Spiritual Warfare Prayer Points With Scriptures For Battle
The Word of God equips us for success in spiritual battles and explains how to stand in victory.
Spiritual warfare is real.
And it’s no joke.
Victory is guaranteed to every follower of Jesus when we take our stand and engage in warfare precisely as scripture instructs.
The enemy deceives us into believing that we cannot break free from spiritual captivity, or that we cannot be victorious over Him. Watch the YouTube video below where my puppy, Baker, helps me further develop this idea with a powerful example to illustrate this concept.
I’ve observed two common responses from people regarding their perspective on spiritual warfare:
The first is to ignore or deny the existence of the raging war out of fear, disbelief, or apathy.
Ignorance or denial regarding the devil’s schemes or the power of the enemy won’t change the fact that you’re in a spiritual battle, but it will make you vulnerable. It may also contribute to a feeling of helplessness or hopelessness, reinforcing the lies you’re tempted to believe.
The extreme opposite is an unhealthy focus placed on demonic activity, the power of darkness, evil powers, evil spirits, and the wiles of the devil.
These individuals tend to blame anything and everything negative that happens on the enemy. While we certainly don’t want to be oblivious to his activity, we also don’t want to attribute him for everything that doesn’t go according to our plans or desires. There are a lot of reasons things don’t go the way we’d like, and it’s not always due to an evil influence or brought on by evil forces.
There’s danger in both extremes, and we don’t want to find ourselves on either end.
We want to have a sound, Biblical understanding, along with wisdom and discernment to respond as the Bible teaches.
This post will equip you with a Biblical understanding regarding what spiritual warfare prayers consist of so you can engage effectively and claim the victory and freedom that is rightfully yours!!
Satan does not have the authority to keep you in any spiritual captivity when you take your stand as Scripture teaches!
I hope you’re feeling hope welling up in your heart and mind as you’re reading this post because triumph awaits, my friend!
Defeat is not an option when you take your stand strictly as our Heavenly Father commands.
In order to establish effective spiritual warfare prayer points, we need to have a Biblical understanding of the battle at hand!
Any well-trained soldier would testify to the importance of:
- Correctly identifying the enemy
- Knowing how their enemy attacks
- Understanding how he or she can obtain victory on the battlefield
We can apply the same principles from the physical realm to the spiritual realm.
What is a spiritual battle?
Dr. Tony Evans poignantly goes to the root of this battle in his succinct definition:
“Spiritual warfare is an epic battle between good and evil which begin when Satan was cast out of heaven. This confrontation escalated to the Garden of Eden, where the first man, Adam, received a near-fatal blow that echoes throughout the history of God’s people. Jesus came to earth and faced this battle daily. The devil tempted him in the wilderness, and the battle raged. Jesus was sent to the cross to die and the battle raged. He rose victoriously on the third day… But the enemy still hasn’t surrendered. The spiritual battle continues to rage today.”
More than just good versus evil, this fight is Almighty God vs Satan.
All of God’s children are involved in this epic battle; we were enlisted the moment we surrendered our life to Jesus.
We know the end is written, and Jesus always has been, is, and will forever be Victorious!
Thank you, O Lord, for the honor to be on the winning team, and all of the peace and assurance that comes with that truth!
Ephesians 6:12 identifies our opponents, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Satan is the god of this age and the ruler of the kingdom of the air. (2 Cor 4:4, Eph. 2:2) He’s a murderer and liar. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10). He’s the embodiment of evil, and extremely powerful.
Satan is one being, and the commander of the dark forces.
While we are no match for Satan, make no mistake, he’s no match for our Sovereign God!
All forces of darkness are under the sovereign reign of our God who alone is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent!
Satan does not share these qualities with our God.
Satan cannot read your mind.
He is, however, an astute observer of his prey; therefore, he knows the things to tempt you with as he attempts to pull you away to sin.
While he does have an army of demonic forces under his rule, he is limited to being in one place at a time.
And he’s not all-powerful – he’s under the rule of our Sovereign Lord and the power of God.
The battle belongs to the Lord, and the power to overcome is in Him alone.
Our identity in our Lord Jesus Christ is the sole factor that guarantees our victory!
SATAN KNOWS THIS TO BE TRUE!!!!
HE KNOWS when you apply the truth of Scripture that he’s a goner each and every time! He knows the truth of James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
HE MUST FLEE FROM YOU. He doesn’t have a choice in the matter.
Don’t gloss over the first part of James 4:7, “Submit yourselves to God.” The Lord is our power source, and yielding to and surrendering to Him is crucial for triumph in spiritual warfare.
We will not be victorious by following our own blueprint – so let’s not waste our time trying to figure out on our own how to be successful!
