The Battle in the Heavenly Places

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

This verse tells us about where the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness are located and where the battle is being waged or should I say, not being waged because we don’t know how.  They are spiritual because they are not limited by time or space as we know it.  The real battle is against these spiritual beings in a heavenly spiritual world.

In traditional theology and within the church, there is little understanding of the invisible world and its operation We are losing the battle because we lack the knowledge and are not equipped to win the battle. 

 

To understand the spiritual world, we must examine the prophetic anointing.  In this manner, we can receive complete revelation.  The prophetic anointing is beyond saying “Thus saith the Lord,” or having a vision from heaven.  It occurs in a different realm than ours.  It is the entrance to the invisible Kingdom of God.  It’s the instrument used by God to make the Kingdom visible, and audible and palpable.  The prophetic anointing allows us to pernitrate it and extract from it riches of wisdom and knowledge.

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The Old Testament prophets experienced this dimension.  Some of them penetrated it, being caught away, as Ezekiel was and saw the temple of God and the Holy City (Ezekiel 10).  Daniel was lifted between heaven and earth to receive the vision of the four beasts (Daniel 7:1-28).  Moses was taken to extraordinary dimensions in which he received the revelation of the Genesis of creation.  The book of Hebrews says that God has prepared something even better for us.  God wants to give us greater things than those that He gave to these men of God. 

The Apostles understood this dimension because they penetrated the kingdom of God.  The union of heaven and earth through Jesus was their daily experience.  Our daily experience should be with the One sent to be like Jesus; the Holy Spirit (14:26).

In Acts 8:39-40, Philip was translated from one place to another in both spirit and body.  The same thing happened to Peter (Acts 12:1-11), when he was taken prisoner by Herod.  While in prison, he fell into a deep sleep and saw an angel that came to rescue him.  Both of them were translated through the prison, as if it were a mere vision.  But the experience was so deep that the Lord deconstructed his body and re materialized it again outside the prison.  Paul was taken to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2) and didn’t know if he was in the body or outside of the body.  John was taken in the Spirit (Revelation 1:19) to see the whole book of Revelation in which, heaven as well as the depths of hell, were both revealed to him.

The book of Acts did not end in the first century.  It continues to be written through those who believe God and have penetrated the Kingdom of God.  We can do the same in this day and age.

The Apostle John and others practiced “being in the spirit” or entering the realm of His Glory, as an essential part of their spiritual lives.  This is a state of deep intimacy with God and the spirit of man becomes hypersensitive to the Presence of God.  Revelation and visions of the heavenly Kingdom are seen in full.

The Kingdom of God is among us and it is only a thin transparent membrane which separates us from it.  It breaks when we know God intimately.  Our faith and love of God and time spent alone with Him allows us to pass from the flesh to the other side in the spirit.  He makes Himself available to us just as He has to others in the bible.

The Apostle John had extraordinary trances in which he saw Jesus in His glory.  He was not only taken to the third heaven, but regions of the kingdom of darkness were also shown to him. 

The more we experience heaven and are used to inhabiting its reality, the greater revelations we will have, even about the secret places of our enemy.  John was taken to a sea and saw a beast (Revelation 13:1).  In chapter 17, an angel carried him to a place of darkness called the desert which was a city full of demons (Revelation 18:2).  Jesus also spoke of that desert and taught his disciples that demons inhabit dry, desert places (Matthew 12:43).

The experience of Apostle John reveals to us both heavenly places, as well as the regions of darkness. God wants us to have this type of experience so He can give His children greater wisdom and knowledge as we prepare for the darkness sure to manifest prior to the coming of Jesus Christ.  Although, the Holy Spirit will not take everyone to the third heaven, everyone can have visions of the kingdom of God and it is possible the Lord will reveal places of captivity to them.

Seeing the spiritual reality was common among the apostles such as Steven when he saw God and Jesus (Acts 7:35 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God).  In the book of Acts, Peter clearly identified spiritual regions where Simon the magician was being held captive (Acts 8:9-24).  In this case, a vision wasn’t necessary to identify the regions.  The Holy Spirit revealed to them through a word of knowledge.  Even though Simon was baptized a Christian and took part in his local church, he was never set free.  His mind was captured in the spiritual world.

This brings us to the crux of this whole article.  In the last days leading up to the coming of Jesus, we will see evil manifesting at an extraordinary level on the earth and especially through people who are sure to come after the Body of Christ and everyone else.  As it says in Ephesians 6:12 says, the battle will not be in the flesh and blood.  Rather, the battle will be in the heavenly places and we will need to be able to go into the spirt and fight in the name of Jesus using all the power of God and the Holy Spirit.

How do we do this?  We have to totally submit to God (Romans 10:3), seek God (Psalm 14:2), read His word, imitate what the men we previous discussed, and call (Psalm 50:15, 86:7) on the Holy Spirit.  

The following is my experience and findings.  Many of you know that we have been conducting deliverance of fragmented and tormented souls from the prison as the bible has anointed us to do in Isaiah 61:1. The prison is a spiritual place where we have gone to bring those who are bound out of prison.  In essence, this is place that is shown to us in a vision and it has helped my wife and I understand the heavenly places.

After reading Ephesians 6:12 and the Lord giving me understanding, I began asking the Holy Spirit to take me to the heavenly places and reveal to me what I needed to know so I can pray against these higher-level spirits that are well hidden.  Little by little, He began giving us knowledge, answers, revelation of these spirits that enabled us to pray against these spirits.  Understand, that the Lord can only give us so much in this area of warfare, because we are only able to handle a certain amount of knowledge about Satan and his army.  God only gives us enough information to train and prepare us for this heavenly battle and increases our knowledge as we become more experienced.  It takes practice and experience to become a warrior in God’s army.

