Our struggle is NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against the rulers, against the authorities ...

49 Pages·2006·0.16 MB·English

“Our struggle is

NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD,

but against the rulers,

against the authorities,

against the powers of this dark world

and against the spiritual forces of evil

in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:12

Not Against Flesh and Blood
Copyright © 2000 by Ed Laymance
updated 2002

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society.
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Perspective............................................…………........................................................................4

Consider the Source...........................................................................................…………4
Your Worldview..................................................................................................………..7
Playing for Keeps................................................................................................………..8
The Main Thing..................................................................................................……….10

An Overview of Spiritual Warfare.................................................................................………..11

Hell’s Angels...............................................................................................................………….12

What the Bible Says About Satan and His Angels...........................................…………12
A Terrorist Network............................................................................................……….15

Strongholds..................................................................................................................………….16
Breaking Free.............................................................................................................…………...20

Dealing With Doubt..........................................................................................…………22
Getting Past the Past........................................................................................………….24
Destroying the Strongholds..............................................................................………….30

Staying Free.................................................................................................................…………..38

Songs of Deliverance..................................................................................................…………...40

Preparation........................................................................................................…….……40
Declaration – “I Am a Child of The King”..........................................................………..41
Celebration.......................................................................................................…………..42

Inventories...................................................................................................................…………...43

Religious and Organizational Checklist............................................................………….43
Occult and New Age Checklist...........................................................................………...44
Thoughts I Have, Feelings I Feel, Problems I Want to Get Past.....................…………..46

Study Resources.........................................................................................................……………47

Endnotes………………………………………………………………………………………….49

About the Author……………………………………………………………………………...…50

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Perspective

“There are two ways to be fooled; one is to believe what isn’t
so, the other is to refuse to believe what is so.” i
Soren Kierkegaard

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race
can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The
other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They
themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist
or a magician with the same delight.” ii C. S. Lewis

“Demonism is neither funny or phony. It is real. It is, in fact, as
serious and significant a subject as can ever be considered. But,
strangely, it remains one of those unmentionables. Almost like,
‘Let’s not talk about it and maybe it will go away.’ We Christians
avoid it like the plague. And when we do discuss it, our comments
fall somewhere between traditional superstition and downright

ignorance.

Even though we have ignored it, the world has explored it.
By twisting the truth and pushing the hot buttons of human
curiosity and gross sensuality, slick promoters have turned it into a
money-making extravaganza...a weird sideshow attraction with all
the crowd-pleasing gimmicks. And the devil could not be happier.
The last thing he wants is to have his presence and his strategy
exposed.” iii Chuck Swindoll

CONSIDER THE SOURCE

When faced with problems or difficulties, everyone wants simple answers and simple
solutions. Sometimes things are simple. Most of the time, however, they are not. God made
you wonderfully complex. As a result, a number of factors can and usually do affect daily living.
Factors influencing what you are dealing with can be:

Physical - Your body chemistry does not have what it needs to function
properly; physical resources have been depleted due to lack of deep
sleep, physical illness, a medical condition, poor health choices, new
limitations and/or changes within the body, etc.

Environmental- Stress from work, family, school, where you live, the
seasons, the weather, etc. is draining you.

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Relational - Relationships with significant people in your life are fractured,
strained, or changing.

Emotional - Wants, needs, or expectations have not been met; or you may be
experiencing grief and loss concerning someone or something (i.e.,
a death or divorce, loss of a job, loss of health, loss of control,
etc.).

Cognitive - A lack of knowledge, skills, or understanding has limited your
ability to cope.

Choices - What you choose to do, where you go, what you say, and how you
live matters.

Economics - You have more month than you have money, and “the light at the
end of the tunnel” is an oncoming train.

Thoughts - Negative thinking has consumed you.

Beliefs - Actions based on false or wrong beliefs are leading to frustration
and disappointment.

Imaginations - Dreaming is one thing, living in a fantasy land is another – when
comparing fantasy with reality, fantasy wins every time!

Heritage - You are conditioned or predisposed to respond in certain ways as a
result of the family systems or cultural heritage to which you
belong.

Memories - You are impacted by conscious or repressed memories of past
painful experiences (i.e., abandonment, abuse, neglect, etc.)
recently triggered by something or someone.

Personality - Personal preferences for how you desire life to be have been frustrated.

When any of these factors or combination of factors are contributing to your problems,
you must deal with them for life to be better. You must make the changes you need to make,
learn the skills you need to learn, and get the help you need to get. Remember, stupidity is,
“doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results.”
If, however, you concern yourself only with these factors and do not pay attention to the
SPIRITUAL, you will have ignored the most important and powerful piece of the puzzle. Your
spiritual condition permeates and penetrates every aspect of your being. Everything flows from it
and is connected to it. Therefore, this should be your primary consideration – the first place you
look, not the last.