Likewise, we won’t be successful if we engage in our own strength, or utilize our own strategies and battle plans!
A spiritual war requires a spiritual blueprint and spiritual weapons, and the Lord has provided us with both!
The enemy will be defeated by HIS power, using HIS strategies, and with HIS weapons!
What role do I play in spiritual warfare?
Ephesians 6:10-11 tells us, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
While the battle belongs to the Lord, victory is sure in Him, and it is in His power alone that will overcome, you and I still play a role in battle.
We stand in the power of the Holy Spirit equipped with the whole armor of God, and our sword of the Spirit.
Let’s take a moment to look closer at exactly what Ephesians 6:10-11 says:
Be strong in the Lord
In Christ, you and I have been perfectly equipped for guaranteed victory. Our strength and power come solely from the Lord.
It’s crucial to understand you’re standing in a position of authority and power when we come in the name of Jesus.
We need not worry or guess if we’ll be victorious, or if applying God’s blueprint for battle will “work”…
And we need not shrink back in fear when it comes to the reality of the enemy’s attacks.
Let me just stop right here and say if you have fear regarding spiritual battle, that is not from God, and I encourage you, right now to stop and pray 2 Timothy 1:17, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Continue to pray that verse over yourself whenever fear comes into your thoughts and heart regarding warfare.
Our prayers can be offered confidently and boldly – because of who you are in Christ!
Your source of strength and effectiveness does NOT come from anything that originates in you or from this Earth, and it’s absolutely paramount to understand this.
Put on the full armor of God
We are told to put on the full armor of God. Other translations use the word “whole” armor of God. Each item is essential, so we need to be, cautious not to leave one item out.
Let’s identify each part of our armor, keeping in mind Paul’s inspiration for this effective analogy was a Roman soldier’s armor at his time.
When Paul wrote his letter to Ephesians which included his description of our armor, he was writing while under house arrest with an armed guard always at his side. As we mention each piece, we’ll look at the correlations to the original inspiration for Paul’s analogy to increase our depth of understanding of its importance and function.
The belt of truth
The belt was an extremely important piece of the Roman soldier’s battle attire. The belt was put on after the tunic, which was a long cloak with three holes – two for the arms and one for the head, like a toga. The belt secured the tunic so the soldier could move freely, and it served the purpose of holding the breastplate and sheath for his sword. For the soldier, the belt held everything together and allowed for confident movement.
Our protective belt is God’s truth revealed in scripture. We’re called to hold on to the truth of God’s word and conduct ourselves in alignment with its truth.
When we know and believe who we are in truth, we can confidently take our stand.
Remember, one of the chief tactics of our enemy is to lie and deceive.
He’ll tempt us to believe lies about:
- Who God is and His character.
- The inerrant, perfect, unchanging nature of Scripture and its content
- Who we are in relationship to God.
- What we can accomplish in Jesus’ name.
He will attack your identity in Christ.
He tempts you to believe you’re weak, ineffective, and hopeless. He’ll try and silence you by making you doubt the truth. He’ll twist things causing you to wonder “Did God really say…”
That tactic is as old as the Garden of Eden, and it’s still one of his favorite tactics. His original approach to Eve didn’t include a temptation to murder, kill, or covet… he tempted to doubt God’s Word.
God’s truth always trumps Satan’s lies. But we need to know the truth so we can come against lies and deceptions!
Satan wants to prevent you from living an abundant life in Christ by getting his evil hooks in you and trapping you in a spiritual stronghold, or place of spiritual captivity.
A stronghold can be defined as an accepted mindset contrary to scripture.
Once a stronghold is set, it’s like a fortress. That’s why we need spiritual weapons in order to tear them down.
According to two Corinthians 10:4-5, the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments in every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
For a believer in Christ, a stronghold is not an inevitable part of life, nor an unchangeable part of a person’s personality.
Examples of strongholds include anger, insecurity, jealousy, pride, anxiety, fear, unforgiveness, or bitterness. You can find help in this post on breaking free from a stronghold that prevents living abundantly in Christ!
“All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal” (Ps. 119:160).
“Sanctify them by your truth; your Word is truth” (John 17:17).
The breastplate of righteousness
The breastplate was an impressive piece that covered the front and back of a soldier from his neck to thighs. Made of leather or bronze this piece protected the soldier’s vital organs against arrows from the enemy.
Satan loves to aim his fiery darts at the essence of who we are by attacking the heart of our faith, attempting to doubt our right standing in Christ and lure us into sinful ways of living.
