Should Christians Be Involved in “Spiritual Warfare”?
By Jonathan Mitchell

For all of my adult life I have either heard Pentecostal folks speak about, or I have read about the subject of, “spiritual warfare” in which the “mature Christian” should be engaged. The purpose of such activity is said to advance the kingdom of God, to set people and/or cities and geographic areas free from demonic influence, to overthrow spiritual “principalities and powers,” and to “cast down spiritual strongholds” that have people or geographic areas in bondage to Satan or his “kingdom.”

The activities themselves include prayer, fasting, speaking in tongues, walking the perimeter of certain areas (“placing one’s feet upon” that section of land so as to “claim it” for the kingdom of God), “intercession” (which could be a combination of all of these, or could be lying down in silent prayer or in uttering Spirit-inspired utterances and/or groaning, or in performing some activity which the Spirit brings to the person’s mind to do), voicing proclamations, and/or entering into spiritual experiences. This list could probably be expanded, but I am only mentioning these in order to define the subject of this study.

Now to my questions: Is there any basis in the NT for Christians to be so involved, in order to attain the purposes listed in paragraph one, above? Do these activities work? Is it the will of God for us to do this? Is “spiritual warfare” a legitimate aspect of the kingdom of God?

First of all, we do not find the specific phrase “spiritual warfare” in the Scriptures, and the term “warfare,” as a noun (strateia), is used only twice in the NT: 2 Cor. 10:4, and 1 Tim. 1:18. Strateia means: military service; the activity of an army or a soldier; warfare. The verb (Strateuomai) is used in the same contexts of these verses, plus five other places. Lu. 3:14 uses it of the soldiers asking questions of John the Baptist; 1 Cor. 9:7 uses it as a point of comparison, along with vineyard workers and shepherds; 2 Tim. 2:4 uses it for an illustration; Jas. 4:1 uses it metaphorically of conflicts about pleasures or sensual enjoyment among the members of the body; and 1 Pet. 2:11 speaks of “abstaining from the fleshly lusts which are warring against the soul.”

So it would seem that “warfare” in the sense described in the first two paragraphs, above, are confined to 2 Cor. 10:3-4, and 1 Tim. 1:18. This does not seem to me to be a very strong foundation upon which to build teachings about which a large section of Christianity are encouraged to be consistently involved.

Let us consider the verses In 2 Corinthians 10:

3. For though habitually walking about (= living our lives and ordering our behavior) within [the] flesh (= physical body; = natural inner being), we are not waging warfare (or: performing military service) in correspondence and accord to flesh (= on the level of estranged humanity, or in line with human principles),
4. for you see, the tools and weapons of our military service and warfare [are] not fleshly (= do not pertain to our human condition; [“are not the weapons of the Domination System” – Walter Wink]), but rather, [are] powerful ones and capable ones in God (or: by God), [focused] toward [the] pulling down (demolition) of fortifications (strongholds; bulwarks; strongly entrenched positions [of the “Domination System” – Walter Wink]),
5. progressively tearing down and demolishing conceptions (concepts; the effects of thoughts, calculations, imaginations, reasonings and reflections) and every height (or: high position) and lofty [attitude, purpose or obstacle] that is habitually lifting itself up against (or: elevating itself up on so as to put down) the intimate and experiential knowledge of God, and then taking captive every thought – one after another – and leading them prisoner into the hearing obedience of the Christ (or: the humble attentive listening, which comes from the Anointed One; or: the submissive paying attention, which is the Anointing),
6. even continuously holding [them] in a ready state and prepared condition to support fairness and equity, while maintaining rightwised relationships from out of the Way pointed out, for every mishearing (or: hearing-aside; setting of our attention to the side; or: disobedience) – whenever your hearing obedience may be made full (or: as soon as the humble attentive listening and submissive paying attention has been brought to full measure, from, and with regard to, you folks)!

Vs. 4 gives the focus of our “military service and warfare:” pulling down fortifications and entrenched positions. Vs. 5 defines these “fortifications and entrenched positions:” conceptions, reasonings, imaginations, etc., or high and lofty thoughts, attitudes, purposes or obstacles.

Paul further identifies these “strongholds and fortifications” as things which “[lift themselves] up against the intimate and experiential knowledge of God.” Then he further describes this “warfare” as: “taking captive every thought,” and bringing our thoughts as prisoners into the hearing obedience (or: humble attentive listening) of the Christ. Note that it is Christ’s attentive listening, His hearing obedience, to which these thoughts are to be made prisoners. Or, put another way, it is the submissive paying attention, which is the Anointing, which makes our thoughts captive to Christ.

