The Spiritual Warfare Battle Plan: Unmasking 15 Harassing Demons That Want to Destroy Your Life

By Jennifer LeClaire

The only power Satan has is what you give him.

A literal onslaught of principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places is working overtime to fulfill Satan’s mission in your life.
 
In The Spiritual Warfare Battle Plan Jennifer LeClaire discloses these pestering spirits, reveals their agendas, tells how they operate against you, provides strategies for resisting them. This book will help set you free by shining light on darkness that many don’t know exists.
 
Victory belongs to us when we follow the Holy Spirit’s battle plan!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charisma House
• Release date: Oct 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781629991450

Jennifer LeClaire

Jennifer LeClaire is an internationally recognized author, apostolic-prophetic voice to her generation, and conference speaker. She is founder of Awakening House of Prayer, Awakening Blaze prayer movement, Ignite prophetic network. She has written many bestselling books, including Mornings With the Holy Spirit and The Making of a Prophet.

Book preview

ILLINOIS

INTRODUCTION

WHEN I GOT saved, I thought I’d spend my life walking beside still waters and lying down in green pastures. I had no idea embracing Jesus as the captain of my salvation (Heb. 2:10, KJV) meant I was enlisting as a soldier in the army of God. I didn’t understand how much Satan hated me and how his minions would work to oppose God’s will in my life. I knew nothing about the wiles of the enemy, the whole armor of God, or the weapons of my warfare—and my ignorance did not stop the devil from attacking.

I’ve since learned that believers are soldiers (Phil. 2:25) and Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword (Matt. 10:34). I’ve discovered that I’m more than a conqueror in Christ (Rom. 8:37), which also tells me ungodly and unseen forces are trying to conquer me. I’ve come to understand the devil is under my feet (Rom. 16:20) because Jesus is the head and we’re His body. I’ve grasped that no weapon formed against me will prosper (Isa. 54:17)—but that weapons do form and the enemy uses them to attack.

Unfortunately, I was beat up and beaten down a number of times before I gained this understanding. I found out the hard way that the wicked one introduces vain imaginations that can damage my soul. I discerned after many spiritual skirmishes what the apostle Paul taught: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor. 10:3–4).

Keep this truth in mind as you read the pages of this book: the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). Every demon has the same mission. How they go about it—their strategies and tactics—are different. A spirit of fear attacks your faith, for example, while a spirit of rejection attacks your identity. A spirit of infirmity attacks your health while a spirit of witchcraft more often attacks your mind.

We are not rendered powerless. The apostle Paul gives us instructions for war in Ephesians 6:

Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, and above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

—EPHESIANS 6:10–17

ISN’T SATAN ALREADY DEFEATED?

Many sincere believers argue that Jesus defeated the principalities and powers of which Paul speaks and there is no longer any need for us to fight against hosts of wickedness. It is indeed true that Colossians 2:15 declares, And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it (KJV). The context of this verse, however, is not spiritual warfare; rather, Paul was writing of Satan’s power over us. The only power Satan has over a believer is the power we give him through our thoughts, words, and actions.

Moreover, Paul warns us not to be ignorant of the devil’s devices (2 Cor. 2:11). Peter admonishes us to be sober and watchful, because your adversary the devil walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him firmly in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world (1 Pet. 5:8–9). And Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12).

We know Paul personally wrestled the beast at Ephesus (1 Cor. 15:32). He wasn’t wrestling against boars or lions or bears, as some claim. He was fighting with spirits operating through people—and those spirits wanted him dead. I think about the time Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and stirred up a crowd against the apostle. They stoned him and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead (Acts 14:19). Clearly a wicked spirit was motivating those Jews to commit such a heinous act.

When in the midst of a spiritual battle—whether in our personal lives or our families or even when contending for revival in our cities and awakening in our nation—many sincere believers tend to petition God to rise up and take action against the enemy. Here’s the problem: when it comes to matters of spiritual warfare, God is not the one who needs to wake up and rise up. We do. Sure, we can petition God to break in with light or ask Him to dispatch His warring angels, but ultimately He has given us authority over the enemy.

Yes, legally Jesus defeated the enemy on the cross, yet we see in the Bible scripture after scripture revealing that the enemy still influences the hearts and minds of men. Look around you and you will see the reality of spiritual warfare manifesting in your midst. People are getting kidnapped, raped, and murdered, and even committing suicide. Divorce and child abuse are running rampant in our society. Persecution against Christians and Jews is rising. Sin is raging in the church and in the world. Clearly there’s a devil on the loose.

A literal onslaught of principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places is working overtime to fulfill Satan’s mission. Jesus Himself warned us about the enemy’s tactics. Jesus called Satan the prince of this world (John 12:31, KJV). Our mission is to get instructions from the Holy Spirit as we worship and wait on the Lord; run to the battle line with our eyes wide open, fully awake to what’s happening in the spiritual realm; and enforce Christ’s victory over the devil He defeated. Victory belongs to us when we follow the Holy Spirit’s battle plan.

YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE YOUR GOD-GIVEN AUTHORITY

While some believers deny the reality of spiritual warfare, others are convinced there is a spiritual battle raging—but based on 2 Chronicles 20:15 and 1 Samuel 17:47, they believe the battle is the Lord’s. Ultimately it’s true that the battle is the Lord’s, but Jeremiah 51:20 is also true: He says: You are My battle-ax and weapon of war: for with you I will break in pieces the nations, and with you I will destroy kingdoms. We must discern, then, when our worship is our warfare and when we have to run to the battle line and take out our Goliaths. Either way, God is helping us.

