The success of warfare, no matter how high its objectives, comes down to the effectiveness of each soldier's hand‑to‑hand combat. Spiritual warfare is the sum total of the impact of each Christian's combat on the tactical plane ‑ engaging the Enemy in his control of individual lives. Ephesians 6:12 (Living Bible) describes our Enemy as "those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and... huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world". It is with these "wicked spirits" that we are engaged in spiritual warfare on a daily basis.

Ephesians 6:13‑17 lists the items of spiritual armour we have been given:

31206. The Belt of Truth

31207. The Breastplate of Righteousness

31208. Sandals of Readiness

These are the three pieces of armour which we are told to "put on". We must check constantly that these defences are in place. Then, once ready to go into battle, the Bible tells us to "take up" another three items of our armoury, which are used in direct engagement with the Enemy:

31291. The Shield of Faith

31292. The Helmet of Salvation

31293. The Sword of the Spirit

In Romans 13:14, this armour is summarised in the words "clothe yourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ" (see also Gal. 3:27). Our relationship with the Lord is our first and greatest line of defence against the Enemy, and the spiritual armour we wear is simply aspects of the Lord's own nature.

The Bible tells you to make sure you wear God's full armour so that you can "take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:11).

Jesus told His disciples: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and overall the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" Luke 10:19 (KJV).

The key element of the serpent's power is deception (Gen. 3:13; 1 Cor. 11:3). The Enemy's main battlefield is the human mind.

The key element of the scorpion's power is torment (1 Kings 12:11; Eze. 2:6; Rev. 9:3‑6). The Enemy seeks to torment ‑ "afflict" people's lives.

But we, as sons of God, have been given authority over "all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). God is the One "Who led you throught the great and terrible wilderness, with its firery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, but Who brought you forth water out of the flinty rock" (Deut. 8:15).

The whole question of deliverance tends to provoke two extremes in the Church:

31376. The Invincible Christian ‑ Some believe that a Christian can never be under the control of demonic spirits.

31377. The Violated Christian ‑ Others believe that it is not only possible for a Christian to have a demon, but that the majority, if not all, do!

Like everything else, the ministry of deliverance needs to be brought into a Biblical perspective. As you read the New Testament, you discover some important facts about demonic attack:

31461. Demons are real.

31462. Demons are subject to the name of Jesus.

31463. Demons are mentioned rarely in the epistles.

The fact that demons are real and that they are subject to the name of Jesus is the foundation of the deliverance ministry. But equally important, demons are mentioned only sparingly in the instructive epistles of the New Testament ‑ a grand total of eight times. If everyone had them, they would be a major focus of Christian instruction.

One danger in the deliverance ministry is to off‑load all responsibility over to demonic influence. God always places the responsibility squarely on our shoulders. The Bible emphasises each Christian's responsibility to flee from sin (1 Cor. 6:18‑20; 10:13‑14; 1 Tim. 6:10‑11; 2 Tim. 2:22). Read also 2 Corinthians 7:1.

Demons can, however, exercise control over a person's life. But it is important to distinguish between demonic attack and demonic control.

For a long time, the English‑speaking Church has used the word "possession" to describe demonic control. But the Greek word used is daimonizomai, which means to be demon‑tormented or possessed with (ie having) a demon.

People can form bonds with demonic spirits (see Acts 16:16‑18), and it is these relationship bonds that must be broken. These demonic bonds become "excuse refuges", where people can escape responsibility of their actions.

Is the problem demonic or psychological in nature and origin? This is a vital question that arises when helping someone with serious emotional problems. The answer is, usually, both. Each tends to have a bearing on the other.

Demons work according to the human psycholgical make‑up. They either create or use existing traumas, habitual sins, genetic weaknesses and psychological vulnerabilities to wrangle control. And from there on, the demonic and psychological/physiological elements of the problem become intertwined, feeding on each other.

A vital part of integrated spiritual warfare is to break demonic bonds ‑ the spiritual strongholds in a person's life. The Christian has authority to deal with every demonic influence in Jesus' name (Luke 9:1; 10:17; Mark 16:17).

However, the majority of these bonds are not broken in classic deliverance sessions, but at the point of simple repentance. It is the anointed truth of the Gospel that destroys every yoke.

Here are some practical guidelines which will help when engaging the Enemy:

! You choose the time and the place, not the Enemy. The Enemy would seek to wear you down by choosing late or inconvenient hours for a confrontation.

! Don't allow the Enemy to control the situation through many manifestations and theatrics.

! Don't rely on set formulas. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that you can target the root problem through the gifts of Spirit. This sensitivity comes from a daily preparation of our hearts in prayer (Mark 9:28‑29).

God wants us to walk in victory being "God‑conscious" not "demon‑conscious". You need to remember that the victory of the Cross is applied to three areas in your life: your mind, your flesh (bodily appetites) and your priorities.

The key to victory is called "walking in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16). No demonic power can cope with a Christian whose focus in life is the Spirit of God. As we walk in the Spirit, the Lord promises: