Genesis 1:28 (NIV)
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every
living creature that moves on the ground.”

7 Principles of Spiritual Warfare:

1. You are seated with Christ in the heavenly places above all the powers of darkness.

2. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, even though it looks like that in the natural.

   • Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)
     10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
     18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
     

3. You have been given authority.

   • Luke 10:17-20 (NIV)
     17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
     18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
     

Questions & Application

These questions can be used for personal study and/or in a Small Group format. We’d love to hear how you are putting them to use, so let us know at smallgroups@manna.church!

1. Read Ephesians 6:10-18. Why is it important to daily put on the armor of God? How can you put on the armor of God?
   

2. “The greatest power of the Roman Army is that they didn’t fight alone. They fought as a single entity.” Who can you turn to for support when entering spiritual warfare? How can this aid you?
   

3. What is the difference between authority and power? What does it look like to pray from a place of fear of power versus praying with authority?
   

4. What would happen if everyone in the church understood and engaged with their authority?
   

5. How could you practice using your spiritual authority this week?