Spiritual Warfare: (Intercessory Prayer)

Spiritual Warfare would be incomplete without Advancing the Kingdom of God and without Intercessory prayer. We can say that these two are the things that summed up Spiritual Warfare as a whole. When we Advance the Kingdom of God, having Intercession in that city or region is absolutely necessary if we are ever to Advance the Kingdom of God, it is not only for prayer warriors, an Intercessory prayer is what everyone can do and can get involve in.

Some definitions of Intercessions?

– Praying and Mediating on behalf of another,
– Carrying someone else’s burden, Intercessions lead us out of ourselves,
– Pleading for a specific people group or nation,
– Intercessory prayer is a prayer directed, energised, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to pray for others, a region, land or nation.
– Identification with the one you are praying for, feeling the pain whatever they are going through and asked God for Mercy.

To lead an Intercession is a tough job, you need to have lots of strength especially to be an intercession leader, by the grace of God I have had as one of my responsibility of being an Intercession leader in one of the batch in Discipleship Training School, Ywam Siliguri some years ago in 2009, it took a whole lot strength, but we cannot neglect intercession, especially if we are Advancing the Kingdom of God, because the demonic strongholds need to be bind by Intercessory prayers time after time.

Intercessions can be done alone or in group, and is powerful, it is fighting against the forces of darkness, and praying to God on behalf of others, land or nation.


How to do Intercession?

1. Ask the Lord, what country, nation, people group or area He want you to pray,
2. Ask the Lord what prayer points He want you to pray,
3. You can write down those prayer points you felt the Lord is giving you,
4. Pray those prayer points as you felt led by the Holy Spirit,

Abraham Interceded for Sodom: (Genesis 18:22-33)

Abraham stand before the Lord, approach God, and stand on behalf of Sodom, saying, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked if there are 50 righteous people in the city?………..”

The Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”

Then Abraham continue to plead the Lord, “Suppose there are 45 righteous, will You destroy the whole city because of five?”

The Lord replied, “If I find 45 there, I will not destroy”.

Abraham continue to plead the Lord, “For the sake of 40”, “For the sake of 30”, “For the sake of 20”, “For the sake of 10”. The Lord replied Abraham the same way, “For the sake of 10, I will not destroy”.

And this is Intercession, Abraham stands before the Lord, pleading the Lord on behalf of Sodom, and the Lord even said, “I will not destroy even for the sake of 10 righteous people”. We can also do Spiritual Warfare in Intercession by binding the strongman in the region, and proclaiming the Lordship of Christ that “Jesus Christ is Lord”. You can do at home, church, or by prayer walk, with prophetic actions, you can go to the mountain in nearby city and have intercession for your city. You can also pray for the region, city or nation the Lord sent you, for the Kingdom of God to come on earth.

Important things to know in Intercessory Prayer:

If you pray for China, don’t let your prayers go here and there in Russia or India while you pray for China, it might be 15 minutes, 1 hour or even a day of Intercession, you need to stand on behalf of China for that period of time, just as Abraham Interceded for the city of Sodom, at that moment Abraham did not pray for the land of Canaan or other towns and cities, but for Sodom. Intercessory prayers are important even in Advancing the Kingdom of God.

Some experiences:

Even though we also used to have a regular Intercessions in our outreaches while we were in Ywam, and also have seen countless of people who gave their life to Christ. I find one of our intercession interesting in 2008, I was leading an outreach in the Himalayan region of India, in Sikkim. It was a hilly area, one day our team were climbing up a hill for about an hour to preach the Gospel to the people living in that top of the hill, as we were climbing up we also have an intercession on the way, even though it was not formal, it was an informal intercession for that village and out of our heart and passion, we were throwing Holy Spirit bomb as we climb up. As we reached the village, I remember the first family where we preached willingly gave their life to Christ at once.

Sometimes we may not see the results at once, but God will always work in one way or another as we intercede, and Intercessory prayers are powerful.

