“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and all the world lies in evil. And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us an understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the everlasting life.” I John 5:18-20

Neil Anderson - another false teacher of Spiritual Warfare Not only is the spiritual warfare movement derived from extra-Biblical sources, but it contradicts much of what the New Testament does tell us about demons. Some examples (Source: 4/95 & 5/95, Southern View Chapel, Gary Gilley, "The Spiritual Warfare Movement, Pts. I & II"):

1) In the epistles there are ten references to demons (mostly relating certain facts), but there are over fifty references to "the flesh" as the primary enemy of the Christian.

The post ascension perspective is that the major area of conflict is in the arena of the flesh, not demonic influence;

2) Some are claiming that demons have names that reflect their influence. Names such as, "lust," "murder," "envy," "gossip," etc. Yet, nowhere in the Bible do we find any support for this teaching. Scripture explicitly says these actions are a product of the flesh:

“Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

3)

Many false teachers, such as Neil Anderson, claims that when we deal with demons it is a "truth encounter," not a "power encounter." But in the Scriptures whenever Jesus or the Apostles cast out demons it was always a power encounter. Never once did Jesus attempt to reason with a demonized individual. Never once did He call on them to believe the truth. He always forcibly cast demons out of such people.

In addition, not a single person in the Gospels ever came to Jesus for deliverance from demons. The obvious reason being that when a demon controls someone, that person has lost his ability to choose right. Yet the spiritual warfare teachers claim that demonized believers are coming to them for deliverance in great droves.

4) The spiritual warfare leaders do not understand the distinction between Jesus and the Apostles, and the average Christian. Jesus’ encounters with the demons were directly related to His claim to be the Messiah and His offer of the Kingdom.

As for the Apostles, there are three occasions in which they cast out demons after Christ’s ascension (Acts 8:5-8; 16:16-18; 19:11-12). The ability to do this was given to verify their appointments as Apostles (Mk. 16:17; 2 Cor. 12:12).

In the NT, we do not find Christians casting out demons unless they were Apostles. However, even with the Apostles, we do not find the casting out of demons to be a major part of their ministry. Instead, the norm for dealing with the demon-possessed was the presentation of the gospel.

5) It is interesting to realize that it is these very areas — the ones the charismatics and the spiritual warfare people emphasize so heavily — that Jesus singles out as proving nothing concerning one’s relationship to God (Matt. 7:21-23). And later Paul would teach that even satanically inspired people can produce miracles:

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, so that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, so that all those who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness, might be condemned.” II Thessalonians 2:8-12

The bottom line is that this method of sanctification (via the spiritual warfare techniques of binding Satan, rebuking the devil, praying the blood, and breaking inherited curses) is taught nowhere in the Bible.

Related Notes on “Biblical Demonology” (verses to understand Bible’s doctrine of demons):

  • Old Testament — Gen. 3; Isa 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:11-15; Job 2,3; 1 Chron. 21; 1 Kings 22; Dan. 10
  • Gospels — Matt. 8:16; 12:22,23,28 (to prove Jesus as the Messiah of Israel)
  • Acts — Acts 8, 16, 19 (to testify to the Apostles)
  • Epistles — None (demonism never addressed in the Epistles to Church on how to deal with sin)
  • Revelation — Rev. 2 (Letters to the seven churches — "Be faithful," but no command to "cast-out")

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