He may attack your self-worth and tempt you to insecurity.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Cor. 5:17)
“For we are God’s masterpiece.” (Eph. 2:10)
Feet fitted with the readiness from the gospel of peace
The boots worn by soldiers in Paul’s time resembled modern-day cleats that a football player would wear. Open-toed, nail-studied bottoms, and leather straps that tied up the ankle, these boots were meant to provide traction and aid a soldier in getting his footing during up-close combat.
Peace with God prevents us from slipping and allows firm traction as we walk with Jesus. When Satan comes to tempt us to think we’re not in the right standing with God, we can’t stand firm against his opposition.
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” (Ps. 37:23-24)
“My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.” (Ps. 17:5)
Shield of faith
The Roman soldier’s shield was massive. It was about 4 and 1/2 ft long and 2 and 1/2 ft wide, oval-shaped, and covered with leather that had been soaked in water before battle to help extinguish arrows that were set on fire and lunged at them during war. Soldiers would interconnect their shields side by side during war to form a cohesive barrier of protection. There was also a top protective panel that would go over the top of them.
We raise our shield of faith as we choose to know, believe, and trust God’s word over the flaming arrows the enemy shoots in our direction. The arrows in his arsenal are varied and complex. Lies. Temptations. Deception. Doubt. Shame. Guilt. Confusion. Perversion. Distortions. When we choose to see ourselves and our circumstances through faith we are protected as with a shield from the fiery darts shot at us.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Ephesians 3:16).
“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7)
The helmet of salvation
The soldier’s helmet left very little of his head exposed.
Satan loves to attack our minds. Being absolutely certain of our salvation in Christ and the firm standing we have in him forever offers the ultimate protection for our mind against the enemy’s attacks.
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn. 8:32)
“Be sober-minded: be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Pt. 5:8)
The sword of the spirit
Our weapons may be unseen, but it is the most powerful tool with divine power – like spiritual dynamite!
Since they are spiritual in nature, they do not originate from planet Earth!
This means spiritual weapons cannot be created by us, given to us by another person, or bought at a store! A doctor cannot prescribe them, and an architect cannot design them.
God ordained and God-given, we look to Him as our Source.
In the Greek language, logos is the term used to refer to the word of God in its entirety.
Logos is not the Greek term used for “word” in Ephesians 6:17. The word used here is Rhema.
Rhema speaks to a specific verse in scripture, not the whole finished work in its entirety; therefore, when an individual is in the heat of battle and the enemy throws a fiery dart, a specific rhema, or verse from scripture, will unleash divine power to distinguish the fiery dart.
Since Rhema refers to individual verses within God’s word, we actually have a plethora of warfare Scriptures (swords) at our disposal to use in battle!
Our spiritual attacks will be specific and personal from the enemy, and we must respond accordingly with specific scriptures to combat the exact arrow that was fired at us.
Powerful prayers for warfare
The fuel that designates our prayers as being powerful doesn’t originate from us.
It is not our eloquent words, our length of prayer, or our external appearance that makes them effective.
Our prayers are fervent and effective when we cry out and pour our hearts out to God in a sincere manner, when we integrate the power of praying Scripture in our prayers of warfare, and when we pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
The weapons of our warfare are not seen with human eyes, but make no mistake – it shakes the powers of darkness and upsets the balance of power in your favor – where it belongs!
To effectively utilize our rhema swords in combat, we need to use the specific Bible verses that pertain to the specific scenario at the moment we’re under attack!
Let’s use the example of fear, as we used once before in this post, and adhering to the same example, let’s say you struggle with a fear of the reality of spiritual wickedness.
At the moment when a fearful thought enters your mind, you stop, pray, and quote an applicable verse that fits your situation. In this case, you may quote Psalm 56:2, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (In addition to 2 Tim. 1:7 that we previously quoted in this post.)
You can add to your arsenol as you add other specific verses pertaining to your struggle.
The more you know the Word of God, the more skillfully you become at wielding your two-edged sword in warfare.
Concluding remarks on powerful prayer points regarding warfare:
- Our power and authority come from Christ alone, and our identity in Him enables us to engage in battle from a place of authority and victory!
- Each piece of the full armor of God is vital and the role it plays in our protection is necessary.
- Utilize our Sword of the Spirit, Rhema, in a timely, specific fashion for success. This necessitates being in the Word of God, internalizing it, memorizing it, and leaning into it to guide our every step.
- Once we find specific rhema verses that speak to our areas of warfare, we need to pray them over ourselves often, memorize them, and cling to them as they set us free!
Very thought full points to ponder and a real road map to a concrete way to talk to God and oppose satan.
We definitely need a road map to follow with a concrete method to apply when it comes to opposing Satan. I’m so thankful the Lord provided us with His Word explaining how we can be victorious, and also assuring us that victory is ours! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment.