Prayer and Warfare 277
experiences are those which originate with the believer’s spirit, while
those of the supernatural may not necessarily come from there. They
may arise from physical senses or from the soulical sphere. A
Christian ought never interpret a supernatural experience as always
being a spiritual one. He should examine his experiences and
determine whether they enter through the outer sensual organs or
come via the inner spirit. Whatever emanates from outside, however
supernatural it may be, is never spiritual.
The Lord’s saints should not receive everything supernatural
unquestioningly, for Satan too can perform supernatural deeds. No
matter how the feeling is during the moment of experience nor how
the phenomenon appears or declares itself to be, believers should
investigate its source. The charge of 1 john 4.1 must be strictly
observed: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to
see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out
into the world.” The counterfeits of the adversary often exceed the
believer’s expectation. If the Lord’s people will humble themselves
by admitting that deception is quite possible to them, they will be the
less deceived. Because of the counterfeits of the enemy, spiritual
warfare looms inevitable. Unless with their spirits soldiers of Christ
take to the field to meet the foe, they shall find him coming in to
suppress their spiritual strength. In spiritual conflict the spirit of the
Christian wars against the enemy evil spirit. Now should the
Christian be deceived already, then he fights to regain his freedom. If
not, then he strives to rescue others and to prevent the foe from
attacking. He takes the positive stance of subjugating the enemy by
opposing every one of Satan’s plans and works.
Such battles are fought in the strength of the spirit. It requires
power there to wage war. A Christian must understand how to
wrestle against the assailant with his spirit. Otherwise he cannot
detect how the enemy will attack or discern how God will direct him
to fight. But if he walks by the spirit he learns how to pray
incessantly therein against the wicked powers. And with each battle