Your Warfare Is Over
“Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.” 1 Thessalonians 2:18
Notice what Paul the Apostle said to the church in Thessalonica, “wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul.” This is the one who was caught up into the third heavens and wrote more books of the New Testament than any other writer.
He also had so much of the anointing and power that God wrought special miracles by cloths and aprons that had been on his body being placed on the sick and those with evil spirits and they were healed and delivered.
“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:11-12
Paul, one of the greatest, if not the greatest apostle that ever lived said, “I have been hindered by satan.” The word “hindered” means restricted, blocked or opposed. So we find here in Second Thessalonians chapter two and verse eighteen satan hindering, opposing, blocking and resisting one of the greatest men that we know.
Paul found himself here experiencing what the old saints called “spiritual warfare.” I know it is not a popular thing to say in this day and hour, but the truth is, if you have destiny upon your life you have experienced or are experiencing spiritual warfare to some degree.
If you have in the past or are currently experiencing spiritual warfare, it is because of the fact that you have been called to greatness!
You are not called to be average, but you are called to be great. In fact, you may not even be called, but you may be part of the ones that have been chosen.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14
Maybe you are wondering why other people that you know are not experiencing the spiritual warfare that you have experienced. The answer is simple: they are not going where you are going, they are not going to have what God is going to give you, they will not do what you are going to do and they will never become who you are going to become.
The warfare you have experienced or may be experiencing is because of the divine destiny upon your life. Ask yourself the question, “Why would satan spend so much time fighting me if he did not see something great on the inside of me?” The enemy would not be fighting you so hard if you were not destined to do something great.
The enemy sees something in you that even the people around you may not see. The enemy may even know something about you that you don’t know. Satan is spending so much time fighting you because of the destiny upon your life.
Has the Warfare Increased?
If the spiritual warfare has recently increased, it is a sign you are close to a major miracle, a major breakthrough. You are close to something really big happening in your life.
It may be a new anointing, greater doors, a major financial release, a divine connection, but God is about to do something greater than you have ever witnessed or experienced.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
Something big and new is coming to your life. Your prayers are about to be answered, your dreams are about to be birthed, your vision is about to be manifested and your prophetic word is about to come to pass.
Understand if you have experienced spiritual warfare it is because of the great things that God has for you. If the spiritual attacks have increased, understand it is because you are about to experience something new and wonderful in your life. You are about to step into the next level of your divine destiny.
So many of God’s people, including men and women of God are under such a strong demonic attack at this time. Many are experiencing strange attacks and even close to death encounters.
Just a few weeks ago, on the day I was leaving for seven weeks to preach in several states throughout America, I almost had a car wreck that could have caused great damage to me or possibly even taken my life.
Many of God’s people are experiencing strange attacks and close to death experiences. Some feel sick but the doctor cannot find anything wrong. It seems things are happening that are just hard to understand, things that just don’t make sense.
In return, many of God’s people are frustrated, aggravated and exhausted. The Word of God tells us that in the last days satan will try to wear out the patience of the saints. This is exactly what he is trying to do today. He is trying to wear out the saints. He wants you to give up on your prophetic word. He wants you to abort your dream and give up on being who God called you to be.
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High…” Daniel 7:25
An Invisible Enemy
Here is the problem with spiritual warfare: you cannot see your enemy. We are fighting an invisible enemy. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood, it is not against people that you can see with your natural eye.
If your enemy was people in your neighborhood, you could make a move to a new neighborhood. If your enemy was people you work with on your job, you could find another job. If your enemy was people in your church, you could find another church. But as I stated earlier, your enemy is unseen. It is not flesh and blood. You are fighting a spiritual battle.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12
It is very important that you always remember that people are not your enemy. The enemy may use people but people are not your enemy. We are in a spiritual battle and our enemy is unseen, invisible.
If we could see our enemy, we would know when he was going to attack, how he was going to attack and the weapons he would use in his attack.
Unseen Weapons
Since our enemy is unseen, that means the weapons that he uses against us are unseen. What are some of his weapons?
• Frustration
• Depression
• Fear
• Sickness
• The spirit of delay
These are some of the weapons that satan will use to try to destroy you or at least distract you and mess you up. Paul told us we do not need to be ignorant of satan’s weapons (2 Corinthians 2:11).
