The scriptures are full of the supernatural. The bible is an historical account of supernatural activity of the unseen realm interacting with the natural, physical realm, manifesting in ways people can perceive. But are these biblical accounts just for our edification in Sunday school? Or is there something more we need to understand, something more we need to do as followers of Christ?

The unseen realm is spiritual and very real. The interaction with the spiritual realm is described in the bible in several ways: between God and humans, between God and the fallen spiritual realm, Between Jesus and the fallen spiritual realm, between humans and the fallen spiritual realm, and between angels and the fallen spiritual realm.

Spiritual warfare began when powerful spiritual beings created by God to serve Him rebelled against Him. Without going into the details here, suffice to say that their opposition against Him continues even though their fate is sealed (for example, Psalm 82). There is no redemption for the rebellious spiritual entities. Their final disposition will be the lake of fire.

Humans were caught up in the spiritual war in the fall of mankind in Genesis 3. While mankind was also judged by God for rebellion (as enchanted by the serpent), we were made in the image and likeness of God and destined to rule and reign with Him (under His authority) in His Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God was always the objective, and still is. But the path to that reality is a long, bumpy road from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22. We must travel that path due to our disobedience, but God ordained our redemption through a Savior who is Christ the Lord. This does not apply to the disobedient spirits. Forgiveness and redemption through the atoning death of Christ on the cross is for humans who meet God’s requirements for salvation and eternal life. His Kingdom is coming, and it will be established just as He ordained. The only question for humans like you and me is: do you want to be a part of God’s eternal Kingdom? Are you fit to rule?

The spiritual war, the Kingdom of God vs the kingdom of the evil one, continues to this day. Weapons used in this warfare are not physical or political despite what we observe. They are spiritual as described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6. (The entire letter to the Ephesians is the spiritual warfare field manual for believers.) Spiritual warfare can only be successful as described in the bible. The scriptures provide enough information for believers to understand how to engage in a way that is authorized by the God of Heaven.

Let me be clear: The only authorized access to the spiritual realm is through Jesus Christ. Believers in Christ pray to the Father in the Name of the Son and by the Holy Spirit. We do not pray to angels, or saints, or the dead. This is unauthorized, against the clear teaching of scripture, and dangerous.

People access the spiritual realm apart from the one true God all the time. But, apart from God, it is the dark fallen realm they access. Sorcery, witchcraft, the ouija (also known as a spirit board), seances, veneration of the dead, spiritism, astrology, idolatry, etc. These occultic practices open doors to the fallen realm – spirits that receive permission to come into the lives of those who summon them – and then find that they cannot close those doors.

Any access to the spirit realm through the occult (an umbrella term for pagan practices, some of which I just mentioned), opens doors that cannot be shut except by the power of the Name of Jesus. You do not want to open these doors. What happens when you do? There were people in the first century who did through idolatry and pagan practice and it lead to all kinds of demonic results including demon possession and affliction. This is not only possible, but likely. It can and does happen today just as in the first century. As the culture becomes more paganized, it’s only going to get worse. The answer to the problem is the same. Only Jesus Christ can deliver us from evil. So it was in the pagan first century, so it shall be today…if the church has the temerity to engage. Look up the word temerity. So how do we get ready?

In the scriptures, the most supernatural accounts are found in the gospels, in the ministry of Jesus Christ as he personally engaged in a war against the spiritual entities that rebelled and brought darkness and malevolence against mankind. Jesus brought the kingdom of God near; a demonstration of its power to overcome the kingdom of darkness. He trained his disciples in the tactics of the enemy and how to engage spiritually in the power of the Name. He then empowered them and sent them. He gave us unique insight into the unseen realm of the demonic; insight we need if we are to effectively engage to deliver people from affliction and possession and advance the gospel for their salvation. A study of the ministry of Jesus shows that the supernatural as manifested in healing and deliverance was always paired with the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Supernatural acts in the power of the Holy Spirit cannot be separated from the gospel of salvation – a mistake the church has made by not understanding the ministry of the Lord. But its all right there in the gospels and yet we treat it as if it were merely a historical account. The ministry of Christ is training for the church to continue the mission. Its not just for Sunday school. Its meant as hands-on training for ministry in the streets of the culture. But we must remember that engagement with the culture with the message of the gospel is also engagement with the enemy who opposes the gospel.

Unfortunately, a lot of the supernatural clearly depicted in scripture has been explained away as history or metaphor or some other naturalized aspect. Today, everything is political. It would seem that it’s our politicians that are the source of darkness or light depending on which side you choose politically. Our Savior is no longer Christ but the right political figure elected to office. No. That is not how the world is to be viewed by true believers in Christ.