Now vs. 6 expands this by saying that it means to continually hold our thoughts in a ready state, and in a prepared condition, with a view to supporting fairness and equity while maintaining relationships that are turned in the right direction: toward Christ. And this “warfare” applies to “every mishearing or setting of our attention to the side,” or to every disobedience.

It would seem, then, that this “warfare” takes place within our own being, and regards our thoughts, our concepts and our hearing of God in regard to obedience, or that it involves activities aimed toward positively affecting the inner beings of other folks. In this context there is no clear evidence that this warfare is aimed at other beings in the spiritual realm. It involves human beings, or it is to be aimed at spiritual systems that are created by human beings: thoughts and concepts.

So what about 1 Timothy 1:18?

18. I am presently placing this passed-on message (notification; announcement) to your side, child Timothy, down from the preceding prophecies upon you (or: in accord with the prophecies habitually leading forth upon you), to the end that you may constantly perform military service (or: do battle; perform warfare) within them (or: in union with them) – the beautiful (fine; ideal) military service (or: battle; warfare),
19. while constantly holding (or: having) faith (and: trust) and a good conscience (a profitable knowing-together) – which some (or: certain ones), thrusting away (or: pushing and driving away), experienced shipwreck about the faith (or: concerning [their] trust):

The context of these verses are: prophecies upon Timothy, and the area of faith and trust in connection with a good conscience. There is no hint about warring against principalities and powers or “spiritual rulers over cities or countries.”

In the next verse, Paul gives an example of two people (not spirits) who had become shipwrecked in this area of their lives:

20. of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I gave (or: hand) over to the adversary (or: Satan) to the end that they would be child-trained, educated and disciplined [so as] not to constantly blaspheme (speak abusively or slanderously). Now here is a fine example of Paul warfare: he hands these two over to the adversary (Greek: Satan). He is not fighting against Satan, but rather using it (or: whatever it was that Paul was referring to as “the adversary”). And he had a positive end in view for these folks: child-training, education and discipline

The same theme of these verses is carried on in Chapter Two (an artificial division in this letter):

1. Consequently I am habitually calling you alongside to encourage, counsel and exhort you to first of all be constantly making petitions for needs, prayers (speaking and thinking toward things being well), encounters (or: intercessions; meetings within situations to converse or hit and obtain the objective), [and] expressions of gratitude (or: of the goodness of grace and favor) over (or: on behalf of; for) all mankind (humanity) –
2. over (or: for) kings and all those being folks within a position of holding control over (or: above) [others] (or: being in superiority or high station), to the end that we may continuously lead (or: carry through) a course of life that is still – at rest (free from all agitation or disturbance with tranquillity arising from without), and also quiet – peaceable (gentle, exciting no disturbance in others, with tranquillity arising from within) in all reverence (pious and devout relations with everything) and majestic seriousness (dignity and gravity which inspire awe).

Verse 1 is an extension of the thoughts expressed in vs. 18, above (alluding to warfare), and is giving examples of the same: making petitions, prayers, expressions of gratitude – and all these over the situation of and on behalf of all humanity. Then verse 2 gives specifics for whom the petitions, prayers and gratitude are to be expressed: kings and those in a position of control over others.

Now what is the purpose of this warfare? “…to the end that we may continuously lead (or: carry through) a course of life that is still – at rest (free from all agitation or disturbance with tranquillity arising from without), and also quiet – peaceable (gentle, exciting no disturbance in others, with tranquillity arising from within) in all reverence (pious and devout relations with everything) and majestic seriousness (dignity and gravity which inspire awe).”

These, my friends, are the contexts and focuses of the warfare that Paul encouraged. James, cited above, used the metaphor to refer to corporate conflicts about pleasure and sensual enjoyments, while Peter used it about internal dealing with internal lusts.

But what about Paul’s metaphors in Eph. 6? He speaks of us “wrestling” there, which is another picture of our spiritual conflicts. So let us look at this passage. The first nine verses are admonitions to children, to fathers, to slaves, and finally to owners. These admonitions all applied to situations in this life, primarily in the natural realm. The next verses give specific examples of how to bring the previous admonitions into our lives, starting with an overview in vs. 10.

