NATURAL PARALLELS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE
By End Times WatcherParanormal Heartbeat News
Here are the natural principles of warfare that are parallels of spiritual battle:
THE DEFINITION OF WAR:
A simple definition of war in the natural world is “an act of force intended to compel our opponent to fulfill our will.” This definition is applicable also in the spiritual world. Satan is constantly using the forces of evil to compel you to fulfill his will.
A WARTIME LIFESTYLE:
When a nation is at war, the life-style of that nation is affected. Men give up their jobs to fight for their nation. They spend hours in preparation and training. Funds are drawn from the economy to aid in the battle. Residents are alert to invasion and extra guards are posted at national borders.
In the spiritual world many believers are totally unaware of the warfare raging around them and have not adopted a wartime lifestyle. Church fellowships plan programs and parties but they do not have a battle plan.
THE OBJECTIVE OF WAR:
The main objective of warfare in the natural world is victory over the enemy. This is also the main objective in the spiritual world. To achieve victory in natural warfare, there are many short-range objectives that must be met. Individual battles must be won and separate territories claimed. Each of these individual battles contribute to the final goal of victory.
BASIC TRAINING:
Knowing the objectives for war is not enough. A soldier must receive basic training on how to achieve these objectives. In the natural world this training includes learning about the enemy, his tactics, how to use the weapons of warfare, and the battle plan.
In the spiritual world believers often enter the battlefield without this basic training. They do not understand the tactics of the enemy. They are not aware of their spiritual weapons and how to use them and they have not studied the battle plan (God’s written Word).
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. (II Timothy 2:3-4)
PROPAGANDA:
Enemy nations always spread false propaganda (information) about each other. Satan also injects false propaganda into your mind if you allow it. You will learn more about this when you study “The Battle In The Mind” in Chapter Fifteen.
DIPLOMATIC PROPOSALS:
One of the strategies of nations at war is to weaken the enemy by diplomatic proposals. These are suggestions of compromise. Through such proposals each nation tries to gain advantage over the other. In spiritual warfare, Satan attempts to make believers compromise with sin. He knows such “diplomacy” will result in spiritual weakness.
INTELLIGENCE:
When nations are at war, there is always an intricate organization of intelligence. Each side has intelligence forces dedicated to gathering information about the other. The intelligence forces collect and analyze all available information on the enemy. They communicate what they have learned to the soldiers engaged in combat.
In spiritual warfare your knowledge of the enemy and his tactics are vital to victory.
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE WARFARE:
Armies in the natural world use both offensive and defensive strategies. As you have learned, offensive warfare is an aggressive advance against an enemy. Defensive warfare is when the enemy attacks and you must defend your territory.
WEAPONS:
In every war there are weapons which are used. They may be simple weapons such as a spear or bow and arrow, or they may be complex weapons such as a missile system. The soldier must know what weapons are available for use and how to use them. Some weapons are specifically designed for defensive warfare while others are for offensive warfare.
This is also true in the spiritual world.
SURPRISE ATTACKS:
Terrorism, sabotage, and ambush are all surprise attacks and are methods used by natural armies at war. These methods have two things in common: First, they are violent offensive methods. Second, they all have an element of surprise. The target at which such assaults are directed is caught unawares and is unprepared. Confusion and defeat usually result.
DECISIVE BATTLES:
In every war there are “decisive battles.” These are battles which determine the outcome of the entire war. Decisive battles are important because of the territory involved in the fight. If an army wins control of a certain strategic territory he can gain control of surrounding territories. In spiritual warfare there are also decisive battles. For example, if you fail in the battle of the mind and tongue it will affect your soul, spirit, heart, and possibly your entire body.
COMMUNICATION:
Communication is very important in natural warfare. The troops must be able to communicate with their commander to receive instructions and encouragement. The enemy will try to sever communication between the front line troops and their leader, knowing this will result in failure on the battlefield.
In spiritual warfare, Satan wants to destroy your lines of communication.
TARGETS:
In warfare in the natural world there are two kinds of targets: Moving targets (such as a boat, airplane, tank, or troops) and stationary targets (such as a weapons depository, troop headquarters, etc.). The moving targets are the greatest threat in natural warfare because they are offensive. They are on the move to conquer territory.
ATTACKS AND COUNTERATTACKS:
In natural warfare when one side attacks, the other side counterattacks. A counterattack is an attempt to stop enemy forces from advancing and to regain lost territory. Satan counterattacks every offensive move made by believers. When you decide to pray more, read the Word of God, or enter a ministry, he will immediately stage a counterattack to prevent you from advancing. If you are aware of this strategy of counterattack you will be prepared and not caught off guard.
MOBILITY:
In order to be effective in natural warfare, an army must be mobile. The forces must be able to move to the place where offensive action is to be taken. If they are trapped and held immobile by the enemy, they are ineffective.
Mobility is a requirement in the spiritual world if you are to carry out the orders to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel.”
COOPERATION:
War is a team effort. Soldiers must cooperate with one another in their effort to defeat the enemy. They must come under the direction of one commander. They move forward as a united front. They do not fight in their own name, but on behalf and in the name of their country.
Believers must learn to cooperate in the arena of spiritual warfare. Instead of fighting each other, we need to concentrate our attack against the enemy.
OBEDIENCE:
A soldier on the battlefield in the natural world does not do as he pleases. He follows orders from the commander. Total obedience is required. There is nothing in war of greater importance than obedience.
COURAGE:
A great general in the natural world once said, “If you are afraid of being shot at, you are whipped before you start…Fear kills more people than death.” Do not fear failure in spiritual warfare. If you are afraid of being shot at by the enemy, you are defeated before you start.
CONQUERING THE LEADERSHIP:
One important general frequently expressed his personal wish that he could fight the highest enemy leader and the victor of the personal fight would settle the war. This has already been done in the spiritual realm by our Commander.
COMMITMENT:
In speaking about commitment, a famous general said: “We are lucky people. We are at war! We have a chance to fight and die for something. Many people never get that chance. Think of all those poor people you know that have lived and died for nothing…Total lives spent doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and going to work…”
Revelation 8:8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
Revelation 8:10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
The Pacific Ocean accounts for one third of the seas; are we witnessing the fulfillment of The Revelation? Watch the latest update.
Folks we may be closer than you think, be ready and seek the Lord!
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