Spiritual Warfare: Christians, Demonization and Deliverance

by Karl I. Payne

The Bible is We live in a world of distinct opponents; our very lives are a battle. Yet too many Christians lose more battles than they win and endure their walk with God rather than enjoy it because they don't recognize the enemy when they see it. More importantly, they have no idea how to respond. While society tells us we can react simply, the truth is that a wish, a hope, and a prayer are not the best responses to attacks from those who stand between us and the Father. Christians must be strategic in their reactions to these clearly defined enemies, learning how to fight biblically and effectively rather than just sincerely. In Spiritual Warfare , Dr. Karl Payne - pastor of Leadership Development and Discipleship at Antioch Bible Church and Chaplain for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks - has written a guidebook for defense that is simple, biblical, and transferable. Through his teaching on how to recognize and resolve attacks from the world, we learn that we are more than conquerors in Christ.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Theology, Nonfiction, Faith, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2008

Reviews

[Randy Alcorn]

My friend Karl Payne has written a thoughtful book based on years of study of the Scriptures and personal experience counseling Christians under demonic influence and attack. You need not agree with all the author’s positions, but if you trust God’s Word then you are compelled to believe that there are powerful demonic spirits at work in the world, and that the goal of Satan, prince of demons, is to distract, deceive and devour us. Spiritual warfare is a reality, and the person most likely to lose the battle is the one least aware of it. I recommend Karl’s book to help you become more aware of our enemies’ strategies, and prepare yourself for spiritual combat.

[Diana Jamerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read, only wish I would have bought the hard copy.

This is by far the best book that I have ever read on the subject of spiritual warfare and deliverance. It is not one of those books that sees a demon under every rock, but it also does not dismiss the evidence of demonic infestation either. This book will make you rise up and take your place as a believer and cast out demons like Jesus said we would.

[Laura DW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome truths!

All Christians are in a battle and are often living in defeat, frustration and discouragement. Dr. Payne gives great insight into the battle as well as the weapons, resources and strategies at our disposal to walk in victory! Every believer should read this book!

[Brandon Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

The best book that ive read on this subject. Very balanced view. Also, very practical and educational for anyone wanting to help someone be delivered from the world, the flesh, or the devil.

[Marcus Constantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solidly biblical and so practical -- this book was a Godsend, so helpful and timely; I read it just before an extended season when we served on the mission field in Africa. Applicable for followers of Jesus everywhere

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was more than great! It was recommended to me by a dear friend, who went to be with Jesus over a decade ago. I kept putting it off, thinking I will eventually get to it. I regret not reading it sooner! I would definitely recommend it to everyone!

[Jonathan Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who actively engages in “spiritual warfare” on all extremes of the spectrum, in the ministry work that I do, I appreciate useful theological material such as this book. I enjoyed how the author juxtaposed the tripartite nature of the Trinity against Satan’s 3 fold “attack” against humanity (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life). I don’t typically look at spiritual warfare from this specific lens and find it fascinating to read about it in such a concise, structured manner. From a theological perspective, I do disagree with some of the content in this book (no spoilers), and think that some statements should probably be presented as conjecture, rather than fact. However, I do greatly appreciate the author’s intentionality in sticking to biblical interpretation and there are some practical takeaways for the boom as a whole. I definitely recommend this book to any follower of Christ and I’m looking forward to reading from some of the authors from the footnotes of this book!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. I feel better equipped and less fearful to protect myself from demons and curses. My favorite quote is “Americans worship the creations instead of the creator.”

I would strongly recommend this book.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and very helpful!

[Shelby Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this book! It’s my new top recommended read for anyone walking close with Him and for people I know serving in ministry. 100/10 recommend!

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Chase · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.0/10 The good: I sense sincerity in him and I appreciate his faithfulness and ministry. I believe that one of the most essential aspects of this sphere is biasing toward trust instead of distrust of other followers of Jesus. I also appreciated getting to hear from someone who believes in so much interacting / conversating…and even strategizing with all the nifty tips and tricks. I can’t say I’m convinced on much of it, but in most of it there was useable wisdom. It seems as though much good has come to people through his ministry, and I’d rather have someone read this book for sure than be informed by many lesser sources.

Constructive: One of the key areas this book succeeds is in fact engaging in how it does + teaching what it does without being biblically deviant in any clear way, attempting to stay true to the word, etc. It never goes truly off the rails and has much good commentary on what is off the rails. However, Payne’s writing style is about as “storytelling grandpa” in its rhetoric and delivery as any book I’ve ever read or series of lectures heard (as I did hear his before this). This gets regularly to “eesh” mode when he embellishes at every occasion possible anything related to sexual temptation or receiving benefits from demons who have power, of sorts (money…women…as he says). At 10+ occasions he explores the full dictionary, and it’s quite cringeworthy/does not feel above reproach. Overall, his rhetoric greatly undermines his “I am a Biblically-based voice of reason that experiences this stuff and just had to make sense of it wherever it led” platform.