There is also another powerful testimony on Intercession that one of our leader in YWAM shared to us, they were having Intercession in Shillong, India, and there was also a magician who came to Shillong at that moment to show his magic, as this Ywam teams were having intercession there, the magician could not work anything, so he need to leave the place, that is the power of Intercession. Therefore Intercessions are important.

– David Chawngthu

Advancing the Kingdom of God is a Warfare

When we Advance the Kingdom of God, we are going for war in that area or region, there will be resistance and persecutions from the demonic forces of hell, usually the religious spirits, traditionalism, and leviathan spirit. The Devil will use many different tactics to steal, kill, and destroy you, and the Advancement of God’s Kingdom. The foundation for Advancing the Kingdom of God is “Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth”.

The greatest warfare in the Kingdom of God is the Advancement of the Kingdom, the greatest resistance from the demonic forces of hell, the greatest persecutions, the greatest attack. Advancing the Kingdom of God doesn’t only fight one demon, but many demons, the demonic rulers of that place. If we are going to Advance the Kingdom of God, whether we want it or not we are going to wage war against the gates of hell in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Let’s look from the Old Testament and from the New Testament –

Jesus said in Matt 10:34, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
“ ‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

All through the verses in Judges 1:1-18, we find that Judah Advanced the Kingdom of God and wage war.

Vs1 – The Israelites asked the Lord, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?” The Lord answered, “Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands.”

Judges 20:18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, “Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then the LORD said, “Judah shall go up first.”

Zech 10:3-4 – For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, He will make them like a royal war horse/ majestic/ like a proud horse in battle. From Judah will come the cornerstone.

The Apostle Paul said, “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked”. (2 Cor 11:23-27)

These were what the Apostle Paul faced in his Advancement of the Kingdom of God, at the same time we can believe that Paul was not that poor while he was serving the Lord, because he told that he was eager to serve them. In Gal 2:9-10, when the Apostles, James, Peter and John asked only one thing to Paul and Barnabas as they were going to the Gentiles, that was “to continue to remember the poor”, and then Paul said, “that was the very thing I was eager to do”.

Because of the fall of men in the beginning of time, the earth needs redemption, Satan’s scheme has not change from the beginning of time, “to steal, kill and destroy every part of us and everything in this world”, and Jesus Christ, by His dead and resurrection, came to redeem everything on this earth.

The Apostle Paul taught us on warfare, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. THE WEAPONS we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds”. (2 Cor 10:3-4)

We might be serving the Fatherless and the motherless, we might be helping the homeless and the street kids in our areas in Jesus name, they are part of warfare, heaven on earth. There are many works to be done on this earth, God wants to touch the last one out there, at the same time He want to touch the whole region with His Kingdom.

Some other great weapons of our warfare are, “The name of Jesus Christ, prayer, intercession, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, preachings and teachings the word of God and revelations, declarations, prophesying, praise and worship, preaching the Gospel, and more”.

For one more example of Warfare, we would use TNT (Thutak Nunpuitu team) in Mizoram India, we can translate their ministry name as “Living the Truth Team”. Today their ministry is serving over 1000 fatherless and motherless, addicts, and the disables by faith and the generous gifts of people. They are providing foods, shelters and schools.

If their ministry had not been established, the state of Mizoram in India and Aizawl City would be filled with beggars and homeless unlike today.

Rev 5:5 says, – The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered/ triumphed.

Advancing the Kingdom of God itself is a Warfare, and the foundation for Advancing the Kingdom of God is “Jesus Christ is Lord of heaven and earth”. If we are going to Advance the Kingdom of God, whether we want it or not we are going to wage war against the gates of hell in the Name of Jesus Christ. And we wage war by the blueprint of heaven, what is up there in heaven, we bring that down here on earth, and Advance the Kingdom of God.