While our enemy has weapons that are unseen, let us never forget, we as God’s people also have weapons that are unseen. Our weapons are powerful, in fact, much more powerful than our enemy’s weapons.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.”
2 Corinthians 10:4
What are some of our most powerful weapons?
• The Word of God
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword…”
Hebrews 4:12
• Praying in the Holy Ghost
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” Jude 1:20
• The Name of Jesus
“That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” Philippians 2:10
• The Blood of Jesus
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” Revelation 12:11
Satan has weapons to fight against us as God’s chosen people, but we have weapons to fight with against satan also. The good news is our weapons are much more powerful than our enemy’s.
Will it Last Forever?
Because of the increase of spiritual warfare and the length of the warfare that many of God’s people have experienced, some have wondered, “Will it ever end?”
God is getting ready to arise and your enemies are going to be scattered (Psalms 68:1)! The devices or weapons that satan has used to try to destroy you are not only going to be removed, but they will be destroyed (Isaiah 10:27).
Your warfare is coming to an end. Whatever has been frustrating you, tormenting you, lying to you, aggravating you, stealing your peace, joy, time or money is getting ready to be removed out of your life forever and will never return!
“What do ye imagine against the LORD? He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.” Nahum 1:9
The thing that tried to kill you is going to die and you will live! The thing that tried to destroy you will be destroyed and you will come forth more than a conqueror!
Remember, Haman built the gallows for Mordecai, but he ended up hanging on his own gallows. Haman died but Mordecai lived.
“…And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.”
Esther 5:14
“And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.” Esther 7:9
Some of you like Mordecai and the children of Israel in the book of Esther have some powerful forces that want to kill you. You have unseen powers that want to take you out.
There has been a demonic attack not only against you, but also your family, your mind, your health, and your finances. Some have had a demonic attack against their business, ministry or even church.
The battle was designed in hell and it was assigned to take you out, just like Haman’s plan was designed to take out Mordecai and all of the children of Israel.
Don’t Quit
If you are thinking of giving up because you are tired of the battle, you need to reconsider. If you quit, it will cost you your dream, your vision and even your destiny.
You may be in the greatest spiritual battle of your Christian life, but remember quitters never win and winners never quit.
There is never a right time to quit. The truth is that many people have quit days or even moments before their victory. Remain faithful. Stay the course. Your payday is coming. Victory is near!
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
Your Part, His Part
Mordecai and the children of Israel did what they could do, then and only then did God do what He could do.
Mordecai, Esther and the children of Israel prayed and fasted. Esther even went against the law and approached the king without an invitation.
“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16
Once they did what was humanly possible, God did what only He could do and caused the entire story to be turned upside down. The day that was supposed to be a day of sorrow and weeping became a day of rejoicing and celebration.
“As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.” Esther 9:22
Maybe you feel you have done everything that is humanly possible to do. Maybe you feel there is nothing left that you can do. You might have prayed, fasted, watched your words, sowed your seed, etc. and now you are thinking, “There is just nothing else I can do.”
If you feel you have done everything you can do, I need to tell you what you must do now—watch God do what only He can do!
Your Answer is Already on the Way
Daniel prayed and fasted for twenty-one days for an answer from God. On the twenty-first day an angel showed up and said to him, God heard your prayer the first day you prayed. The angel sent me with the answer, but I was opposed by the prince of Persia but God sent Michael the archangel and I have come for your words.
“Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.” Daniel 10:12-14
When the angel showed up with the answer, what he was really saying was, “The warfare is over—I have the answer.”
There comes a time when the warfare surrounding Daniel’s petition came to an end. There came a moment when his prayers were answered and he had a breakthrough.
Jesus Greatest Battle with the devil
Jesus fought his greatest battle with the devil right before he began his earthly ministry. For forty days, he was tempted of the devil.
After each temptation, Jesus said to the devil, “It is written.” Finally the devil leaveth him and then Christ began His ministry of signs and miracles by going into the temple and casting the devil out of a demon possessed man. I want you to notice His ministry did not begin until after he went through tremendous spiritual warfare.
“And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” Luke 4:13
“And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” Mark 1:23-24
After His greatest battle, He stepped into a new dimension of power and authority. After your battle there will be a great victory. In fact, the greater the battle, the greater the victory!
