CHRIST MEANS PEACE.

If you dont have spiritual peace and joy in your life then it means there is something wrong with your walk.

1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

But the nutjobs flip it round and say if you dont have perfect PHYSICAL HEALTH in your life then there is something wrong with your walk.

Incredible.

Thanks Doc. Zone Got me started, thank her!

Ya Zone got me started on a lot of stuff that I am thankful to her for. . We LOVE you babe!

BEING TRULY WITH CHRIST MEANS PEACE.

If you dont have spiritual peace and joy in your life then it means there is something wrong with your walk.

AMEN!! Not to say we are suppose to be jolly and serene 24/7... Jesus wasn't.

But the nutjobs flip it round and say if you dont have perfect PHYSICAL HEALTH in your life then there is something wrong with your walk.

Incredible.

Well you said it. NutJOBS

Funny enough I could imagine Jesus getting sick, like getting a cough, or a headache. Hiccups even!.

He was HUMAN, whats to stop it?

We can read where he got tired(John 4:4-6). We can read where he got depressed(Matthew 26:36-39) We See him cry. We see him get angry(righteously...always at sin)
In Isaiah 53:3 it says he was Rejected(!! OH NO! theres that word again...Rejected...What say the guy who wrote the above article to this?), and a man of Sorrows. Acuainted with grief(Hebrew Chli, meaning sickness, greif, disease) despised..etc. Walking a round in sandals for 3 years Im SURE he would get sore, and get blisters. Im SURE he hit his hands NUMEROUS ammounts of times while he was growing up as a Carpenters Son.


Anyway...I love the fact that My Jesus, knows every and any pain, or afliction i can have in this world. He has had the WORST pains and aflictions, AND he became our sins. So if he became ours sins, then he must have known(if not prior) at that moment, EVERYTHING we went through. So he went through his personal afflictions, the normal human ones. He went through HOLY afflictions, the same Grievings Father GOD must go through im sure HE felt as well. And THEN he went through ALL our sufferings and sins, and pains at the cross. ALL becasue of the LOVE of God, for us!! For selfrighteous, sorcery loving, jezzebel pleasing, World craving, dissobedient little us. WE must be WORSE than OT Israel in Gods eyes, becasue we (are supposed to) be having The Indwelling spirit of the Almighty, and we act just as bad if not WORSE than Israel did!!! ...sigh...It gets me upset.

During the comming famines...i wouldnt put it past some people to Condone, and justify copying 2 Kings 3:26-29. (btw...I know that immagery is horrible...but just think about it, THAT right there..was NOTHNG in comparison to the atrocities of Sodom and gomorrah...and the Trib is going to be WORSE...) Our God IS indeed a Loving and mercyfull God for not striking us all dead!!!

...on a lighter note...

Ya Zone got me started on a lot of stuff that I am thankful to her for. . We LOVE you babe!

Yeah Zone! Ewe Arggh LUVED!!

KingdomSeeker wrote:
And what the Henry is this!:

"gifts of prophetic espionage" or a spiritual "hunting instinct to track down the enemy’s"


I must have that, becasue i can sence the enemy ALL over this type of stuff.