Corporate Warfare
In many ways, corporate-level spiritual warfare is the essence of that in which the Church is commissioned to engage. This is done primarily through worship, holy living, and sacred, united fellowship. A church that is united in these things is a church that is victorious over a region—over a city or a nation. However, due to the brokenness of our socio-political systems and the unilateral assault of the enemy, there are many regions that seem to maintain their spiritual darkness and can be very dangerous places for anybody, let alone a believer, in which to live and shine. There is no question that there are “territorial spirits” described by Arnold as, “fallen angels that wield some kind of dominion over people groups, empires, countries, or cities [and] exercise their supernatural power not only to bring harm and misery, but most importantly, to keep people from coming to a knowledge of the one true God.”[22]Yet even in the face of sobering darkness it must be clear that “the man on a donkey is the master of God’s people in their fight against Powers and Principalities in this world.”[23]Christ’s work on the cross is yet still more potent than the nefarious powers that afflict the masses.
There are differing views on whether believers should confront these powers because there have been both good and terrorizing outcomes to this. Therefore, it is critical that we have a proper Christology and soteriology because it will result in a righty defined ecclesiology. As White warns, “We must not fall prey to the danger of embarking on a holy crusade to rid the world of evil —If our vision of God aching for the lost is blurred by a commando operation against the gates of hell, we miss the point.”[24]We are called primarily to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom, fortify the Church, and establish, “oases of God’s presence in the midst of spiritual pollution.”[25]We are called to proclaim the light of our salvation, not focus on darkness. The Cross is to be proclaimed and celebrated, not merely used as a tool to end evil.
It is the view of the author that there are key moments when the united Church must confront principalities and powers in order to be faithful and effective in obeying the divine imperative to make disciples. When dark spiritual forces are allowed to flourish, they may prohibit the work that we have been commissioned to do by our Cosmic King, the rightful ruler of the earth. The Church is called to, “unmask their idolatrous pretensions, identify their dehumanizing values, strip from them their mantle and credibility, and to set free their victims,”—the cross of Jesus Christ is the force that has already conquered over these powers.[26]Understanding that the cross is central to victory, one must also understand that the application of this victory is not very western at all.
In our individualistic mindsets, we may be utterly unsuccessful in confronting these principalities and powers that govern in an organized, collective manner against humanity. Salvation is a collective reality, not just an individual pardoning of sin. Therefore, the application of Christ’s redeeming work and victory over death is not fully experienced unless the collective body of Christ in a region unites to apply that victory.
There are horror stories of strong, well-meaning Christians who begin to attack the powers and principalities on their own or with only their local church and as a result get trampled on by these gargantuan powers. It is not that these principalities are more powerful than Christ living in them, but rather that the right application of Christ’s victory happens only when a united force actualizes that victory as the body of Christ. Unity is not just a half-hearted joint meeting once a year; it is fundamental to a true witness of Christ’s power. A fragmented church has no business flaunting a power that has been relinquished due to offense, bitterness, opinionated defiance, elitism, and/or favoritism. However, if the church comes together in a united force led by Christ the Victor, then one can be guaranteed that all powers must bend their knee in surrender.
Spiritual Warfare in relation to Corporate Entities
As one soberly and with great care moves forward with the collective body of Christ in their region, there must be a well-informed and well-thought out strategy. Wagner and Greenwood call us to a strategic-level approach where we join hands with the city-wide church to dismantle the territorial spirits that have people in a daze where they experience lasting darkness and are restricted from encountering God.[27]This pursuit has a strategic, threefold approach:
Discern the territorial spirits assigned to the city
Deal with the corporate sin of a city or area
Engage in aggressive warfare prayer against the territorial spirits.[28]
Wagner refers to this as a “spiritual technology” which will bring the greatest power boost in the mission of the church.[29]It is a systematic and carefully thought out approach in order to proceed with fortitude, confidence, authority, and effectiveness.
Discerning the Territorial Spirits Assigned to A City
This first step is where the concept of “spiritual mapping,” coined by George Otis Jr, takes place. It is “superimposing our understanding of forces and events in the spiritual domain onto places and circumstances in the material world.”[30]This revelation comes through the discernment gained in prayer journeys, honest investigative work, and good old-fashioned research of the different dynamics in the community.[31]As one observes the patterns of sin, crime, and history of a region’s brokenness, one can begin to deduce what strongholds seem to be affecting this geographic region and the people within. There is obviously needed an incredible participation of the Holy Spirit giving understanding.
