Engaging in spiritual warfare is a serious and dangerous undertaking. While the whole world is technically enslaved to fallen powers—though unaware of it—those in Christ are free. When you engage in this battle, you are choosing to take on the burdens of others to help liberate them.
As you gain experience in spiritual warfare, you may begin to discern the specific spirits oppressing an individual. This often provokes retaliation, as these forces do not relinquish their influence willingly.
We see this pattern from the beginning. Cain, for instance, was driven by a murderous spirit. Had God not judged him, he would have sought to destroy humanity himself.
Later, the descendants of Noah's sons—Shem, Japheth, and Ham—faced their own struggles and divisions, which historically led to hierarchies of master, servant, and slave among the nations. For context, Japheth dishonored his father, making himself look superior.
These ancient divisions created the lines that would define peoples like the Hebrews and Arabs from Shem, Europeans from Japheth, and various Asian and African peoples from Ham.
The spiritual world has many written rules: Seeing the nakedness of someone invites spirits of lust and perversion on some occasions.
Yet, these earthly divisions and oppressions are ultimately overcome in Christ. In Him, all are free. Alleluia! Glory to God!
Principalities will retaliate if you intervene in their assault. They may attack you and those around you. The only escape from their dominion is through surrender to Christ. To return to your old ways is to become a traitor. This is why sanctification is essential: until you are made new in Christ and set apart, they will wage a spiritual war against you—often without your knowledge.
To understand God’s grace in the Old Testament, you must acknowledge this invisible army. Now that we have authority in Christ, we are held to a higher standard; Verily, no one can afford to be lukewarm. Your reward in this fallen world is to forsake your Heavenly reward.
For instance, you cannot fully understand the story of Jephthah without recognizing the spirit of murder at work. Those spirits do not leave you until you pass over to the spirit realm.
Jephthah points to Jesus, the Word of God who convicted those who wanted to stone the adulterous woman. Jesus saw through the trap and saved the adulterous woman while Jephthah fell in their trap, setting in his daughter fate with his words.