– David Chawngthu

3 Levels of Spiritual Warfare:

This is important to know for all believers that there are different levels of Spiritual Warfare. We might be able to put them in 3 or 4 levels of Spiritual Warfare. Right now we are putting them in 3 levels of Spiritual Warfare, so that we would know that there are different levels in Spiritual Warfare.

1. Personal Level Warfare: This is about our personal warfare personally. It could be sickness, sex problem, sin, greed, pride.

2. Corporate Level Warfare: In corporate level of Warfare there are leaders, rulers, and people in Authority.
For examples – Fathers and mothers in a family, School principal and teachers, Pastors of a church, Organizational leaders, ministry leaders, and other leaders, rulers and Authorities.

– Father and mother abusing their children (not in a whole region)
– School principal and teachers abusing their students in school (not in a whole region of schools)
– Father and mother who think they still got their God given Authorities to their married children (not in a whole region)
– Many students getting rebellion in a school.
– Sicknesses spreading in a school or church.
– Providing for the neighborhood in need.
– Greed spreading in a church or in a denomination.

3. Regional Level Warfare: This has the greatest influence. It touches a whole region and generations, beyond churches, beyond organization, and beyond local communities.

– When the whole region is filled with cheating one another and greed,
– When families in a region are likely to have at least 1 drug addicts in their family,
– Some cultural systems where step parents thought they got Authority over their step children’s inheritances (Pro 23:10).
– School principals and teachers abusing their students in school (In the whole region of schools),
– Some cultural systems where fathers and mothers who think they still got their God given Authorities over their married children,
– When miraculous healings are happening greatly and shake the whole region or state,
– When Advancing the Kingdom work shake the whole region with the Kingdom,
– When your vision is to reach out many lost souls in your region, or working to save 1 million souls,
– Bikers reaching out bikers to bring transformation among Bikers in a region or country,
– A ministry that has a vision to reach out to all the 100’s and 1000’s of street kids in their region,

In this level of Warfare, you advance the Kingdom of God and wage a war for the whole region or country. When you Advance and wage war for a whole region, your Warfare will increase. You will be the target of the demonic enemies attack for waging a huge war against the Kingdom of darkness.

God will usually use His Apostles and Apostolic teams to advance His Kingdom in this level of Warfare. Even in the darkest places of this earth and even in communist countries, where God sent them, the Kingdom of God are still Advancing. It is important for the people of God to stand with them in prayers.

For another example for this level of Warfare, we would use TNT (Thutak Nunpuitu team) in Mizoram India, we can translate their ministry name as “Living the Truth Team”. Today their ministry is serving over 1000 fatherless and motherless, addicts, and the disables by faith and the generous gifts of people. They are providing foods, shelters and schools.

If their ministry had not been established, the state of Mizoram in India and Aizawl City would be filled with beggars and homeless unlike today.

This level of Warfare is the Advancement of the Kingdom of God, and this is the greatest level of Warfare and the highest level of Warfare in the Kingdom of God. Spiritual Warfare, demonic attacks and persecutions will greatly increase; Demonic attacks and Spiritual Warfare will come from regional, that can greatly increase your corporate Spiritual Warfare and even your personal Warfare, at the same time the Kingdom of God Advanced.

– David Chawngthu

Spiritual Warfare – “Persecutions” (God is Good)

It was around 2011, while one of our son was 4yrs old, he was having a high fever and was crying one evening, so I’ve got lots of compassion to see him cry. I prayed for him in Jesus name, 4 or 5 people were there in that place while I was praying for him. After prayer he got up and said, “Daddy prayed for me, and Jesus healed me”, and fever was gone at once and he was healed at once in Jesus Name.

Just 1 or 2 minutes later, while we were glad to see the healing miracles in Jesus name, a woman around 65yrs old came in front of me, with full of anger, and with outburst anger she shout at me, trying to make arguments with me, I only stayed calm at that moment, and my Grand Dad spoke out defending me.

Another time I was even slapped and scolded in public by another woman before many people, when I was about to pray for the sick, even at that time I only stayed calmly.