Deal with the Corporate Sin of a City or Area
In dealing with the corporate sin of a region, one does not attack it as much as one asks forgiveness for it along with the regional church. John Dawson has termed this “identificational repentance” because one identifies the sin(s) that allow the enemy a foothold, and furthermore repent from it corporately. Four steps are involved in this process:
Identify the national sin
Confess the sin corporately and ask God for forgiveness
Apply Christ’s blood
4.Walk in obedience and repair the damage by making restitution, changing laws, etc.[32]
We have been granted to be a kingdom of priests who stand in the gap and confess corporate sin, “asking God to forgive the sins of our families, churches, and nations.” [33]
This part of the process is the most important of all because “repentance from sin smashes the work of the devil,” being that Satan and his army work through sin in the world and in our lives.[34]They are like rats attracted to and feeding off of the garbage in our souls, our cities, and our nations.[35]Aside from standing as a royal priesthood interceding on behalf of the sins of others, it is also critical to confess parental, ancestral, and national sin, “so that we do not unwittingly walk in those sins.”[36]These forces are real, and repentance and renunciation dismantles the majority of the legal right for dark spiritual powers to continue in their oppressive work.
Repentance is the key; the message of John the Baptist that ushered the ministry of Christ is the same message that will unlock hearts to experience today that same ministry which is now being administered through his people. Without question, this is our True North. Repentance from sin and surrender to the Lordship of Christ has always been and still is the entry gate to freedom. Whenever circumstances seem bleak, this will always be our True North.
Engage in Aggressive Warfare Prayer Against Territorial Spirits
Finally, once the sins have been remitted and the rights to oppress a region have been stripped from these spiritual forces, there is nothing that they can do to retain control. Therefore, through the leadership of a few people with an anointing to pray with authority, the regional church must then pray against the territorial spirits and command their power to be broken.[37]Some people systematically name the demons and/or powers that were uncovered through spiritual mapping and command them and their ways to be broken in the name of Jesus.
It is imperative to remember that no matter how great and treacherous these principalities may seem to be, they really have no power except what humanity allows them to have. Christ has already done it! He is the victorious one who has honored us with the dignity of being among those who apply the victory won at the cross. This does not mean that we proceed hastily to confront territorial spirits. If they have been given rights to be there, then they have power that can harm believers if we do not dismantle the rights to that power. The good news is that we can, by the blood of Jesus Christ and his victory on the cross, break down all strongholds.
In conclusion, the words of Jørgensenare a fitting call to action: “Let us continue to lift up the cross of Christ because we know that where the cross is lifted high, the Powers are losing strength.”[38]We can apply this to our families, our churches, our communities, and our nationsbecause all of the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof! May the Church rise up in unity and take her place as we await Messiah’s return.
“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth (Rev. 4:11).”
Amen, even so, come, Lord.
[22]Clinton E. Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, 159.
[23]Knud Jorgensen, The Socio-Political Context: Powers and Principalities, 16.
[24]Thomas B. White, The Believers Guide to Spiritual Warfare, 179.
[25]Ibid., 186.
[26]Knud Jorgensen, The Socio-Political Context: Powers and Principalities, 19.
[27]James Beilby and Paul Eddy, eds., Understanding Spiritual Warfare, 197-198.
[28]Clinton E. Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, 146.
[29]Scott Moreau, “Gaining Perspective on Territorial Spirits” article., 2.
[30]Clinton E. Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, 148.
[31]Scott Moreau, “Gaining Perspective on Territorial Spirits,” 6.
[32]Ibid., 4.
[33]Gary Greig, “Biblical Foundations of Identificational Repentance” article., 38.
[34]Ibid., 28.
[35]Charles H. Kraft, Two Hours to Freedom. 97.
[36]Gary Greig, “Biblical Foundations of Identificational Repentance,” 38.
[37]Clinton E. Arnold, 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare, 149.
[38]Jorgensen, Knud., The Socio-Political Context: Powers and Principalities, 18.