10. Of the remainder (or: Finally), be constantly empowering yourselves (engendering ability within yourselves) within, and in union with, [the] Lord (= Christ or Yahweh) and within, and in union with, the force (or: strength) of His might (or: the mightiness of His strength and forcefulness):

This is how to do what Paul has just been admonishing. Empower yourself within, and in union with, “the force of His might.” But how do we do that? Paul goes on to explain:

11. you folks must enter within (or: clothe yourselves with) the full suit of armor and implements of war (panoply; the complete equipment for men-at-arms) which is God (or: which comes from and belongs to God), in order for you to be continuously able and powerful to stand (or: to make a stand) facing toward the crafty methods (stratagems) of the adversary (or: that which throws folks into dualism with divided thinking and perceptions; or: the person that throws something through the midst and casts division; the one who thrusts things through folks; the slanderer who accuses and deceives; or, commonly called: the "devil"),
12. because for us [other MSS: for you] the wrestling is not against (toward; with a view to) blood and flesh (= physical bodies), but rather against (toward; i.e., "face to face" with) the beginning controls and rules (or: original rulings; or: rulers and controllers; governments; those things or people in first position; the beginning things or people; the original ones; the princes) and face to face with the rights and privileges (or: authorities; or: aspects from out of existence), with a view to the strengths of the System (or: strengths of the order; or: universal powers; the world's strong-ones) of this darkness [comment: = ignorance], facing (toward; or: with a view to) the spiritual aspects (or: breath-effected attitudes; or: conditions and qualities of a spirit) of the worthlessness (the badness of conditions; the unsoundness and miserableness; the wickedness and depravity; the evil and malice; the disadvantageousness; the unprofitableness; the thing that brings toilsome labor) situated within the heavenly positions or places (or: among the imposed heavenly realms; positioned in union with the celestials and heavenly ones). Note: this verse could be speaking about the ruling authorities of the religious world of ignorance, with its now worthless sacrifices, or, about the political system of darkened strength which was currently in power, bringing bad situations; Walter Wink, in Engaging the Powers, uses the phrase “against suprahuman systems and forces” for part of this verse]
13. On account of this, you folks receive back again (or: at once take up) the full suit of armour (panoply; implements of war) which is God (or: which belongs to and has its source in God), to the end that you would have power (or: be able) to withstand and resist (to stand opposite, over against as facing an opponent; or: stand in [other folks'] place, instead of [them]) within the harmful day (the day of bad conditions), and accomplishing all (achieving and effecting everything [the whole]), to stand firm.

Here, then, is the purpose of what Paul is saying regarding this wrestling: to stand firm – to not be moved from your position of living in faith and love, and to accomplish what he admonished in vs. 1-9. We have domination systems to deal with in our cultures. Slavery was just one of those systems in place during Paul’s day. Upon sharing this study with John Gavazzoni, in reference to the “stand firm” of vs. 13, above, he referenced Gal. 5:1,

1. For the [aforementioned] freedom, Christ immediately set us free (or: [The] Anointed One at once frees us in, to, for and with freedom)! Keep on standing firm, therefore, and do not again be habitually held within a yoke of slavery (or: a cross-lever [of a pair of scales] whose sphere is bondage) (or: Continuously stand firm, then, in the freedom [to which the] Anointing sets us free, and let not yourselves be progressively confined again by a yoke pertaining to servitude)!

So this is where we are to stand, in freedom, with Christ’s saving deliverance covering our thinking (the helmet), His rightwised life surrounding our heart, His truth and reality girding us, His faith and trust protecting us from incoming lobs from various adversarial situations, our feet shod with the readiness of His good news – which is PEACE! – and our actions (typified by the hand) filled with God’s utterances. Returning to Eph. 6, again:

14. You folks stand (or: at once take your stand), then, after girding yourselves around your waist (or: loins) in union with Truth and within the midst of Reality, and then, entering within (putting on; clothing yourself with) the breastplate armour (cuirass; corslet) of fair and equitable dealing (or: which is the rightwised relationships of the Way pointed out; the Righteousness; the Justice),
15. and next sandaling (or: binding under) the feet in readiness and preparedness which comes from and has the character of and which belongs to the good news (or: message of goodness, ease and well-being) of the Peace (or: which comes from and has the character of peace and harmony [= shalom]; or: which is Peace) –
16. within all things and situations (or: in union with all people) – [be] at once receiving again (or: taking back up) the large oblong shield of the Faith (or: Trust; Confidence; Faithfulness; Assurance; Loyalty), within which you will have power (or: be able) to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the worthless person (or: evil one; unsound and miserable situation; disadvantageous and unprofitable condition; malicious and depraved attitude; toilsome labor).
17. And at once accept (or: receive) for yourselves the helmet of the Deliverance (or: which comes from the Salvation; that belongs to health and wholeness; which is the restoration to the original realm and condition) and the Spirit's sword (short sword; dirk; or: the dagger which is spirit; the dirk which is the Breath-effect) – the one being God's spoken Word (or: an utterance or declaration which is God).