We’ve lost our understanding of the supernatural, both the power and tactics of the demonic realm as well as how the Lord and his Apostles trained us to engage.

In church, we receive teaching from pastors and yet still miss the detailed insight the Lord has provided into the demonic realm and how he engaged directly with this unseen kingdom ruled by Satan. Now we find our world engulfed by these same forces as they rush into the spiritual vacuum created by a culture that has rejected God, the Messiah, and the Gospel. The church has largely failed the mission of the gospel by its materialistic priorities and lack of discipling people in the pews about how to effectively minister in a supernatural world. The church must reform itself back to the basics of the Acts church and get back on-mission. Its time to stop going to church and its time to start being the church.

The Lord provided the information we, the church, would need to continue prosecuting the war through the centuries until our mission was complete. It is our mission. He gave it to us. We have all the detailed information we need in the scriptures about the supernatural warfare we must wage. But I cannot recall anytime in 30 years as a believer when the information about dark spiritual entities was related as a topic of study, much less as relevant for today.

Demonic Activity Today?

What about the culture today? Is it possible that demonic possession is as prevalent today as it was in the first century?

What do Christians think about the people on the street panhandling and pushing carts, the homeless, the ostracized of society? Could it be that people afflicted with demonic oppression and even possession are not far from the church door?

Unbelieving society labels their afflictions as addiction or mental illness. Even the church seems to accept that with its own treatment protocols that largely mirror secular approaches. Churches hopefully add prayer, but it’s often the same secular 10 step program. I appreciate these programs to a point, in that churches are trying to help people. But in observing outcomes, there doesn’t seem to be much success. I’ve seen counseling programs go on for years with no apparent progress. In my opinion, the whole notion of “biblical counseling” is a western concept rooted in modern secular psychology which, in turn, is rooted in godless people who built modern, secular psychology.

In our efforts to help people with biblical counseling, are we underestimating the depth of the spiritual component? Are we ignorant of the teachings of scripture regarding what we are dealing with and how best to effectively engage?

In my opinion, the western church is not properly equipped to confront the real enemy. We are not trained or equipped in the supernatural engagement as Jesus taught his disciples.  But we cannot continue to shut ourselves behind church doors, oblivious to what is happening around us on a supernatural level. How did the Messiah model deliverance as he confronted powerful spiritual entities? We need to go back to the gospels and take a fresh look at that. The details are there and we need to better understand them going forward, as things get darker and more overtly demonic in our paganized culture.

Getting Back to the Basics of Supernatural Warfare

Are there overlooked passages in the Bible that give us insight we need to truly understand the problem? There are. Maybe its time to study the ministry of Jesus, specifically how he engaged with the demonic kingdom. Maybe mental illness and addiction are in many cases, overtly demonic. That’s what you will find in the gospels.

When Messiah came to the earth, his was a multi-faceted mission. He started a war. Not against Rome or any other human kingdom.  This war was not fought with soldiers on the field of battle killing each other over physical territory. Even today, there are weapon toting Christians who think the goal is to “take America back for God” or that men must establish God’s kingdom on the earth so Christ can return. These worldly goals have nothing to do with the teachings of scripture. The battle is not over American soil or political worldview. The battle is for the souls of people. It’s a completely spiritual battle with the unseen realm that must be waged as Jesus and the apostles taught us.

This has always been a supernatural, spiritual war since the first Advent of the Lord who brought the kingdom of God near. Despite what you may have heard or been taught, the kingdom of God is not here. But, the ambassadors of that kingdom are here. If you are saved, then that’s you. 

The war against the kingdom of the evil one continues today through followers of Jesus. That war must be fought as Jesus instructed us. He brought the power of the kingdom to bear on the enemy who is spiritual, showing the complete dominance of the power of God over the power of Satan and the army of demons. He showed us how to engage supernaturally and gave us the mission. None of that has changed. We are to continue the fight in the same way to achieve the mission.

I wonder what would happen if we sold our lavish church properties, used the money for the common good of believers, instructed every single Christian in hands-on ministry, and sent them into the street? I bet we would find the Lord is out there waiting for us. I have done some of this before and I found He was always there ready to work through anyone who would step out in faith just a little bit.

We have been off-mission far too long here in the west.  We must get back to a right biblical understanding of the enemy, the strategy and the tactics of supernatural, spiritual warfare.  They are right there in the gospels. The time is short and the stakes are very high. Do we have the guts to engage? I don’t know. I hope so.

In the next post, I’ll dive into one of the most important encounters the Lord had with the kingdom of darkness. What’s there might surprise you.

Thoughts? Would love to hear from you.