1. In what ways does spiritual warfare serve God’s purposes?

2. View the Arrest, Crucifixion, & Resurrection of Jesus through the lens of Spiritual Warfare. What role/roles did Satan play? What did he hope to accomplish? How did God use that “battle” to accomplish His Will?

3. Do believers have authority over demons and/or Satan? Do we have the authority to bind, command, rebuke, or cast out demons? If so, what is the basis and source for that authority? If not, why not?

Group Questions…

“the Christian’s struggle against otherworldly forces”

(Millard Erickson)

Spiritual Warfare

1. Accomplish His Will

2. Reveal His Glory

3. Advance His Kingdom

4. Conform Us to the Image of Christ

God Uses Spiritual Warfare to…

And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.

Luke 22:2-4

Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."

John 13:26-27

And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

John 14:29-30

Spiritual warfare is a way of characterizing our common struggle as Christians. Whether we want

to think about it or not, the truth is that we all face supernatural opposition as we set out to live the Christian life… There is virtually no part of our existence over which the Evil One does not want

to maintain or reassert his unhealthy and perverse influence. Conversely, Jesus longs to

reign as Lord over every area of our lives. This is the locus of intense struggle for believers. To

which kingdom – and source of power – do we yield?

Clinton Arnold

(3 POPULAR VIEWS) -- We have….

1. UNLIMITED Spiritual Authority

2. LIMITED Spiritual Authority

3. NO Spiritual Authority

Do Believers Have Personal Authority

over Satan/Demons?

That's why angel's need our permission to function. It says they are here to do our bidding. They can't even act without our permission, you see…Even God Himself is illegal on earth. Why? Because, He is a spirit and the law He set up by His own mouth was that only spirits with bodies

can function on earth legally.

Myles Munroe

Heaven depends on earth for interference. If He [God] could just find two people like you [Benny

Hinn] and I to agree. We agree for God to do this thing. Then God says, 'Thank you very much for

permission! …Our prayer is a strange experience. We normally ask God to do things, God is telling us to command Him permission to do it for us

Myles Munroe

Let me define prayer for you in this show. Prayer is man giving God permission, or license, to

interfere in earth's affairs. In other words, prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference….God can do nothing on earth, nothing has God ever

done on earth without a human giving him access….Always looking for a human to give him

power of permission. In other words, God has the power, but you got the permission. God got the

authority and the power, but you got the license. So even though God can do anything, he can only

do what you permit him to do…

Myles Munroe

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.

Mark 16:19-20

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Hebrews 2:3-4

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Mark 16:17