The Phenomenon Called Reactions In Spiritual Warfare

In physics there is a natural law being one of the laws of physics. In fact, in high school, it was known as Newton’s third law of motion. It states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when one object exerts a force on another, the second object exerts an equal force back on the first object, but in the opposite direction.

In spiritual warfare, there is an attempt by the Accuser of the brethren to replicate this natural law. The aim is to:

1. Attempt to bastardize the word and will of God

2. Contradict God, His word.

3. To discourage upstanding Christians from serving in God’s kingdom and thereby making heaven

4. Ensure that human beings who are the creation of God do not fulfill their destinies and worldly assignments given by God.

5. And generally, to carry out his assignment in John 10:10 part a, which is to steal, kill and destroy.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16: 9 A wide door for effective service has opened to me [in Ephesus, a very promising opportunity], and there are many adversaries.

1 Corinthians 10:12

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Therefore, let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation]. This is because there is an accuser of the brethren.

There are so many examples of reactions in the bible, where you see a direct or subtle response to an act of God by the enemy. A few examples;

1. Jezebel reacted to Elijah killing prophets by demanding for his life. 1 Kings 19:2

2. Pharaoh responded to the demonstrations of power by Moses and Aaron by asking his own magicians to replicate the same things. Exodus 7–8

3. The enemy reacted to the Shunammite woman bearing a child, by killing the child, 2 Kings 4: 18-37

4. The Enemy reacted to the great ministry of John the Baptist by having him beheaded.

5. The enemy reacted to famine ending in Samaria 2 Kings 7 by ensuring the official whose arms the king leant on did not see the prophecy

6. Elijah transferred his ministry to Elisha. The enemy reacted by ensuring Gehazi did not receive the mantle

7. In Daniel chapter 3, there were the three Hebrew boys: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were known for their unwavering faith in God, even when faced with a life-threatening situation. The enemy came with a reaction by having them put in a furnace to be incinerated.

Reactions serve many purposes in the life of the Christian.

It helps the Christian to be alert and upright.

1 Peter 5:8 New International Version

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Reactions allows the Christian to grow in faith. Paul speaks of a “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. He calls it “a messenger of Satan” that had a purpose of “torment.”

Rather than release him, the Lord answered him and said, “7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Reactions ginger the Christian to grow in prayer and fasting. Mark 9:29 New International Version 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.”

If you are an upstanding child of God, you are guaranteed that there will be reactions trailing you ALL your life. Psalm 34:19 New King James Version, says, Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.

How to know if you are experiencing reactions.

1. If you experience negative circumstances after major breakthroughs

2. If you finish education and it becomes almost impossible to gain employment

3. If you constantly experience rising and falling.

4. If those you help, love and cherish constantly reward you with wickedness

5. If your hard work and contribution in church and ministry is rewarded with serious spiritual attacks, especially on your finances.

6. If your past generations were ministers of God and now you are finding it hard to walk with God

7. If you have been earmarked by God to be a great prophet or evangelist you will face reactions constantly.