Mark 1–3
It is interesting to note the order of events as Yeshua was launching his ministry. He was about to enter a war zone! After John baptized Yeshua and he received his heavenly empowerment (Mark 1:9–11), he first went through a spiritual boot camp before stepping onto the battlefield of public ministry. Once in the “war,” it’s worth noting where Continue reading
Judges 3:2, Taught to war. Among other reasons, YHVH allowed some of the Canaanites to remain in the land of Israel not only as a spiritual test to the Israelites to see if they would remain faithful to YHVH in the face of worldly pressures (Judg 3:4), but so that they wouldn’t forget how to wage warfare.
Once a person or a people have received their inheritance, it’s easy to become soft, lazy and complacent. If they don’t fight to hang on to their inheritance, they will usually end up losing it. This often happens to those who become the beneficiaries of sudden wealth (e.g., through inheritance or the lottery). They have never learned how to appreciate and to manage properly their resources because they never had to work hard to earn it, so they don’t value it as much as someone who started with nothing from scratch.
Each new generation must learn to maintain what has been given to them and then fight to hold on to it.
Likewise, each new disciple of Yeshua must also learn the principles of spiritual warfare and how to resist the enemy, so they don’t lose the precious spiritual gifts YHVH has given them through Yeshua the Messiah. If they take their spiritual inheritance for granted and become complacent, YHVH will allow their enemies to rise up and to test them.
Some disciples who have drifted away from YHVH will pass the test and defeat the enemies and return to YHVH. Others will continue down the slippery slope of drifting away from YHVH and will slowly “intermarry” with the enemy. This is what happened to the majority of Israelites during the time of the judges as we see in verse six of this chapter.
Are you AWOL (Absent Without Leave) from YHVH’s spiritual army? In this video, we discuss the biblical principles of spiritual warfare and how to become a spiritual warrior to defeat demonic forces in and around your life.
Okay, this is a big one. I wrote what’s below on Sunday under the inspiration of the Spirit of Elohim.
This week we’re reading in 2 Corinthians 10:4–6 on spiritual warfare. It says,
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in Elohim for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Elohim, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Messiah, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
I got inspired to read Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. The Ruach nudged me to then do a commentary on it in light of what the Bible has to say about spiritual warfare. Perhaps I could learn something from an expert on physical warfare and then apply it spiritually to us. Needless to say, the saints are in a battle for their lives worldwide against the forces of evil. The Bible prophesied this would be the case in the end times. Largely, the church in the West is asleep! It’s time to wake up. I for one refuse to be caught unprepared. I refuse to lie down for the enemy of YHVH Elohim. As a watchman on the wall, I must sound the alarm and help prepare the troops. So here’s my latest contribution to this effort. I hope it helps someone!
Enjoy…
A Guideline to Spiritual Warfare
Natan Lawrence’s The Art of War — An Analysis of and Commentary on Sun Tzu’s The Art of War
Based on the Biblical Principles of Spiritual Warfare
The extracts below of The Art of War are taken from Lionel Giles Translation (www.artofwarsuntzu.com)
Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher who lived between the sixth and fifth centuries B.C. in ancient China. His work, The Art of War was unearthed in 1972, and since then has become a classic on the art of warfare. It is even used by the U.S. military.
The following are excerpts from this ancient work along with commentary from a biblical perspective giving the spiritual warrior in YHVH Elohim’s (the LORD God’s) army guidelines on how to be victorious over YHVH’s spiritual enemy.
I. — LAYING PLANS
1. Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.
2. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.
3. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one’s deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
4. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.
5,6. The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.
Comment: The moral law is the biblical Torah and the rest of the Word of Elohim as contained in the Bible. The Torah-word of YHVH Elohim (the God of the Bible) are his instructions, precepts, teachings or laws. The Torah is the foundation of truth for the rest of the Scriptures that follow. YHVH Elohim is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of the universe and is thus the originator of moral law. Since Elohim is the Creator and Sovereign Ruler of all the universe, it is the require of every human (and all the more so of those who claim to be his followers) to follow and obey him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any external threats or danger. Continue reading
Numbers 10:11–12a, In the second year. Israel had rested at the foot of Mount Sinai for slightly more than one year. According to the Torah, newlyweds (in this case, YHVH and Israel) were to spend one year together (getting to know each other) before going to war (Deut 24:5). It was now time for Israel to go to war—to fight their way to the Promised Land. With this biblical principle in mind, how would you characterize your spiritual walk? Are you in the warfare stage of your spiritual journey yet or are you still sitting (on the sidelines) in the same place spiritually that you were at the beginning of your journey? Have you fought the spiritual Canaanites, the serpents and scorpions, the heat and cold, hunger, doubt and unbelief, or have you never ventured outside of your spiritual comfort zones to do battle, to labor hard, to minister for YHVH in attempting to reach the Promised Land of his kingdom? (Let’s not forget what Yeshua said to the unprofitable servant in the Parable of the Talents in Matt 25:14–29.)
Revelation 12:11 says that the end time saints will overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus or Yeshua). What does this mean? Even though the the old favorite gospel hymn declares that “There Is Power in the Blood,” the modern church is largely squeamish to talk about the subject. It’s time we got bold and got back to the Word of Elohim and began using our power through the blood of the Lamb to kick the devil’s behind!
In the end times before the second coming of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, Elohim (God) is raising up a new generation of righteous servants who will boldly and in the power of the Holy Spirit stand against evil on this earth preparing the way for Messiah. They will walk in the powerful anointing of Phinehas, David, Elijah and John the Baptist. In this video, find out if you’re called to be part of this end-times army of spiritual warriors.