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Spiritually you may be experiencing:

Separation - You can believe there is a God and even be very religious,
but you are separated from God unless you have a personal
relationship with Him. Without Him, you are without hope,
without peace, and without purpose.
(Isaiah 59:2; Eph. 2)

Sin - Ignoring and disregarding God’s plan for your life leads to lousy
living.
(Gal. 5:19-23)

Immaturity - You have not grown as a Christian, and a baby will only be
able to do what a baby can do.
(Eph. 4:14-15; I Cor. 3:1-2)

Growth - Sometimes nothing is “wrong” – this is simply a time to trust God
and wait on Him.
(Ps. 46:10; Prov. 3:5-6; I Peter 2:2-3)

Conviction - You realize that you are guilty of sin before a Holy God.
(Ps. 32:3-5)

Disobedience - Obedience will cost you, but disobedience will always cost you
more. (Prov. 1:29-33; Gal. 6:7-8)

Self - There is conflict between your old self (your old way of living) and
your new life in Christ.
(Rom. 7)

Demonic There is demonic influence and control being exerted in
Intrusion and your life.
Harassment - (Eph. 6:10-18; 1 Peter 5:8)

As with the previous list, if any of these factors are contributing to your problems, you
must deal with them for life to be better. You must make the changes you need to make with
everything, spiritual and otherwise. If you do not, life will be like a car with four flat tires. With
each flat you fix, the car rides better, but you will not enjoy the ride until all the flats are fixed.
In your life, with each fixed flat (factor dealt with), the ride gets better, but you will not enjoy
life to the full (John 10:10) until all the flats are fixed.
Because our point of view concerning the demonic tends to be one of two extremes, the
flat tire least understood and most ignored is this one. Either you are consumed with the thought

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of demonic activity – there is a demon around every corner and behind every bush (everything
bad that happens is ascribed to a demon); or you believe that evil is just a religious symbol or, if
real, certainly not personal- stop blaming things on “the devil” and take responsibility for your
actions.
You need a balanced approach. You are responsible for your choices, and evil is real,
purposed, and personal. Sometimes what you are dealing with has nothing to do with the
demonic (you are where you are because of poor choices, negative thinking, wrong beliefs, etc.).
Sometimes what you are dealing with has everything to do with the demonic (you have a thought
to commit suicide). Most of the time, however, what you are dealing with is a combination of
the demonic and other factors.
An extreme viewpoint makes life simple. Everything is black and white. The
explanation for what is going on is either all demonic or all human. No discernment is required.
A balanced viewpoint makes life complicated. Everything is not black and white. The
explanation for what is happening requires discernment. You must pay attention to everything –
divine, human, and demonic.
Demonic intrusion is very subtle and very hidden. Demons do not want you to know
they are active. They hope they are never discovered. They seek to function like virus programs
for a computer, working behind what is seen – interrupting, fragmenting, frustrating, and
shutting down the operating system of daily living. And, just like a virus, if demonic influences
and control is not identified and dealt with, you can not and will not be able to get past where
you are. You can not and will not be able to enjoy the ride and live life to the full.
This material will help you recognize, identify, and remove the influence and control
being exerted in your life through demonic intrusion. However, if you do not also pay attention
to the other factors contributing to your problems, you will not experience the freedom and joy
which can be yours in Christ.

YOUR WORLDVIEW

What is your worldview? A worldview is how you understand the world around you and
how you relate to it. In other words, a worldview is like a pair of glasses through which you
“view” the world. Your worldview is what you believe about reality – what you see.
Our secular, Western culture sees reality on two separate levels. One is the hidden,
unseen world which is understood through religion and spiritual experiences. The other level is
the natural world which is understood through science and the physical senses. Each level is
mutually exclusive from the other. As a result, the spiritual, unseen world has no practical effect
on the natural world. We are taught to trust only that which can be measured, tested, verified,
certified, categorized, and identified; and we are taught to doubt, question, or ignore the idea of
the spiritual, divine or demonic, having any impact on daily living.
A Biblical worldview sees life and reality through the lens of Scripture, not through
culture or experience. The Word of God puts physical reality together with spiritual reality.
They are not mutually exclusive. Both are present, real, active, and affect everyday life.
Supernatural, as well as natural forces, are at work on planet earth. We live in a natural
world and a supernatural world simultaneously. Clearly, the Bible does not separate the physical
from the spiritual. It is both/and, not either/or. We must not separate them either.

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PLAYING FOR KEEPS

“And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take
everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best
materials.
And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws
your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and
forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the
finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own.
Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all
over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace,
faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need
them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same
way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for
your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so
that no one falls behind or drops out.”
Ephesians 6:10-18, The Message

In 1940, Winston Churchill challenged the British people to stand against Adolf Hitler
and his Nazi war machine. Churchill understood the evil he faced, and he understood that Hitler
was playing for keeps.