Notice that all of this armour is defensive of our inner being, with the exception of the Spirit’s (God’s) declaration: the message of good news which Paul proclaimed in the first chapters of this epistle. It can also refer to words which the Spirit speaks in our hearts, or which God prompts us to speak to others. It is not a sword to fight demons, but rather a word of goodness and release to those who would use their tongues to send barbed words against us. In speaking of this “utterance from God,” this “sword,” note how the writer of Hebrews sets the environment of its work, in 4:12, “For the Word of God (or: God's thought, idea and message; or: the Word which is God) [is] living (or: alive), and active (working; operative; energetic; at work; productive) and more cutting above every two-mouthed sword, even passing through (penetrating) as far as a dividing (or: parting; partitioning) of soul and spirit (or: of inner self-life and breath-effect), both of joints and marrows, even able to discern (separate; judge; decide) concerning thoughts (ponderings; reflections; in-reshines; passions) and intentions (notions; purposes) of heart (= core of the being).”
Its work is in the core of our beings: our soul and spirit, and our structural members. It concerns “thoughts and intentions.” Reminds us of 2 Cor. 10:4, above, does it not? But let us continue with our Ephesians text.

18. By means of all thought, desire or imparted message toward things being well (or: Through every prayer) and request (or: declaration) regarding need, [be] folks continuously speaking toward well-being (or: praying) within every season (in union with every fitting situation; on every occasion) within and in union with [the] Spirit (Breath-effect), while maintaining a constant alertness (or: in spirit being constantly vigilant and abstaining from sleep), also, to that end, in all unremitting continuance (or: perseverance) and request regarding need concerning (or: surrounding) all of the set-apart folks (holy ones; saints; sacred people),
19. and further, in behalf of me, so that to me a word (or: message; thought; idea; logos) would be given, in the midst of opening my mouth in freedom of speaking openly in public and with the boldness and rights of a citizen, to make known the secret (or: mystery) of the good news (or: which is the message of goodness, ease and well-being),

So in vs. 18-19 Paul gives examples of using all this armour which is God, and then refers to his own context and environment, to openly and boldly be making known the secret of the good news. The purpose of all this metaphorical armour involves the living of our lives in His kingdom, and the spreading of the gospel. Now warring against beings in the spirit world.

Now I want to take you back to an incident involving the life of the prophet Elisha, in 2 Kings chapter 6, where a Syrian army had surrounded the city of Dothan in which Elisha and his servant happened to be. Elisha tells his servant to not fear because there were more with them than were with those surrounding the city. Upon the servant’s “eyes” being “opened,” he saw that the mountain (the location of Dothan) was “full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (vs. 17). Elisha asked Yahweh to smite the army with blindness, which He did, after which Elisha led the army off to the king of Israel, then had them given food and drink before sending them home to their master.

What I find interesting in this account is that the “horses and chariots of fire” – obviously a figure of God’s heavenly army – are not confronting an army of Satan, nor a spiritual horde of demons. The heavenly host does a job on people, causing them to be temporarily blind. The concept of “demons and spiritual principalities” is notable absent from this picture. Demons are a concept from pagan mythology (Kittle’s Theological Dictionary of the NT) that crept into the Jewish world view from their contact with pagan religions, and Jesus addressed psychological and physical ailments in the terms and concepts which the culture of that time held. But these are some of the concepts that we are called upon to cast down. But Jesus was healing and delivering people.

In the situation of God delivering Israel from Egypt, is was God dealing with the king and people of Egypt, not God fighting “spiritual principalities,” or doing “spiritual warfare,” as those in Christianity view current situations. In Gethsemane, when Jesus said that He could call upon more than twelve legions of agents to aid Him, He was referring to aid against the soldiers coming to arrest Him, not to a horde of spirit beings.

