By Gordon P. Robertson, Host, The 700 Club Asia and CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network
When you hear the phrase “spiritual warfare,” do you think about long prayers and fasts, or powers and principalities? The most important thing to remember is that Jesus made a covenant with you. The Lord says in Exodus 6:6, “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.” Because of what He did on the cross, neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers … shall be able to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).
If you are afraid, turn to God, for His perfect love casts out fear. In 2 Chronicles 20, when the Moabites came against Judah, King Jehoshaphat feared at first—then set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah (v. 3). He gathered the people and prayed, recalling the covenants—as if reminding God, “We are children of Your friend Abraham.”
When you pray, remember God’s covenant with you, that He has chosen you, and that you are His friend forever. As you pray and recall His promises, you will find faith. You must go beyond mental assent—just agreeing with some words—and get the truth down into your spirit. This is faith that moves heaven and earth.
Jehoshaphat prayed: “We have no power … nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (v. 12). What happened next? Now, all Judah … stood before the Lord (v. 13). When you pray, do you take time to wait before the Lord? Too often, spiritual warfare is a torrent of words with no pause for God to answer. Romans 10:17 says, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God—so let God speak to you.
That is exactly what happened to Jehoshaphat. A prophet said, “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (v. 15). They received the answer, yet they had to put it into practice—for faith without works is dead (James 2:20).
In response, Jehoshaphat and the people bowed down and worshipped as the Levites sang praises. Then he sent singers in front of the army to sing, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (v. 21). As they sang, God Himself set ambushes in the enemy camps and they killed each other. The army didn’t have to fight at all!
Victory is not based on your effort, on how long you pray, or how long you fast. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
This is the good fight—to believe God’s Word, act in faith, and sing His praise. When your heart is so full of Christ’s love that you burst into melody, the enemy can’t stand. He wants you anxious, fretful and worried. He is trying to steal your joy and peace. But when you praise God and sing “Hallelujah,” the enemy must flee. That’s effective spiritual warfare.
Scripture is quoted from the NKJV. This teaching was given during a CBN Staff Chapel meeting.
