A brief explanation of spiritual warfare and healing prayer Spiritual Warfare: In closed countries there is an obvious presence of spiritual warfare that may seem different than what you may have experienced in the US. Simply put, Spiritual Warfare is the presence of demonic activity that attacks an individual, group, church, or ministry to try to thwart the work of the Gospel. We can be attacked or tormented by spiritual forces in a real and tangible ways while trying to minister. In many places around the world, people are much more open to this reality than we (westerners) are. At first this may seem unusual or scary, but by biblical standards it is completely normal. “Casting out demons, or exorcism, was a regular and frequent part of the ministry of Jesus, and he taught and commanded his followers to do the same. This command has never been abrogated, and the ministry of deliverance should be even more important today, when the forces of evil are so rampant.”[1] We can see in scripture many examples of the presence of dark forces as well as our need to pray effectively for the dismissal of the presence of evil. Ephesians 6:12- For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. We have to acknowledge the real presence of evil. 2 Corinthians 10:2-4For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.4 For theweapons ofour warfare are not of the flesh but havedivine powerto destroy strongholds. Christ has given us tools/weapons in prayer to destroy the work of the enemy. Luke 10:17-20 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord,even the demons are subject to us in your name!”18 And he said to them,“I saw Satanfall like lightning from heaven.19 Behold, I have given you authorityto tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power ofthe enemy, andnothing shall hurt you. Evil is subject to the name of Jesus. Jesus has given us authority to pray in His name. Mark 1:38-40 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. Demons were present IN the synagogues. Faithful people and churches can be affected by demons. Mark 3:14-1614 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach15 and have authority to cast out demons. We (like the disciples) are called to preach AND have authority to cast out demons. 1 John 4:4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. The underlined portion references the Holy Spirit that is in you. The Holy Spirit power in your is actually more powerful than the evil (demons) that are in this world. Authority Matters In Spiritual Warfare In the Luke 10:17-20 (above), Christ tells His listeners that He is giving them “authority” over all the power of the enemy. This means that there is a spiritual hierarchy that is all under the headship and authority of God through Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Christ has given us authority to pray over physical and spiritual places. Our authority is not limited and is effective when praying for othersas Jesus did.[2] The physical world mirrors the authority of the spiritual realm: Authority in the church: The head pastor has authority in the church andis the leader.[3]In order to honor his/her position, we should only teach or train things that are welcomed or approved by the pastor. This has both physical and spiritual implications. Authority over your hotel room: When entering any hotel room, you can pray for cleansing of the space spiritually. When renting a hotel room, the occupant has the legal right to occupy the space. If previous guests have invited any evil or demonic activity or forces by their actions, we (as the new occupants) have the authority to pray and command them to leave in Jesus name. The same concept can be applied to a rented or borrow car. Authority in a home: When entering a home, always seek permission to enter and permission to pray. The owner of the home has the ultimate authority over what is allowed to enter or leave the home. This is true both in the physical sense as well as the spiritual sense. If demons are present, it is because they were given some permission to enter by the homeowner (intentionally or unintentionally). In Cuba, Santeria is a common practice. If Santeria has been practiced in the home, the demonic realm has been given permission to enter the home. It simply needs to be cast out with the owner’s permission. Without their permission, it is beyond your spiritual authority.[4] Santeria priests and priestesses often dress in ALL WHITE. In Cuba, you may see them around town and in the markets with some regularity. Santeria worship primarily happens in homes. Rituals and worship often includes the welcoming of spirits to indwell a person. It is prevalent and common in Cuba. Which is why we need to be aware if we are entering others homes. There is nothing to fear when we recognize that the Holy Spirit is more powerful than any of the dark agents that are engaged through Santeria. Prayer Example in case of dark rituals or Santeria: “In the name of Jesus Christ, we have been given authority to pray over this home. We renounce any curses, blood pacts, agreements, or rituals that have invited evil into this home. We are washed in the blood of Christ and now apply His blood to every area of this home and to the occupants of this home. The blood of Jesus has the power to bind the work of the enemy and break every chain that is present, so any dark force that is present here must leave. You are no longer welcome or invited into this home. By the authority of Christ you must leave now and never return. We send you to the throne of Jesus Christ right now and forbid you to enter any other place. We pray all of this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” While we are praying for others or over physical spaces, we can ask the Lord to show us