In Daniel 10, Daniel had a heavenly visitation, and the agent tells him that (vs. 13) “the prince pf Persia resisted” him. Now among those who believe in practising “spiritual warfare,” it is presumed that this prince was a spiritual entity. However, the text does not state this. Pharaoh rested God, but he was not a spiritual entity. So there is no reason to presume this about the prince of Persia, nor about the prince of Greece (vs. 20). Chapter 11 goes on to speak of actual kings of Persia and Greece.

The 12th chapter of Revelation gives a picture of “war in heaven: Michael and His agents fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought, as well as his agents” (vs. 7). Now note that in vs. 9 the figure of “the dragon” is also described and “the one who thrusts [things] through [folks] (or: the devil), as well as the adversary (commonly translated: Satan). So this picture is given a partial explanation of the adversarial reality at work that is pictured as “the dragon.” Then we are told that this adversarial force is cast out of heaven into the earth. So what does this mean?

Well, vs. 10 gives us the result:
Then I heard a great (or: loud) voice within the sky (or: heaven) repeatedly saying, "At the present moment (or: Just now) the deliverance (the return to the original state and condition; the rescue; the health and wholeness; salvation), and the authority, and the kingdom (or: reign) of our God was (or: is) birthed (comes into existence; came to be), also the authority of His Anointed (or: His Christ; His anointed one), because our brothers' accuser (the accuser of our fellow believers) was cast down (and: is hurled down) – the one that was or is by habit repeatedly accusing them before (or: in the sight and presence of) our God, day and night [note: this phrase logically indicates that the location is on earth, where there is day and night].

This is another statement of the gospel, the good new of ease and well-being that came with Jesus and His work of the cross, as is referenced in vs. 11 which follows. This work of Christ was figuratively pictured (as is the majority of this book of apocalyptic literature: symbols and things shown by signs) as “war in heaven.” Being cast out of heaven is a figure for losing the place of ruling and authority. This happened to humanity in the figures of the light-bearer being cast down (Isa. 14:4-23, proverb against the king of Babylon) and also in the word against the prince of Tyrus (Ezekiel 28 – see my study on these passages).

“For you see, God's kingdom (or: the reign and rule which is God; the expression of God’s sovereignty) is not (or: does not exist being) solid food and drink, but rather, fair and equitable dealing (which brings justice and right relationship in the Way pointed out; rightwising), peace (and: harmony; [= shalom]) and joy (or: rejoicing) within set-apart Breath-effect (or: a dedicated and holy spirit and attitude; or: in [the] Holy Spirit)” (Rom. 14:17) This is the realm of our life in God, and our work of the Lord. Paul further states in vs. 19, “Consequently, then, we are continuously pressing forward and pursuing the things pertaining to, belonging to and which are the peace [= shalom] and the things pertaining to, belonging to and which are the act of building a house, pertaining to [input] into one another (or: which [effect] edification [infusing] into each other).”

In 2 Timothy 2:24-25, we see another description of life in the Spirit:

“Now it is continually binding for (or: it is a constant necessity to) a slave of [the] Lord (= Yahweh's or Christ's slave) not to be habitually fighting (or: it is not necessary for the Lord's slave to be battling or contending), but to the contrary [he/she] is to be gentle (kind; mild) toward all, qualified, skillful and able in teaching, one holding up under poor conditions (or: having an upward focus in bad situations; holding an “up attitude” in regard to evil), in accommodating meekness and with consideration constantly educating (training; disciplining; instructing; correcting) those habitually setting themselves in complete opposition or who offer resistance.” No admonition to “spiritual warfare” here.

You may ask, well what about 1 Tim. 6:12? A more correct rendering is: “Constantly contend (as in the public games in the stadium or on the racecourse) the beautiful (ideal; fine) struggling contest of the faith (or: whose source and character are trust). Take hold of (or: Get a firm grip upon) the eonian life (the Life that has the quality and characteristic of the Age, and pertains to the eons, continuing on into the ages) into which you were called – even [when] you agreed (or: confessed; said the same thing with another) the beautiful (fine; ideal) like-message of agreement in the sight and presence of many witnesses.” It is a picture of athletes in the games, not soldiers at war, and the realm of activity is trust and faith – associated with eonian life. No context of demons or mythical spirit beings. Paul makes a similar statement in 2 Tim. 4:

I have contended the beautiful contest in the racecourse (or: I have with agony struggled, wrestling in the ideal combat {the fine fight} in the public games); I have finished the race (ended the racecourse; reached the goal of my contest; I have fought to the finish); I have kept (observed; watched over; guarded; kept in custody) the faith and trust.

