DESTROYING ARROWS continued.

Destroying arrows can only be launched through prayer. It is very important for all those who call themselves Christians to realize that the teaching of warfare in the New Testament is primarily spiritual. The only exception where physical warfare is permissible is through the righteous, judicial system of government. This is for the protection and welfare of the nation’s citizens’ rights and privileges.

All Christians are exhorted to be subject to the higher powers (Romans 13:1-7). Romans 13:1 tells us that governmental powers are ordained of God and verse 2 tells that we should not resist them.

However, we must resist them if they are acting unrighteously, yet we must use righteous means to do so for verse 4 says “for he beareth not the sword in vain.”

Spiritual warfare is to destroy spiritual forces that are behind all physical evil (1 Corinthians 10:4, 5). Spiritual warfare is also very effective in enabling physical warfare to win the victory.

Psalm 20:7 states: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: bu we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”

The physical warfare our nation conducts in the battle fields of this world would be much more effective if we would do their part in spiritual warfare. We must put our trust in the name of the Lord our God. His name, when it comes to the battle, is the Lord of hosts “who is mighty in battle.”

Psalm 24:8, 10 says: “Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle . . . Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.”

Psalm 33:16, 17: “There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.”

Spiritual warfare is primarily conducted through the avenue of prayer. This is why it is so extremely important for all Christians to engage in prayer. The devil who is the Christian’s arch enemy is not afraid of Christianity per se, but he is very afraid of praying Christians.

The devil is a spirit and the head of all demonic spiritual beings. We can only defeat him through spiritual warfare and this means we must learn the art of praying.

If praying is not a major part of our parenting, then we are setting our families up for failure. Why are families suffering the destructive influence of marriage failure? Because we have not learned how to pray effectively? Why are members of our families being dragged away from being spiritual arrows? Because we have not educated them in prayer.

Every time we offer up earnest, wrestling, fervent, persevering prayers against God’s enemies (who are also our enemies) the devil has to flee (James 4:7). It is only through taking a strong stand in prayer that our arrows will destroy him.

The question remains: will the 21st century Christian church, along with its families, take a strong hold of this truth?

Jeremiah 17:5-8: “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like a heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

“Blessed in the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruity.”

We only engage in the battle to defeat the enemy when we go to prayer. Prayer is our greatest means of resistance.

The difference between defeat or victory is how much did we pray?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell