Following are some principles for spiritual warfare praying.  This is the second of four blogs on this.  If you have observations or principles you have learned please share them with me.

Educate yourself about spiritual warfare so you know how to better fight the enemy.

If you see sin or problem areas in the life of the person for whom you are praying, you can pray against the demonic force behind it by calling the demon by the name of the sin/problem: anger, lust, greed, fear, pride, self-centeredness, depression, etc.  Pray directly against the demon doing it, for the symptom will be his name (Matthew 12;29; 16:18-19).

Do not be surprised if you are attacked with the same things with which the person you are praying for is struggling: depression, confusion, impatience, anxiety, etc.  Rebuke it as it tries to work against you.  Rebuke it in the other person as well.  One reason God allows this is to help you know what the person is experiencing and how to pray against it.  You may also be hit with headaches, distraction, etc., or even chills or coldness.  This is all from the enemy.  Rebuke it and persevere in prayer.

Praying for someone’s deliverance is solemn, serious business.  Unless they fill the void with God’s Holy Spirit many stronger demons will come fill that space (Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26).

You can’t force deliverance on anyone.  God respects a person’s free will.  So pray they will clearly see the issues involved and the freedom God offers.  Pray for God’s mercy for a temporary restraining of all demonic activity against the person so their free will is truly free to see the situation as it is and decide what they want.  And don’t assume they won’t choose to go back to their sin!

We pray from our secure position of being one in Christ (Ephesians 1).  He is our Father (Romans 8:15) and friend (John 15:15-16).  He lives within us (John 14:7).  We have nothing to fear!

Make notes of how these principles can apply to your own prayer life.  Integrate what God is showing you into your own daily prayer time.  

by Rev. Dr. Jerry Schmoyer, Christian Training Organization