Finally, we see that it is against the folks holding wrong teachings in the called-out community of Pergamos that Christ says, “Yet if not, I am repeatedly (habitually) coming swiftly in you (to you; for you) and I will wage war (do battle) with them within the broadsword of My mouth.” (Revelation 2:16)

This is obviously either a word of correction, or a decision such as Paul made regarding those who need discipline. Again, it is the “heavenly” doing battle upon the earthly. It is not Christians performing “spiritual warfare” upon entities in the spirit world.

We, on the other hand, are to enter into His rest. We are in the kingdom where “a wolf and a little lamb shall graze alike, and a lion shall eat crushed straw like an ox, and a serpent shall have soil as its bread. They shall not do evil, nor shall they bring ruin in My entire set-apart mountain [figure of His kingdom], says Yahweh” (Isa. 65:25).

One parting thought, inspired again from the discussion with John on this subject, concerns Matt. 16:18-19. What about the enigmatic statements by Jesus, here, about the “gates of the [the] unseen,” and about “binding and loosing”?
18. "And now I, Myself, am saying to you that you are Peter (or: that you continue being an isolated stone). And you see, [it is] upon this: the rock mass (or: bedrock) [that] I am going to construct and build up My house – the called-out community. And even gates of [the] unseen (or: gates of an unseen place; [= boulders on the entrances of graves; = {the prison} gates of the 'house of death'; or: the bars enclosing the realm of the dead]) will not bring strength down against it (or: will not come to their full strength in relation to it; or: will not overpower it; will not prevail in resisting it).
19. "I am going to give to you the keys [= means of locking or unlocking] which have their origin and source in the reign of the heavens (or: which pertain to and have the characteristics of the kingdom of the heavens; or: which belong to the sovereignty of the heavens; or, as a genitive of apposition: the keys which are the sovereign reign of the heavens). And so, whatever you can (or: may; should) bind upon the earth will be [something] having been bound, and still remaining bound, within the midst of the heavens. Also, whatever you can (or: may; should) loose upon the earth will be [something] having been loosed (unbound; untied), and remaining free of bonds, within the midst of the heavens."

The “unseen (Greek: haides)” was the realm and condition of the metaphorically “dead state” of those to whom Christ came to give resurrection life. Some of them He described as being “whitewashed tombs, full of dead men’s bones.” They were “blind leaders of the blind,” and were thus in the state of the unseen. They were in darkness and could not see Truth and Reality (Christ), until He gave them light. They were the prisoners whom He came to set free, and the gates of their prisons (their unseen place) could not prevail against Him. They were in their personal “hells” (not a Biblical term, but it speaks to us a certain cultural concept), living in a condition where they could not see the Light. They needed to be loosed from their “bonds,” or else have their wounds “bound up.” This “binding and loosing” is something that has already been done “in the heavens” via the work of Christ. Jesus passed on to the called-out community the ability to loose folks and to bind their wounds. This was figured by giving to Peter the “keys of heaven’s reign and sovereignty.” Remember that it is Christ who has the keys of “death and the unseen” (Rev. 1:18)

If we apply the phrase “gates of [the] unseen” to the realm of the dead, and to the phase of God’s dealing with humanity following physical death, which ends this natural life, then we see that a great hope awaits those yet locked behind these gates. Just as Jesus proclaimed the good news “to them that are dead” (both metaphorically dead and the physically dead: 1 Pet. 3:18-20; 4:6), so too these gates will not prevail against the work of the called-out community, with both those who are metaphorically dead, and with those who are physically dead.

PS: Kenneth Greatorex just mentioned an important statement that Jesus made in Matthew 28:18, “And so, after approaching, Jesus, [breaking the silence], suddenly spoke to them, by saying, "All authority (or: Every right and privilege that is from out of Being) is (or: was at once) given to Me within heaven and upon the earth!”

So if folks are attempting to do “spiritual warfare,” against Whose authority are they now fighting?

Was this why Paul was able to turn someone over to Satan (the adversary) so that his spirit would be saved (1 Cor. 5:5)? Does the called-out community now have the authority (through Christ) to use Satan, as the Lord directs them?

Jonathan

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