Key Spiritual Warfare Verses in the Old Testament
-Satan’s rebellion: Isaiah 14:12-20; Ezekiel 28:11-19.
-Satan tempts Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). As far as humans are concerned, this is when Satan strikes the first blow in his spiritual warfare. The spiritual warfare, though, had began much earlier with Satan’s rebellion against God. He took with him a 3rd of the angels. See verses above.
-Sons of God marry the daughters of man (Genesis 6). This appears to have been fallen angels.
-Moses and Pharoah. The ten plagues that led to the release of the Israelites from Egypt (Exodus 7-12)
–God with Satan over Job. God gives permission to Satan to test Job (Job 1-2)
–Daniel’s vision (Daniel 10) especially verses 10-14 which says, “And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” Daniel 10:10-14
-Horses and Chariots of Fire surround Elisha. The prophet is besieged by the Aramean army. He prays to God to open his servant’s eyes to see the angelic army of chariots of fire that are in their defense, which is larger than the Aramean army against them (2 Kings 6:8-23). The solution Elisha chooses to fight this spiritual warfare is amazing. He has a tremendous army of angels backing him. Yet, he asks God to make the Aramean army blind. Which God does. Then he leads them into Samaria to have the King throw a feast for those people and set them loose to go to their master is amazing. It truly reflects the scripture, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
-David’s Census Brings Pestilence (1 Chronicles 21:1). The passage says, “Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.”
Other Spiritual Warfare Verses in the Old Testament
Satan’s fall: Isaiah 14:12-20; Ezekiel 28:11-19
Key Spiritual Warfare Verses in the New Testament
The Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). “10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
See mnemonic for full armor of God.
Submit to God, resist the devil. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
We take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:2-5. “I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Other Spiritual Warfare verses in the New Testament
- Angel tells Mary about Jesus’ birth.
- Jesus is tempted by Satan Luke 4:1-13. This was spiritual warfare that Jesus fought. Notice that Satan is the one who tempted Jesus, not one of his demons. Also, notice how Jesus uses the word of God to resist the devil. He says it is written… Notice also how in Ephesians Chapter 6, one of the pieces of the armor of God Paul tells us to use is the word of God which is the sword of the spirit.
- God puts thoughts in Peter’s head to say that Jesus is the son of God.
- Satan puts thoughts in Peter’s head to try to stop Jesus from going to the cross. Mark 8:31-33
- The birth, life, cross (death) and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, described in the gospels, are the climax of the spiritual warfare between Christ and the devil in which Christ conquers the devil and establishes our freedom through his blood on the cross.
- Jesus casts out demons, heals the sick, releasing captives from the strong man (Matt 12:22-29). In Matthew 8:28-34 (cf Mark 5:1-21), Jesus went to the country of the Gadarenes and cast out demons out of two demon-possessed people. The demons begged Jesus to be sent into the pigs. This passage shows the authority of Jesus and the desire of the demons.
- Satan entered Judas (Luke 22:3-6). And leads him to go and betray Jesus.
- Paul and the pagan fortune-teller (Acts 16:16–18).
- Satan prevented Paul from going to Thessalonica. “Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us” (1 Thess 2:18).
For more verses, see: https://bible.org/seriespage/26-spiritual-warfare-ephesians-610-20
