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Chapter 1: Estimates
All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable of attacking, feign incapacity; when active in moving troops, feign inactivity. When near the enemy, make it seem that you are far away; when far away, make it seem that you are near. Hold out baits to lure the enemy. Strike the enemy when he is in disorder. Prepare against the enemy when he is secure at all points. Avoid the enemy for the time being when he is stronger. If your opponent is of choleric temper, try to irritate him. If he is arrogant, try to encourage his egotism. If the enemy troops are well prepared after reorganization, try to wear them down. If they are united, try to sow dissension among them. Attack the enemy where he is unprepared, and appear where you are not expected.
Chapter 2: Waging War
Treat the prisoners of war well, and care for them. (Treat the captured soldiers well in order to nurture them [for our use]). This is called “winning a battle and becoming stronger.”
Chapter 3: Offensive Strategy
Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy. Next best is to disrupt his alliances by diplomacy. The next best is to attack his army. And the worst policy is to attack cities.
Excerpts from The Art of War
- The Estimations of the Enemy
- Satan is a deceiver
- John 8:44 … He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
- He will not come right out and attack you in an obvious way, but he will be subtle
- All warfare is based on deception. Therefore, when capable of attacking, feign incapacity; when active in moving troops, feign inactivity. When near the enemy, make it seem that you are far away; when far away, make it seem that you are near.
- He understands our weaknesses & strengths
- Satan is a deceiver
- Hold out baits to lure the enemy.
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
- Prepare against the enemy when he is secure at all points. Avoid the enemy for the time being when he is stronger.
1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
- Avoid the enemy for the time being when he is stronger. If your opponent is of choleric temper, try to irritate him. If he is arrogant, try to encourage his egotism.
Romans 12:3 … Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
- If the enemy troops are well prepared after reorganization, try to wear them down.
Luke 11:24 – 26 When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.
- Strike the enemy when he is in disorder. If they are united, try to sow dissension among them.
Mark 3:25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
- Attack the enemy where he is unprepared
Matthew 7:24 & 25 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.
- And appear where you are not expected.
Luke 12:39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
- Waging War
- When the war is begun, Satan will do whatever it takes to get you on his side
- He will make sin pleasurable
- Treat the captured soldiers well in order to nurture them [for our use]
- Hebrews 11:25 He (Moses) chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.
- When you give in to these pleasures, you will be a slave to the one who gave you those pleasures
- John 8:34 Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
- Offensive Strategy
- 1st Plan: Attack the strategy
- Satan will try to disrupt your goals, your mission, and your vision
- He will attack you with doubt
- Doubt of salvation
- Doubt of authority
- Doubt of power
- 2nd Plan: Disrupt the alliances by diplomacy
- Others will begin to question
- Even those around you could begin to doubt
- 3rd Plan: Attack the army
- Those that remain will be attacked personally
- This could be physically, mentally, or spiritually
- 4th Plan: Attack the city
- The very church itself will be attacked by Satan
- He will attempt to defeat you as you stand on the Rock, Christ Jesus
- 1st Plan: Attack the strategy
- This is a last resort, because he knows no weapon formed against you shall prosper
Satan’s basic strategy can be realized and understood, however, he has many different means to implement his plans. For some, it could be a relationship that would be a point of weakness. He could attack others with drugs or alcohol. A job or time management could be the downfall of some. Some could suffer a physical attack brought on by spiritual forces. It is our jobs as Christians to understand that we cannot be sure of how he will attack, but we must understand that he will attack. We know that “greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.” If we stand on the solid Rock of Jesus, no storm will be able to bring us down. Allow Jesus to be Lord of your life, and he will be your shelter and your refuge.
Wednesday, December 2, 1998
The Art of Spiritual Warfare
Part 2: The Strategy of the Saints
Varnel Watson
and we take it from the go again Isara Mo
Isara Mo
Troy Day
Someone somewhere will get something from this..
Not everyone accepted Jesus message at his time, doubters will be there so are mockers and scorners but as for me, whatever little I can get from the ART OF WARFARE, I will take…Satan is not my mother ..
Isara Mo
Troy Day
I have read that most military academies read Tsu Zu book on Art of War…so sth on Art of Spiritual Warfare?…
I bind the spirit of discouragement, block it and shatter it into pieces in Jesus name.
Brother Troy send in some more stuff, we will use what is useful and discard what is useful..
Charles Page
what brand of tissue do you recommend for spiritual warfare sessions? I know that a box of tissue is always useful but not sure what brand or type of tissue should I use.
Varnel Watson
for you just a clean shave would do
Charles Page
You apparently don’t take my question seriously. Aren’t tissues always used in deliverance ministries? Please don’t make fun of this subject.
Varnel Watson
read the article – completely different thing
Charles Page
I know that deception is a great part of spiritual warfare so it is vital that good intelligence be utilized in warfare.
Varnel Watson
keep on reading all the way to the end pls
Charles Page
I scanned it to the end!
Charles Page
Troy, This doesn’t have anything to do with casting out demons, nothing to do with deliverance ministries. I jumped the gun, my apology.
It seems to be dealing with everyday living and is relevant for everyone. I was in the U. S. Army and all this was taught us in basic training and is applicable to our spiritual discipleship.
Isara Mo
Charles Page
Brother this is the second time you raise the issue of ” tissue” as an issue in spiritual warfare..
You kind of mock the practitioners…
I have never used any ” tissue” in a deliverance service and i don’t see it being used in many spiritual warfare sessions..
Charles Page
I purposely mock the practitioners with the zeal of Elijah against the Baal priest.
Joe Absher
First time i ever seen sun tsu used this way. I’ve often thought of it. In fact I just mentioned the book to a pastor friend. We were talking about spiritual warfare. He’s 35 years in the ministry. Not many ministers talk about taking a city for Jesus. Thank God some still do. I love to hear them strategize and hear them tell the tales of this time or that when God broke through. He told me they had a outreach 7 times. The best preachers came. Nothing. Por Nada. Then on the seventh effort they all broke. They had to carry people to the altar they were crying so hard.
Isara Mo
Offensive Strategy
1st Plan: Attack the strategy
Satan will try to disrupt
your goals,
your mission,
and your vision
He will attack you with doubt
Doubt of salvation
Doubt of authority
Isara Mo
//2nd Plan: Disrupt the alliances by diplomacy..
Others will begin to question
Even those around you could begin to doubt…//
Isara Mo
Isara Mo
Even those around you could begin to doubt…
Apostle Paul had doubters against him and reading thru 2 Cor 10:3-5 (chpt 11 to 12) one gets a glimpse on how the devil can attack us using fellow believers..
Paul starts the epistle with this ”
I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.
Well the epistle was directed to some church members…
The most common scheme of the devil is to use the nearest
person(s)around you to
attack you.No wonder the Bible says that ones enemies will be the members of his own household…
Paul was attacked by some smart people in the church..it seems.
Disrupt the alliance is a strategy of the enemy..Disunity or strife or jealousies amongst church members is a .scheme of the devil and when you have witches and warlocks and wizards amongst the congregation…..that strategy works perfect..
Isara Mo
//If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.//
I haven’t read the whole of Su Tzus book Art of War, but of this quote, perhaps a hundred times…
The Bible simply says “We perish because we lack knowledge…”
Brother Charles Page says ” good intelligence must be used in spiritual warfare..”
With a natural war experience in his kit it is worthwhile to pay attention to what he says…
The natural is a manifestation of the spiritual…
Varnel Watson
not sure if Charles Page practiced this just yet