Supernatural Weapons / Supernatural Conflict

Notes from Weapons of Our Faith by Ivor Myers

Eph  6:11-12 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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.”

 (EGW, Signs of the Times, 1914) “We do not understand as we should the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the controversy between loyal and disloyal angels. Over every man, good and evil angels strive. This is no make-believe conflict. It is not mimic battles in which we are engaged.”  

Enemy Weapons

Knowledge of the enemy’s weapons is important:

Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, said the LORD.

2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

#1: The Devil’s Eyesight

(Envy, desire for sin, desire for what we don’t have)

Gen 3:5 For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

A change in perspective takes place. Originally there was no desire to eat the forbidden fruit but through persuasion our thinking is changed.

Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise…

Jesus referred to this as Satan standing in front of him, and when Satan tempted him with a vision of the kingdoms of the world, he showed us what our response should be.

Luk 4:8 And Jesus answered and said to him, Get you behind me, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

Ellen White called them his magnifying glasses. Every time sin looks desirable to us, our problems are overwhelming, our guilt impossible to bear, then we are being affected by his influence.

We need not be left a prey to Satan’s power…. The children of God should not permit Satan to place himself between them and their God. If you permit him to do this, he will tell you that your troubles are the most grievous, the sorest troubles that any mortal ever bore. He will place his magnifying glasses before your eyes, and present everything to you in an exaggerated form to overwhelm you with discouragement…. Take the Word of God as the man of your counsel, and humble your doubting soul before God, and with contrition of heart say, “Here I lay my burden down. I cannot bear it. It is too heavy for me. I lay it down at the feet of my compassionate Redeemer”….(Our High Calling page 319)

#2: Fiery Darts or Missiles

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

#2a. Thought Bombs

Certain types of thoughts appear in our heads from nowhere. Once we recognize that these are not our thoughts, but are whispers of the enemy we can ask God to shield us from them. Satan uses media to produce thought bombs but they can come from nowhere as well. If we don’t recognize that Satan does this, he can fool us into thinking thoughts that are not our own confusing us by making us think that these are our own thoughts.

For thousands of years Satan has been experimenting upon the properties of the human mind, and he has learned to know it well. By his subtle workings in these last days he is linking the human mind with his own, imbuing it with his thoughts; and he is doing this work in so deceptive a manner that those who accept his guidance know not that they are being led by him at his will. The great deceiver hopes so to confuse the minds of men and women that none but his voice will be heard.—Letter 244, 1907. {MM 111.2}

#2b. Feel Bomb

These are often dropped on us when we are weak such as early in the morning or late at night. Inexplicable flashes of anger or crankiness that come upon us unaware and make us act Christlike.

#2c. Sleep Bomb

These often follow us into church, when we try to pray or read the Bible.  We are awake but the second we try to hear God’s word we are falling asleep. The next thing we know we’re waking up again.

Luk 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

Luk 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

When Satan succeeds in lulling the professed followers of Christ to carnal security, so that they fall asleep at their post, a shout of joy runs through the ranks of the invisible foe. {ST October 28, 1897, par. 7}

Mar 14:34-36 And said to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful to death: tarry you here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what you will.

Mar 14:37-40 And he comes, and finds them sleeping, and said to Peter, Simon, sleep you? could not you watch one hour? Watch you and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away, and prayed, and spoke the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither knew they what to answer him.

Mar 14:41 And he comes the third time, and said to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

#3. The Iron Pen of Memory

Feelings of guilt and sin are so deeply engraved on us that we think it is impossible to remove. We remember things that we did 20 years ago. In our youth we decided to make our own mistakes and then our mistakes and pains that we caused others come back to haunt us again and again and each time we remember them they get engraved deeper.  When we are exposed to God and Christ these things keep us away from him.

Jer 17:1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven on the table of their heart, and on the horns of your altars

God has never had a purpose to engrave sin upon us, His goal is to cleanse us. This means that the engraving must be done by someone else.

Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Jer 33:8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.

Joe 3:21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwells in Zion.

#4. Sonic Warfare

Walking through the grocery store a song start playing that starts writing itself on to our lines and thoughts. Only if we consciously try to block it will this be prevented from happening.

#5. Nerve Gas

This is an un-Christlike attitude or a feeling that everything gets on our nerves.

#6. Explosive Traps

These are traps or idiosyncrasies that we have which will set off our temper. The devil knows exactly what bothers us and these things will keep coming to us.

#7. The Abyss

This is a delusion that we have traveled so far from God that He can’t reach you.  God is always there, and no matter what we have done there is only a short bridge we have to cross to get back to Him.

Psa 139:7-12 Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall your hand lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yes, the darkness hides not from you; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to you.

God also provides us with spiritual weapons to counteract the devil

2Co 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

An easy way to remember these is to know the gifts given to Jesus by the wise men at His birth:

Matt 2:11 “On coming to the house, they saw the Child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

#1. Gold which represents faith in God tested under pressure:

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16.

Trust in God is the first and most important weapon that God gives us to strengthen us.

Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

#2. Frankincense Represents Prayer (incense)

Satan watches his opportunity to seize the precious graces when we are unguarded, and we shall have a severe conflict with the powers of darkness to retain them, or to regain a heavenly grace if through lack of watchfulness we lose it. But … it is the privilege of Christians to obtain strength from God to hold every precious gift. Fervent and effectual prayer will be regarded in heaven. When the servants of Christ take the shield of faith for their defense, and the sword of the Spirit for war, there is danger in the enemy’s camp. {AG 33.2}

#3. Myrrh Represents Humility, Myrrh is used to embalm the dead

We must be dead to self and have no reaction when attacked or provoked.  What happens when you spit on a dead man? Nothing!  What happens when you slap a dead man? Nothing!

#4. Supernatural Strength and Flight

Isa 40:31 But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

#5. Fire Power

Mat 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water to repentance. but he that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

#6. Invisibility

Col 3:1-3  If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

#7. The Shield of Grace

Amidst the snares to which all are exposed, they need strong and trustworthy defenses on which to rely. Many in this corrupt age have so small a supply of the grace of God, that in many instances their defense is broken down by the first assault, and fierce temptations take them captives. The shield of grace can preserve all unconquered by the temptations of the enemy, though surrounded with the most corrupting influences. By firm principle, and unwavering trust in God, their virtue and nobleness of character can shine, and, although surrounded with evil, no taint need be left upon their virtue and integrity. {AG 33.3}

Psa 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.

#8. Coals of fire

Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

#9. Mind of Christ

1Pe 4:1 For as much then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;

1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Acquired through beholding:

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.

It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross. {DA 83.4}

The life of Christ should be lived every day

• born again in the morning
• Harod will try to kill your new life in the morning
• Listen for God to tell us what our mission is for the day
• Work as diligently as Jesus did as a carpenter
• Baptized with God’s spirit
• throughout the day, tempted as Jesus was in the desert
• turn water into wine, make the gospel sweet for the people around you
• Last Supper
• go to Gethsemane in prayer before bed
• refuse to come down from the cross, refuse to sin before bed
• First thing in the morning, pray to reestablish your connection with God “touch me not, for I have not ascended to my father”

The final test in the final days will be our reflexes, whose thoughts and feelings do we have?

If by reflex, do we respond like Jesus? Do we respond like Satan?