what our sphere of authority is before moving out in our own presumptions. We can trust the Holy Spirit to lead us in these prayers. There is no “formula” for prayer when dealing with demonic activity. The concepts are what really matter. When we understand the concept that the evil in this world has less power than the authority of Jesus, we can pray with confidence that it is Jesus who is doing the work…not our words. Our words simply acknowledge who Jesus says we are, and our words command the evil to flee once we know/understand that we have been given authority to do so. When we pray, we can pray with the confidence that God is who He says He is…and that we actually have the power and authority to pray as Jesus taught u[5] Physical Healing Prayers When visiting friends, you may be asked to pray for physical healing of a sick family member. If this is not a normal way of praying for you, here are some things to consider when given that opportunity. Identify your faith and worldviewabout healing. Praying effectively for healing requires a biblical worldview. In a biblical worldview, we understand that the stories of Jesus are real. And like Jesus, we really can see people healed when we pray for them. When we have faith that Jesus really can heal people, we pray like He can heal people. Our faith leads us to pray. When a person is physically healed, it builds the faith of the community around them.[6] One of the primary obstaclesto praying for physical healing is whether webelieve it can happen or not. We must go to the scriptures to understand what the bible says about healing. If we read scripture with our own lenses, we will only find what we already believe there.[7] We can all follow Jesus’ example of prayer in scripture. Some have the “gift” of healing. In certain cases, a person may have a gift to heal a very specific kind of disease. Or they may simply have a gift that moves them to pray for healing with great effectiveness. But we do not NEED a gift of healing in order to pray for healing. How did Jesus pray for healing? Mark 5:34 - And He said to her, “Daughter, your faithhas made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Luke 5:18-20 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” “One thing we see in Scripture again and again is God’s concern for the sick. Jesus showed that by healing people everywhere he went. As Matthew recorded, “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23). Ministering to the sick was such a significant part of Jesus’ ministry that nearly forty percent of the Gospel narratives deal with some aspect of healing. Jesus sought out the sick, giving those who suffered his special attention. No one can refute the fact that Jesus has always been tender toward those plagued by infirmity and disease.”[8] Jesus commands healing and it is done. When we have a posture of expectation we can see the power of God move through healing. How to pray for healing when asked: Ask what the ailment is. Ask what the level of pain is if appropriate to the ailment (maybe on a scale of 1 to 10) Ask if it would be ok to lay hands on them (James 5) Lay your hands on them and pray. Example of how you can pray: Jesus, we bless __(name)__. We ask that you send your ministering angels to protect them as we pray. We have authority in your name to pray as you did Jesus. So we ask in your name for __(name)__ to be healed. Come Holy Spirit and fill __(name)__ with you presence and your peace. We command all darkness to flee in the name of Jesus. Father would you bless us all with greater faith. You alone are worthy of our praise God. Come and heal your servant Father in heaven. You have called us to “raise the dead, heal the sick, and cast out demons” (Matthew 10:8), so as you have commanded us, we are obedient to your word. We love you God and prayer for divine healing over our friend __(name)___. Continue to pray as you feel led…see further notes below. You can ask the Holy Spirit to lead your prayers specifically. Pray whatever you hear/sense/or feel led to pray in your heart or mind. Don’t be afraid of silence. Ask for feedback – Is it getting any better? Sometimes healing is a progressive journey of prayer. Maybe it went from an 8 pain level down to a 5. Keep going and keep building faith. God is the one who does the healing, but our prayers can join Him in this work and we can see people healed. When in doubt, you can trust your translator to help your wording. They are likely more used to praying in this way. BE YOURSELF! Be open to praying and simply let God move in your heart. Don’t get caught up in thinking there is a “right” way to do it. Use the basic concepts and go for it. We can be naturally supernatural. It doesn’t have to be scary when we recognize where the power and where the healing comes from. Look over the notes above and feel free to reach out to ask questions. Blessings, Keith Peeler [1]Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort,Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Tyndale Reference Library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 373.x [2]Wagner, C. P. (2013). (p. 98). Ventura, CA: Regal. [3]Kraft, Charles H. (2012). I Give You Authority: Practicing the Authority Jesus Gave Us(p. 276). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. [4]Pierce, C. D., & Sytsema, R. W. (2004). (Revised Edition, p. 44). Ventura, CA: Regal. [5]Åbyholm, F. E. (2011). (p. 219). Greenville, SC; Belfast, Northern Ireland: Ambassador International. [6]Eckhardt, J. (2010). (1st ed., pp. 58–59). Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House. [7]Taylor, J. R. (1993). (p. 72). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. [8]Randall, Bill. The Life Jesus Made Possible: Embracing the Kingdom Within Our Reach .Long Wake. Kindle Edition.