Operating in the spirt world is biblical and available to all of us in this present age as we prepare to do battle leading up to the coming of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Purpose of the Second Coming:

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Matthew 25:31 (NLT) Final Judgment “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.

2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom

Jude 14-15 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands (Innumerable Hebrews 12:22) of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Our preparation for the Second Coming:

Matthew 24:44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

1 Corinthians 1:7 (NLT) Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Ephesians 4:7-13, 1 Peter 4:10).

1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels (private motives) of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Timothy 6:14 (NLT) that you obey this command without wavering (uncertainty). Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence (unwavering faith) and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

Watchmen for the coming of Christ

• The uncertainty of the time: Matthew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. Mark 13:33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

• Reward promised the vigilant: Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

• The children of the Light will NOT sleep: 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.  Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

• The imminence of the Advent: Revelation 3:11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

• His appearance will be unexpected: Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 

Behold, I am coming as a thief - That is, suddenly and unexpectedly. This is designed evidently to admonish people to watch, or to be in readiness for his coming, since, whenever it would occur, it would be at a time when people were not expecting him.

Blessed is he who watches - Compare Matthew 24:42-44. The meaning here is, that he who watches for these events, who marks the indications of their approach, and who is conscious of a preparation for them, is in a better and happier state of mind than he on whom they come suddenly and unexpectedly.

And keeps his garments - The allusion here seems to be to one who, regardless of danger, or of the approach of an enemy, should lay aside his garments and lie down to sleep. Then the thief might come and take away his garments, leaving him naked. The essential idea, therefore, here, is the duty of vigilance. We are to be awake to duty and to danger; we are not to be found sleeping at our post; we are to be ready for death - ready for the coming of the Son of man.

Lest he walk naked - His covering being carried away while he is asleep.

And they see his shame - Compare with Revelation 3:18. The meaning here is, that, as Christians are clothed with the garments of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10), they should not lay them aside, so that their spiritual nakedness should be seen. They are to be always clothed with the robes of salvation (Isiah 61:10); always ready for any event, however soon or suddenly it may come upon them.

In light of tonight’s study and all the scriptures we covered, seeing how extremely dark the world is getting, leading up to His return, how would you get your house in order?  What areas do you need to work on immediately from a spiritual, emotional, or physical point of view?

Identifying & Acknowledging Sin

Identifying Sin – Sin is disobeying what God says.  The very word “sin” is defined as “to do something that is considered wrong”.  God defines what a good life looks like in His Word.  We wouldn't know who we ought to be if He didn't tell us.  We are made in His image (Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness) and created for His glory (Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him).  We are the creation, and He is the Creator.  Understanding His supreme authority is crucial.  We must realize and accept that we are designed with a purpose and that the Creator understands how to properly guide our lives to fulfill that purpose and it does not include sin.

Sin can be doing something that God has condemned.  David sinned by laying with Bathsheba, (2 Sam 11:4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house, 12:13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord”).  Sin can also be failing to do what you ought to such as Jonah refusing to preach to the Ninevites in verse 1:3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so, he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord).  Sin is profiting from what God has given us for free (Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give).  So many have become rich from the sale of books, songs, concerts, and tours.  As well as Christian nonprofits and televangelists.

Sin is not modeling our lives after God's commandments, statutes, and teachings. Our lives must bear fruit (John 15:12 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing and Luke 3:8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance), and we must flee from wickedness (1 Tim 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things (sin) and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness).  It is our adherence to both the positive and negative commandments of God that shows our friendship with Him (John 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you).  The Bible is God's road map for life; follow it to avoid the pitfalls of sin.

Sin must be identified, but sin is such a major problem in our lives because we struggle knowing what sin is.   We struggle with knowing how it operates in our lives because sin has been a central part of our lives since we were born.  Sin has become our normal and we are in darkness to a point that we can’t identify sin.  We have accepted sin and we are in the process of being destroyed by Satan because of our sin (John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly).

Acknowledging Sin – We have a propensity to sin and at the same time we are in denial of our sin, even though deep down we and others know that we have sin issues.  Don’t we tend to try and ignore our sin?  We just don’t want to accept the truth that we are sinners.  We don’t want to confess our sins to ourselves, others, and God because we don’t want to be judged.  We fear that we will be an outcast.  We don’t want to feel the embarrassment and shame of being a sinner. We want to hide our sin.  We just want to be people pleasers and ignore the problems that sin causes.  Running to and fro as we reside in captivity and darkness.

We fail to believe what it says in the Bible that we are born into sin (Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity (wickedness), And in sin my mother conceived me) and we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God).

We fail to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the remission (forgiveness) of sin (Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins).  We fail to understand how important it is to repent so that we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to navigate this evil world (Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit).

The million-dollar question is: How do we identify and acknowledge sin? 

• Admit we have problem with sin.
• Acknowledge that sin is a problem and can dominate our lives.
• Get down on your knees, surrender to Him and make Him first in your life.
• Eliminate distractions so we can get closer to God and hear from Him.
• Put an intense inner focus on what we say, think and do and determine if it brings glory to God.
• Confess all sin, repent, and ask for God’s forgiveness.
• Seek other believers and confess your sin to them and pray together (James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed).
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This is not a complicated formula.  In reality, God is pretty basic in what He wants us to do. He does not complicate things.  Nor, does He bring confusion to us (1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints).  He wants us to have peace and sin will not allow peace.  Only torment, sickness, and disease.

We cannot become dull of hearing.  We must discern both good and evil!

Hebrews 5:1-14 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.  He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.  Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.  And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also, Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.”  As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”; who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

We praise You Father.  We worship You Father. We honor You Father.  We glorify You Father.

Psalm 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day.

Blessings to you all,

Tony Sanchez, A humble servant of the Lord