Other precious believers want their pastor or some intercessor to fight their battles for them. People have literally tried to hire me to fight Jezebel spirits for them. Still others seem to think God is asleep and if they could just cry out loud enough to wake Him up, they would find deliverance from the spiritual enemies that are sorely oppressing them.

It’s true that David often cried out for God to wake up, but David’s cries for the Lord to awaken were just his humble way of showing his utter dependence upon God in the face of his enemies. What’s more, David was literally wrestling against flesh and blood and did not have the revelation Paul did about the spiritual army of demons that rise up against God’s people behind the scenes. He didn’t have Christ’s authority to bind the enemy’s power in the spirit realm (Matt. 16:19). This authority didn’t come to believers until after Christ defeated Satan on the cross.

Here’s the bottom line: you can beg God to arise and scatter His enemies all day long (Ps. 68:1), but God already has done everything He’s going to do about the devil until Jesus returns to throw him into prison for a thousand years. Christ gave us His authority, and we need to wake up to that reality and start enforcing Christ’s victory in this age.

There are entire volumes written on the believer’s authority, but let me give you just a couple of scriptures to remind you of the power at your disposal in Jesus. First, God raised Christ from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places, far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet and made Him the head over all things for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all things in all ways (Eph. 1:21–23).

We also are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6, ESV). And Jesus has given us, His disciples, authority over demons. We see this for the first time in Matthew 10:1: He called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Before His ascension to heaven, Jesus also said, In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:17–18). And in Luke 10:19 Jesus says, Look, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

There are thousands of demons that can and do attack believers every day. We live in a dark world that is growing darker. But Satan is strategic. His army is highly organized, and he is sending specific spirits against believers to derail them from their kingdom purpose. Some of those spirits are low-level demons that seek to keep believers from rising up. Others are high-level principalities that attack believers who are using violent faith to advance God’s kingdom.

Ephesians 6:12 tells us, For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. The word principalities in this verse comes from the Greek word archē. It refers to the first place, principality, rule, magistracy and speaks of angels and demons.¹ Vine’s expository dictionary reveals that it is used of supramundane beings who exercise rule.²

These are high-level demons—so high-level, in fact, that an angel needed help from an archangel to break through. Remember Daniel’s encounter:

But then a hand touched me, which set me on my knees and on the palms of my hands. He said to me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have been sent to you now. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel. For from the first day that you set your heart to understand this and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

—DANIEL 10:10–13

Principalities are like the CEOs or five-star generals of the demonic realm. They report directly to Satan himself and set themselves over nations and territories.

Powers are the next level. These are like the colonels in the army. The Greek word translated powers in Ephesians 6:12 is exousia, which refers to the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to main, spiritual potentates. It also means power, authority, weight, especially: moral authority, influence.³ Jesus delegated His power to us and assured us that we have authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). The only authority a power has in your life is the power you give it through your thoughts, words, and actions.

The Greek word for wickedness in this verse is ponēria, which means unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, fornication, covetousness, and malice.⁴ Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines malice as desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another or intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse.⁵ You may have had some run-ins with spiritual wickedness in heavenly places in your personal spiritual warfare.

The rulers in Paul’s phrase rulers of the darkness of this world comes from the Greek word kosmokratōr, which means lord of the world, prince of this age.⁶ But what is this darkness over which they rule? Darkness in Ephesians 6:12 comes from the Greek word skotos. It can mean darkness, as in the darkness of night. But in this context it means of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell. It also means persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway.⁷

OPEN OUR EYES, LORD!

It has been said that we don’t know what we don’t know, but it’s just as true that we can’t see what we can’t see. Sometimes the enemy has so clouded our vision that we need God to break in with light—to open our eyes wide so we can see the supernatural events unfolding behind the natural scenes.

Although we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7), sometimes God will choose to let us see something supernatural to bolster our faith—or just to get our attention when we’re going astray.

When God opens our eyes, it may be in the form of a prophetic dream, a vision, a trance, or even what feels like a real-life experience in heaven or hell. Although we should not seek supernatural experiences for the sake of seeking supernatural experiences—we should seek God and trust that He will give us what we need—there’s nothing wrong with crying out to God to open our eyes when we sense we aren’t seeing what He really wants us to see.

In Elisha’s day the king of Syria was warring against Israel. The prophet Elisha gave the Israelites a marked advantage—he was able to hear the words Syria’s king spoke in his bedroom and relayed them to the king of Israel (2 Kings 6:12).

The Syrian king wanted Elisha stopped and sent out horses and chariots and a great army to fetch him. When he saw that the Syrian army surrounded the city, Elisha’s servant got scared.

And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! What will we do? And he said, Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than with them. Then Elisha prayed, LORD, open his eyes and let him see. So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

—2 KINGS 6:15–17

What confidence Elisha’s servant must have gained—not just in that moment but throughout his walk with the Lord. And that brings me to Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus, which is something I would suggest praying over yourself daily. In this prayer Paul asks the Lord to open the believers’ eyes for a specific purpose—a purpose that is sure to spark faith in your soul and spirit:

Therefore I also, after hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, mentioning you in my prayers, so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.

—EPHESIANS 1:15–19

As you read through the chapters of this book, my prayer is that you will gain discernment to identify spirits opposing your life—and the lives of those you love—and develop spiritual skills to battle back. We will unmask the strategies and operations of fifteen spirits that frequently combat believers in our generation. Although the list of demons that could attack a believer is long, the ones addressed here will put you well on your way to conquering the