Another incident was in 2007, my family were living in South India as a missionary. One evening I was roaming around the street and high ways looking for the hungry street people and beggars to feed some foods, even though India is known for democratic country (freedom of religion), a large group of one religion gathered together and were approaching me with sticks, they ordered me to get away, they chased me, so I ran quickly and hid myself.

There can be many more stories we can write regarding persecutions, let this be enough for the moment.

There are times we will face many different types of persecutions in different places, sometimes because of healing miracles, other times because of miracles, signs and wonders, other times for preaching the Gospel to the lost souls, another times for feeding the hungry poor and beggars, another times for hearing the Voice of the Lord, and another times for preaching revelational truths of the Kingdom. When we serve the Lord and do them in His name, the Devil is always ready to fight us, and it is important to know that all these are Spiritual Warfare done to us by the Devil, the demonic forces of hell.

No matter what type of persecutions we might be facing for serving our Lord and doing them in His Name, it is important to know that “God is Good”.

– David Chawngthu​

Apostles are persecuted:

God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ (Luke 11:49)

Jesus took it personally:

When we are persecuted and mistreated, we need to remember that it’s all about Jesus, and Jesus took it personally. Before Saul met Christ in a vision, he was zealously persecuting the Believers, God struck Saul down and showed Himself in a vision.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Saul asked. “Who are you, Lord?”
He replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”
(Acts 9:4-5)

We need to know that Jesus took it very personal when persecutions happen. Usually Apostles, as well as Prophets are the most who faced persecutions than any other, as Jesus had even prophesied written in the scripture. If Apostles and Prophets are to write a book on ‘persecutions’, most of them would able to write a great book, because Apostles are persecuted.

This was a blessing prayer of Moses for Judah,

“And this regarding Judah; Moses said, “Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people. With his hands he contended for them, And may You be a help against his enemies.” (Deu 33:3)

They are demons:

Apostles are persecuted by religious spirits, traditionalism, and leviathan spirit which is the spirit of pride.

We need to know that religious spirits are demons, they are not angels, they are dark angels demons. So is traditionalism, tradition itself is not wrong in everything, but when it comes to traditionalism, it is a demonic spirit and will fight the Advancement of the Kingdom of God, because they are demons. Leviathan spirit as written in the Bible is said to be the king over all the proud, it is also known as Dragon.

I believe there will also be Generational curses upon those who persecute Apostles, Prophets and the Advancement of the Kingdom today, they will usually be the persecutors of the next generational Advancement of the Kingdom of God. This was a prophetic word the Lord gave me, until the curses are broken.

God’s Deliverance from Enemies:

There are times Apostles and Prophets will be greatly persecuted, put to prison, mistreated, abuse, even to death, and all kinds of cruel acts of persecutions.

Jesus said in Luke 11:49, “God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’”

At the same time, we find Moses blessing prayer for Judah, “Hear, O LORD, the voice of Judah, may You be a help against his enemies”.

– David Chawngthu

Judah is a Warrior:

Prophetic Warriors are usually Intercessors (one who prayed on behalf of others), this is a really powerful warfare, they might also be known as Prayer Warriors, and it is important for us to know that there are also Apostolic Warriors, that is what we are writing here, Apostolic Warriors are pioneers of the Kingdom, it is also good to know that Warriors are also not the same as Soldiers or Armies, Warriors are people who went to battle for the Kingdom, and Warriors Advance the Kingdom of God.

It was in 2006, in one of my most discouraging time and while I was burn out that the Lord spoke to me about my Identity as a Warrior, saying to me, “You are my Warrior”. At that moment, I was filled with strength, energy, refreshed, empowered, and filled with faith, but do not get any further meaning of “What does a Warrior mean? or What does Warriors do?”. Only around 7yrs later that I’ve got further meaning and revelations about “Warriors”, Warriors Advance the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, we believe that it is important for the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God to know what is a Warrior, and what do they do.

