Ministering to people who are being subjected to “spiritual warfare” requires:
First, discernment. The Scripture teaches that human beings are alienated from God. They also live in an environment called “the world,” which has created institutions and structures that militate against spiritual development, and they are infected by a “spirit of disobedience” that emanates from the “Evil One” and are captive to a “sinful nature” that warps and twists “desires and thoughts.” Humanity adrift from God is subject to the nefarious pressures of “The world, the flesh and the Devil” (see Ephesians 2:1–3.) We live in a war zone, and spiritual warfare is normative! People need to gain this insight and understand why they experience what they experience.
Next, diagnosis. The next task is to assist in identifying the specific areas of conflict. Is it a matter of being sidetracked or even persecuted by a “world” system? Or could it be that carelessness has led to warped desires and thoughts being acted out? Or is the believer being subjected to evil attacks leading to disobedience? These are all possibilities.
Third, direction. Difficult as this approach may be, it should lead to positive direction and encouragement to draw on the resources of the Spirit, who fights the flesh, to reckon with the Risen Christ, who has overcome the world, and to bear in mind that the devil was defeated at the cross and operates on a tight leash.