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us
many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask what is our
policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and
with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous
tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That
is our policy. You ask, What is our aim? I answer in one word: Victory – victory
at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road
may be; for without victory, there is no survival. iv

Christians must understand the spiritual evil we face and must wage war with the kind of
resolve described by Churchill. Satan is playing for keeps. This should be our mind set as well.
In the film, The Patriot, Mel Gibson plays the role of Benjamin Martin, a hero of the
fierce French and Indian war. As a single father, he has purposed to raise his seven children in
peace. But when the British arrive at his South Carolina home during the early days of the
American Revolution and attack his family, Martin takes up arms and leads a brave rebel Militia
into battle against a relentless enemy. In the process, he discovers that the only way to protect his
family from tyranny is to fight for a young nation’s freedom.
As Christians, many of us are like Benjamin Martin. We have no desire to go to war
spiritually. All we want to do is raise our family in peace. Our attitude with the enemy is, “You

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leave me alone – I’ll leave you alone.” But the enemy is coming anyway. Demons are very
much like the arrogant, psychopathic British Colonel Tavington who arrives at Martin’s home.
Tavington cares nothing for anyone or anything other than himself, and will sacrifice his own
men if necessary to have what he wants. He casually kills Martin’s young son, Thomas, gives
orders that Martin’s oldest son, Gabriel, is to be hung, has the house torched, takes what he
wants, has the wounded soldiers under Martin’s care shot, and rides off with his men. Martin
finally understands he no longer has a choice. He goes into the burning house and gets his
weapons. He must go to war – and he must be brutal!
When Jesus said that the enemy “comes only to kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10) – he
meant it. When Paul declared that believers must put on the full armor of God in order to stand
against evil when it comes, not if (Eph. 6:13) – he meant it. The enemy is coming, and you have
two choices. Let him steal, kill, and destroy you and your family; or go in the burning house, get
your weapons, go to war – and you better be brutal. The enemy will have no mercy with you,
you better have none with him. As far as I’m concerned, there is no choice.
Freedom is not free, and Martin would not find it easy to “stay the course” of freedom.
We as Christians get fatigued and discouraged as well. Toward the end of the film, Tavington
murders Gabriel’s wife and many of Martin’s friends, burning them alive in a locked church –
then he kills Gabriel. Martin has had enough and decides to go home. After the difficult task of
burying his son, he discovers a war-torn American flag that Gabriel had been stitching back
together. At that moment, Martin realizes that this war is not just about his present children, but
his grandchildren and all families of this nation as well. He mounts his horse and goes back to
war.
The climax of The Patriot is not when Martin kills the “bad guy” Tavington. This is a
Hollywood movie – he’s suppose to kill the bad guy. The climax is when Martin grabs an
American flag and charges the enemy – inspiring a retreating American Militia to “hold the line”
and push forward. The result is an enemy in retreat and an important battle won.
It is imperative that we understand that what is “on the table” in this spiritual war. Our
physical freedom in this country is directly linked to the price paid by the “Martins” who lived
before us. Should the Lord tarry in His return, the spiritual freedom or bondage of our children
and the generations to come will be directly linked to what you and I do today. The enemy
understands perfectly well how it works. Unfortunately, most Christians do not. Our families
and our heritage are systematically being destroyed, and we are clueless concerning what is
taking place.
The enemy is playing for keeps. You play for keeps too! Go in the burning house, get
your weapons (Ephesians 6) and go to war. Be brutal.

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THE MAIN THING

“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons
submit to us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from
heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to
overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not
rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in
heaven.’ ” Luke 10: 17-20

Someone once said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”
What is the main thing? JESUS. He is the main thing. The focus of your attention in this
spiritual war is not the enemy. The focus of your attention is Jesus. Like the disciples, we can
easily become fascinated with the fact that the demons submit to us in His name. But do not
rejoice in this – rejoice that heaven is your home, and you have the privilege of a personal, daily
relationship with the living God.

Deal with the enemy - but the focus of your attention is to be on Jesus.

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An Overview of Spiritual Warfare

We are engaged in a face- to- face conflict with spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms
(Eph. 6:12)

which is fought on a spiritual plane with spiritual weapons. (Eph. 6:11, 2 Cor. 10:4)

Satan is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, (1 Peter 5:8)

therefore, it is not a matter of if the day of evil comes, but when. (Eph. 6:13)

In order to implement his strategy (2 Tim. 2:26, Eph. 6:11)

the enemy must first get our eyes off Jesus (Heb. 12:1-2)

or he will not be able to get a grip on us. (1 John 5:18)

So, Satan lies to us (John 8:44)

using temptations (1 Thess. 3:5)
accusations (Rev. 12:10b)
and deceptions (2 Cor. 11:14)

hoping to trap us (1 Tim. 3:7)
establish strongholds in our lives (Eph. 4:27, 2 Cor. 10:3-5)
and take us captive to do his will. (2 Tim. 2:26)

We are not to fear the enemy (1 John 4:4, 2 Tim. 1:7)

for he is a defeated foe! (Col. 2:15, 1 John 3:8, Heb. 2:14-15)

We are to understand our position in Christ, (Eph. 2:6)

submit every area of our lives to the lordship of Christ, (James 4:7-8)

and be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, (Eph. 6:10)
put on the full armor of God, (Eph. 6:10-18)
be alert, (1 Peter 5:8)
resist, (James 4:7)
stand firm, (1 Peter 5:8)
stand against, (Eph. 6:11)
not give ground, (Eph. 4:27, 6:13)
destroy strongholds, (2 Cor. 10:3-5)
advance, (Matt. 28:19-20, 16:13-19)
overcome all the power of the enemy. (Luke 10:19)

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