Gen 49:8-9 – Judah is a Lion. Judah, your hand will be on the neck of your enemies.

Deut 33:7 – The blessing prayer of Moses for Judah: “Hear, LORD, the cry of Judah; bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his enemies!”

Judges 1

Vs1-2 The Israelites asked the Lord, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?” The Lord answered, “Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands.”

Vs4 When Judah attacked, the Lord gave the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.

Vs5 It was there that they (Judah) found Adoni-Bezek and fought against him, putting to rout the Canaanites and Perizzites.

Vs8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.

Vs9 After that, Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev and the western foothills.

Vs10 They (Judah) advanced against the Canaanites living in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath Arba) and defeated Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.

Vs11 From there they (Judah) advanced against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher).

Vs17 Then the men of Judah went with the Simeonites their fellow Israelites and attacked the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they totally destroyed the city. Therefore it was called Hormah.

Vs18 Judah also took Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron—each city with its territory.

Judges 20

Vs18 Now the sons of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, “Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?” Then the LORD said, “Judah shall go up first.”

Vs20 The men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and the men of Israel arrayed for battle against them at Gibeah.

Zech 10:3 – For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, He will make them like a royal war horse/ majestic/ like a proud horse in battle.
Vs4 From Judah will come the cornerstone.

Rev 5:5 – The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered/ triumphed.

From all the verses above we can find that Judah as a Warrior Advanced the Kingdom of God.

– David Chawngthu

God is good, Satan is bad.

What God wants and what Satan want?

Satan came to steal, kill and destroy the world and every part of you, Jesus came that you may have life, abundant life. Satan wants to destroy your marriage life, your family, your health, your belongings, finances, businesses, works, ministries and every part of you. While God wants to bless your marriages, your family, your health, your belongings, businesses, works, and every part of you.

God want all your kids to be educated and success in their own lines, Satan want to destroy their educations and successes using many different  techniques. God wants all people to be successful in their own lines, Apostolic pioneers, Prophets and the prophetic, business people, and so on.

God as a Father want a good physical health for every child and everyone. The Devil want to destroy the physical health of every child and everyone using many different ways.

God want the emotional health of every child, and all their emotional needs be fed – Healthy affections, caring, attention, acceptance, patience and kindness, friendship with parents, express their feelings good and bad, healthy environments, joy, support, encouragement, appreciations, security, comfort, provision, approval and respect.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love (Psalm 103:8). The Devil want to destroy the emotional health of every child.

Choosing environment:

Jesus said, “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Therefore, even in the environment we are living, it is important to live in an environment where the goodness of God is expressed rather than the badness of Satan, for our own self, as well as for our kids if we got them, unless we felt to create a new environments or other important reasons. We can guarantee that 90% of people will not reach their full potentials as God created them to be from a hostile environments. It is okay to leave an abusive country, abusive step parents, abusive parents or family, abusive community, abusive friends, abusive schools, and abusive boss at work, you can look for an environment where the goodness of God is expressed.

And most of all, let us Advance the Kingdom of God on this earth.

Spiritual Warfare: (Everyone’s included)

Whether we want it or not, every believers of Christ are engaged in Spiritual Warfare, we all are in battles, this is because of the fall of men in the beginning of time, the Devil’s scheme has not change from the beginning of time, “To steal, to kill, and to destroy”. This is the Devil’s scheme from the beginning of time, “To steal, to kill, and to destroy every part of us and everything in this world”.

But the good news is that, Jesus Christ died and rose again from the dead, and then He said, “All Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore Go”, we are commissioned with the Authority and the power of Christ to fight the works of the enemies in this world and Advance the Kingdom of God.

While the Devil work to steal, kill, and destroy everything on this earth, Jesus Christ came to redeem everything on this earth saying, “All Authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”.  And so that, we the people of God can Advance the Kingdom of God on this earth.

– David Chawngthu