Spiritual warfare is something people have debated, whether really it is necessary to involve as a Christian.

At one time I received an email from one of those contrary in opinion, questioning why I conducted city prayers for the nation and was it important.

The argument suggested that Kenya is a Christian nation, those not Christians, were rebellious by choice.

This is just one of those debates and would prove to be much more controversial when tackled from a theological point of view.

The thing is, those who constantly engage in warfare have a feeling of something to be fought that they must rise up and fight. They somehow have formed a survival formula in prayer to keep safe, or gain grounds, to a place of safety.

Like wise, some Christians wouldn’t even wage prayer, as they unknowingly see what need it is to pray. Perhaps they have life void of alarms, that moves them to prayer posture, so they rest in a place where they wouldn’t bother to engage in spiritual warfare.

I am about to address very important issues regarding the state of the nation of Kenya, as at now as regards prayer, particularly warfare prayers being summoned in the country at this time the nation is going through political challenges.

In his letter to the church at Ephesus in Ephesians Chapter 6, Paul begins the chapter giving them detailed areas of how to apply obedience and addressing, as pertains to slave position, free or relating to different institutions of life.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord, bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also[b] is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him, Ephesians 6:1-9.

He has words for the masters and their slaves. He has word for the parents and their children, then so on.

He talks about training them in obedience, servants to deal with their masters in sincerity of their hearts as to Christ, not to wear a face of men pleasers, rather doing the will of God in accountability to God.

And it is not uncommon that we will relate with God in the manner which we relate with the people who form parts of our lives.

It seems the whole chapter is addressing submission, which is a higher form of obedience. He underscores submission to God and acknowledges the fact that one is first trained (by the spirit) in order to obey.

Now let us closely focus on this issue further.

How is it that Paul attempts to appear to change the topic and shoots away to Ephesians 6:10-12,

“Finally, my brethren, 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 wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places,” Ephesians 6:10-12.

No, he doesn’t. He is addressing same issue.

We take this chapter about wrestling principalities and treat it is as if it is something really tasking and heavy and see this prayer formula as something bigger than individual Christian and only possible in corporate warfare prayer.

Then we begin to think this in terms of fasting and prophetic acts, and conclude for ourselves that either we are not doing enough to pray or just the time to do more.

But when we miss the point that I am about to mirror on, though we be Christians and possibly a prayer nation, all we do will be weary ourselves and leave the enemy strongholds standing to our shame and ultimate demise.

The weapons of our warfare are mighty, yet when mentioned as in Ephesians 6, they are nothing close to what a mighty weapon is, compared to the already seemingly outmatching darkness. In fact, the weapons are more of defensive likened, than being offensive ones.

I have the opinion that Ephesians 6:10-12, is addressing the main topic of Ephesians 6 from the onset and that is that, if we leave the ground of submission as the Church, then all these rulers, powers, wicked spiritual hosts, demons and principalities will have foothold on us.

That is why Paul gives counsel to … stand firm. And is that interesting that all we need to be doing is to stand in the faith, to resist greater principalities.

The scripture does not say that a believer must fight or take down these demonic rulers (in the second heaven). Rather, it clarifies the source of our battle and exhorts the believers to stand firm, resist the devil, and affirm our faith in prayer.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, again we find that the weapons in our possession are for pulling down strongholds. But studying carefully, these strongholds are actually mindsets and thought patterns.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled,” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6.

As a nation, before we are able to pull down thought patterns within, until then, the devil has right to attack and divide us, because he claims what we are in common with him. We know ourselves.

In matter of fact, strongholds are not a tribes, or political parties or leaders but fortresses, castles and lies which the enemy has hidden in Kenyan reasoning, that are waiting for us to agree with and approve.

1. We are still in self arguments against with who God says we are.

A force is so strong than ever to designate the believers of this nation as jubilee Christians or NASA Christians and of late I hear, dark forces and right forces.

You judge issues based on reasoning. Such perception originate from strongholds of the mind. The true position of any Christian in this land should be the blood-washed ground and people, where we are God’s children and have interacted with His mercy.

2. Strongholds of the mind particularly in this nation have become gateways that allow demonic access to our lives.

Demons thrive in chaos and seek human blood, our thought patterns, ideologies and prejudices have provoked outbursts and Satan targets more blood.

3. They are attitudes keeping us from embracing Christ-likeness and keep us believing our actions are justified even when it hurts us and our people.

It forms a basis where we demand to be right even when wrong not caring if we hurt our country men. And this is even in the house of God.

We speak from a tribal system of logic rooted in perceptions and lies that we have come to accommodate as true.

4. Strongholds in our minds have suppressed our faith and somehow kept God from being able to work on our behalf.

We want to walk with God but at the same time operate in traditions and thought patterns that negates the centrality of Christ in our life.

We project our failures on others. We have come to exalt our earthly position above Christ, just as we pray based on the earthly appetite for materials we use same tactics to claim for earthly position.

Now what next?

Our focus should be ever to change mindsets and own thought patterns and hearts…. principalities have the right to be there because of corporate mind sets and beliefs, not patterned in the order of Christ.

Powers and rulers occupy the second heaven. The heavens, even the higher heavens, belongs to God, but the earth He has given to sons of men.

It is in the second heaven that principalities rule from, yet man has legal authority on the land, over the creatures on land, and the way he interacts with fellow man.

It is our hearts that determines what rules in the second heaven.

We don’t tear down those principalities, unless we tear down those high places in our hearts.

I believe it is the reason why Old Testament pictures of battlefronts convey New Testament realities that illustrate how strongholds of the mind are dealt with, in place of Christ.

When we are in Christ, there no other place we promote ourselves to be. We are with Him today and we shall be with Him even after the end of the age and shall reign together with Him forever.

So there is no other position for greater warfare. We are already occupants of the greater Kingdom. But until we change our hearts and help change the mindsets around us, the principalities have the right to be there.

 

Shalom,
~ Prophet Peter Odhiambo

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Prophet Peter Odhiambo of Heart Revival Network International, Kenya is a Prophetic End-Time Minister of the Gospel, preaching in Crusades and open air Revival meetings. The LORD continues to show him the apostasy in the Church and the need to prepare the Bride, fit for the Wedding of the Lamb, as in Revelation 19:7-8.

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