Spiritual Warfare 2
Monday, July 14th, 2008By Eddie Smith
The Importance of Patience and Humility
Many prophetically gifted people can almost taste the air war; lots of intercessors are ready and willing to lead the charge in the heavenlies. They’ve been dreaming of the day and revving up their engines for years. They’re on the edge of their seats, waiting until the Lord releases them against hell’s gates.
Like many during the first Desert Storm, when we were told that the ground war wouldn’t begin until the air war was finished, some of these warriors are wondering, Why not
now? Let’s get on with it!
Others, overcome with impatience, have decided presumptuously to fight their own battles, determine their own targets, and call their own shots.
They’ve moved out on their own, often with little or no directive from their Commander, the Lord of Hosts. They’ve conducted their own spiritual sorties (air raids) and have precious little to show for it. Many have suffered backlash,
some are sick, and some have even died.
For instance, a few years ago, when Alice and I were ministering in Ecuador, one pastor approached me in obvious distress. He told me about a promising young woman who was becoming well known as a pop singer when she was born again and joined his church. He’d been thrilled!
He said, “The Wednesday night prayer meetings at our church drew large crowds, among them this young girl‚Äîa new convert. For several months she watched and emulated one of our seasoned intercessors conduct a direct frontal assault against evil spirits.
“Some nights I wasn‚Äôt involved, but when I heard her do this
for the first time, I got chills of concern. As her pastor, I had the obligation to warn her, a new Christian, that it wasn’t healthy for her to taunt and harass demons, especially those pertaining to witches in the area. [In South America, witches carry a powerful presence.] Pastor Eddie, I failed her, and I feel so guilty.
“One Wednesday night about a month ago she stood up and
began to pace back and forth, ranting and raving, taunting
demons. I cringed. Moments later, in midsentence, she dropped dead, instantly. We tried to revive her. The emergency care came.
“No change. The medical examiner was never able to determine the cause of death. But we know you can tell us, so would you please?”
I consoled the weeping pastor, and then I carefully explained that the young lady was a baby Christian who had neither gained the right nor been given the authority to do what she was doing. I showed him how the authority Jesus grants us is ambassadorial in nature—to be used with His permission
and under His direction. The girl had been defeated by regional occult powers that had ruled the land for ages. She was sincere, but she was sincerely wrong, because she was neither equipped for nor assigned to the perilous duty she
was trying to carry out.
Satan is clever. Shaking your fist in the air and declaring open war on high-ranking demons could just cost you everything. You need to know that whatever you’re doing and saying carries God’s authority, and not simply yours.