Warfare in the spiritual realm
It was the middle of the night and I had been in spiritual warfare for months. My sleep was often interrupted by nightmares, auditory hallucinations, and dark shadows with evil eyes and snarling dinosaur-like teeth that I could see with my eyes closed. At first, I thought I could be going crazy, but in my rational mind, I knew these experiences were real.
I woke and saw a dark demon-shadow holding a pitchfork which it then thrust through my abdomen. And I felt REAL PAIN. Holy mother…. was I scared!
This was probably a jump off the cliff of sanity- or was it?
I was living with my parents at the time (fortunately they have had some experience with spiritual warfare), and they knew it was an attack and assured me everything was okay. Once I realized that this demon could not physically harm me, I was able to stand in my spiritual authority, tell the thing to go away in the name of Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to come and fight for me. The spiritual pain left and this is where the breakthrough came.
In the future, whenever I encountered a demonic presence that I could see with my eyes closed, I learned to speak three simple words either out loud or in my spirit:
Come Holy Spirit.
We live in both a natural and a spiritual world and the natural world is contained within a spiritual realm that is most often imperceptible to the human eye.
In the case of the demon and pitchfork I saw in the spiritual realm, the pain I felt was a spiritual pain and thus not happening in the natural realm, but it was perceptible to me because I have a spirit that lives in the spiritual realm. This is complex, so I like to think of it this way.
Get a pen and make one circle, and in it, place an “N”. Then draw a second, larger circle around the first circle and place an “S” in that circle. The larger circle is the spiritual realm, and because the natural realm is contained within the spiritual, the spiritual can become perceptible in the natural.
There’s a lot of information out there about spiritual warfare and it’s too much to take on in one blog or several. I don’t even pretend to know much about it other than my own personal experiences.
But as Christians, we need to understand that there is a demonic part of the spiritual realm that aims to take us captive as prisoners of the enemy to 1. limit our effectiveness for the Kingdom and 2. to keep us ASLEEP in our faith.
We also need to understand that, as Christians, in the name of Jesus, we have authority over demonic forces in the spiritual realm.
Some of you may have been experiencing spiritual warfare for years without knowing or understanding what is happening, and the purpose of this post is to let you know that you’re not alone out there because this stuff can be scary.
When I first began to see demons in my sleep, I was afraid a lot. I just wanted them to go away, and the information I was given to war against them was all wrong. We don’t have to engage in direct warfare with demonic forces. Once we know these demons cannot touch us, we can simply, and quietly, in our spirits speak, “Come Holy Spirit” and go back to sleep. God answers our cries for help with his angels, and he battles for us.
I have not seen angels in their full form, but I have seen angels commissioned when I ask for help. They appear as little blue-light brush-flashes moving like wings around me and engulf the dark shadows. I am shielded and hidden in the shadow of his wings (Psa. 91:4).
Friends, the spiritual realm is real.
We see so many examples in the Bible of an active spiritual realm, and if we’re going to believe in and follow Jesus, we cannot deny its existence. Jesus ministry on earth documents him casting out demons. The disciples during Jesus time on earth also cast out demons in Jesus’ name. Angels come to the rescue of the disciples in prison, and the Angel of the Lord appears throughout the Bible.
Our God is stronger than the devil and we don’t have to fear.
How do I apply this?
As we grow spiritually, we are more likely to perceive and encounter the battle for souls in the spiritual realm. Yet as believers, we have authority over any powers of darkness we may encounter in our sleeping or waking hours and we can send them away in the name and power of Jesus Christ.
In Christ we have:
+ Authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19)
+ Power and authority over all demons (Luke 9:1)
+ Power and authority to cast out demons (Mark 16:17-18)
Know that there is a kingdom of darkness that works against the kingdom of heaven, but that the light has prevailed over the darkness (John 1:5) and nothing in the spiritual realm can harm you because in Christ you have authority over it (Luke 10:19).
May God continually strengthen you and bless you to know your true authority in Christ and when circumstances around you may be scary, or even confusing, to know that you are safe and protected by the Most High God. Watch for next week’s blog where we will look at stories of how God speaks in dreams and visions in the Bible and how we can apply these examples today.
Verses for study:
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Luke 10:19
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Luke 9:1
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,
Mark 16:17-18
And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