No Battle Should Last Forever
Notice in Luke chapter four, the battle Jesus fought with the devil only lasted forty days.
In Daniel chapter ten, the angel who had the answer to Daniel’s prayer only fought the Prince of Persia for twenty-one days.
Bible historians tell us that Job’s battle only lasted for about nine months.
I personally had a battle where I fought the forces of hell in a manner I had never known. It lasted for about nine months, but God brought me out victorious.
Regardless of how intense that battle you are in may be, you will not die in it. Just as no storm is made to last forever, neither is any battle supposed to last forever.
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalms 30:5
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19
Breaking Point
Many of God’s people are at a breaking point due to the spiritual warfare they have been under. According to the dictionary the word breaking point means the moment of greatest strain at which someone or something gives way.
Maybe you are one of the many in the Body of Christ that feels like you can not go another year, month or even week under the same demonic attacks you have been under. You say, “Something has to change because I am at a breaking point.”
Breakthrough
If you are at a breaking point, you are about to experience a breakthrough. While the words “breaking point” mean the moment of greatest strain at which something or someone gives way, the word “breakthrough” means an instance of achieving success in a particular sphere or activity. A better definition would be, a sudden, dramatic and important development or change.
You will feel like you are at a breaking point right before you experience a breakthrough. If you are at a breaking point, get ready for a breakthrough.
Your Warfare Is Over
Recently God spoke to me and gave me a prophetic word to release to the Body of Christ - Your warfare is over! Yes, God said, YOUR WARFARE IS OVER!
“…Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20
“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7
Can you believe it? Everything is according to faith. If you can believe all things are possible.
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23
Your warfare is over. Your greatest days are ahead. What the enemy meant for evil will now be turned to your good. What looked like a curse will now turn to a blessing.
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20
“Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.” Deuteronomy 23:5
You have been exhausted but now you will have a new strength. Your test will become a testimony. You cried but get ready to laugh. In fact, I decree you will laugh twice as much as you cried. God is turning everything around. A divine turn around has begun.
YOUR WARFARE IS OVER!
My Testimony Concerning Spiritual Warfare
The year was 1990. God was blessing the ministry in a wonderful way. I was traveling into the nations of the world. At that time I was on the radio I believe about seventy times a week. Everything was going great for a young man of God who had surrendered his life to God and the call of God.
During this time, I had a dream one night and in the dream I saw a huge dog that had teeth and feet like a lion and he was getting ready to attack me.
“Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.”
Psalms 22:20
A short time later, I began to have horrible dreams, ungodly dreams. I didn’t want these dreams. I was trying to live a holy life before God. At times I would only sleep an hour or two a night because I knew if I went to sleep, I would have these dreams that I knew were from hell.
After a few weeks, I quit having these dreams, but immediately I began to have the most horrible, ungodly thoughts come to my mind from the moment I awoke until the moment I went to sleep.
I have no words to explain the living hell I went through for nine months. I prayed, fasted, cried out to God in sackcloth and ashes, but nothing seemed to work.
The only time I felt God during this time was when I was preaching. Other than those times, the heavens were brass.
During this time, the enemy would tell me, “You will never get the victory.” Going back to 1988 satan had told me that he would destroy me and now he was doing everything within his power to fulfill his promise.
After nine months of fighting the dogs of hell, things began to change. It didn’t happen overnight, but within a matter of a few days I had total victory! My warfare was over.
My testimony has helped many people who thought there was no help find the help they needed and obtain victory.
I know from experience that no matter how severe your warfare is that God can and will bring you through victorious.
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…”
2 Corinthians 2:14
Enjoy the Spoils
Throughout the Word of God, you find that after God’s people won a battle, they took the spoils of the enemy.
Spoils are plunder, loot or goods taken in battle by the victor.
In the days of King David they maintained the house of the Lord with the spoils won from battles.
“Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD.” 1 Chronicles 26:27
After Solomon built the temple, it was maintained in good order by the spoils taken in past victories.
In 1 Samuel 30:20 David took the spoils of his enemy. They were called David’s spoils.
You have the victory. You are an overcomer. Enjoy your spoils because
YOUR WARFARE IS OVER!