The book is also highly indicative of the time period with much meandering of topic and highly generalized wisdom scattered cover to cover. Some may appreciate this if it’s one of your very first Christian books ever since it’s approachable, but it was quite a slog to get through. There was enough good in it that I finished the long book but only about that much. This is a book I would recommend to others (as Gerry recommended to me) as a voice of a “power encounter” perspective that does not lose its anchors.

[Reagan Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and thought provoking. I am still trying to tease out things Payne puts forth. Especially understanding the implications and practical use of 1 John 4:1-3. I liked how he put the evil we face into an "evil pie." We fight against the flesh, the world, & the devil. We need to keep each of these in equal proportion, not over emphasizing one over the other, but actively fighting against each with the ever present help of God & His word. We must cling to the word of God. Also he mentions how we as Christians need to recognize our authority in Christ; not to be cocky, but also not to be pushed around by evil. We are IN CHRIST. He holds authority over all principalities, rulers, and authorities. We must step into the authority Christ has given through what He has done on the cross. Lots of interesting points made in this book that has had my gears turning for several months now. Going to talk to my pastor soon about some of my concerns and questions.

[Jennifer Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced look at spiritual warfare -

As someone skeptical of the charismatic, woo-woo, dramatic and seemingly obsessive approach to spiritual warfare, I typically steer clear of these types of books. However, some non-weird Spirit filled friends did this one a book club, so I joined them. I do not give credence unless solid Scriptural support is provided and the author has done so.

There is a bit of repetition, possibly due both to the fact that I read an abridged or updated version with what appear to be summaries added - and also many of these concepts are worth repeating to help us understand and remember.

I appreciate his articulation of how both the super conservative, head-in-sand view and the ultra-charismatic, flashy, showy approach miss the mark on this very real battle.

[Todd Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Payne, a Western Seminary graduate, is advocating a power-encounter approach to spiritual warfare. The book could have been 1/3 the length and badly needs editing as at times it get preachy. He is a conservative - not given to hyper-spiritualization. This gives him credibility. It is difficult to argue with his experience. His exegesis is OK, but his biblical theology, the overall context of any passage of Scripture, is wanting. His theology of regeneration and sanctification may have some holes as well. All that being said, this was an interesting book that caused much reflection on my part.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spiritual Warfare is a must read for anyone who wants victory in their Christian walk. Karl Payne gives a detailed accurate account of how to fight the world, the flesh and the schemes of the devil. This is a book not only to read but to study.

[Douglas Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, balanced view of the world, flesh and the devil.

[Trevor Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems like there are a lot of opinions on Spiritual Warfare. Are demons the fallen angels, the souls of dead nephilim, things like that. Another item is WHO needs exorcisms, lost people who are possessed, Christians who are oppressed, who.

Well I found out about Dr. Karl I Payne by randomly listening to Janet Parshall's In The Market program. Karl Payne isn't an exorcist, he's an active minister who HAPPENS to do deliverance ministry for years. He has a different approach versus your Father Carlos Martins (who I am fascinated by, BTW).

Payne does take the time to argue how and why a born-again Christian can have oppression from demons, plus he breaks down the three-fold approach of spiritual warfare. This book is VERY practical which is a good thing. He's not been in an ivory tower theorizing.

I borrowed the audiobook from Hoopla which is now out of date. There is additional material in the newest 2025 edition which is paperback only. I will look into this for more references and the extra content! Definitely worth your time reading.

[Alexander Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super curious to read what the Bible actually says about spiritual good and evil. I've read the Bible but my memory of that part was murky. The sections are spread apart.

Full disclosure: I'm a huge nerd. I'm into studying religions. If you're not into that, this book will probably be too academic. It's not exactly designed to shock and entertain.

Anyway, I was reading the Qur'an and was struggling to remember what the Bible said about a number of the spiritual topics.

Thankfully, this book filled in a lot of gaps. The guy is super academic and nerdy, just the way I like it. He just refers to the exact Biblical sections, quotes them, and you're done.

I also got to learn that all those videos of wild exorcisms are not sanctioned by anyone who knows anything in this field. Who knew?

[Sarah Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO well thought out, and such a solid book on this subject. It has helped me make sense of the circus I see on YouTube, understand why that happens (when it doesn’t have to) and also helps me make sense of what really happens when a person claiming Christ is not just “oppressed” either.

As one reviewer put it (and I agree) Payne is a conservative not given over to hyper spiritualization which REALLY won me over as I’ve read my fair share of surface level overspiritual silliness. As another reviewer said, he reads as a storyteller grandpa. While some felt it was too much, I found this reading style endearing and comfortable, as my own grandfather was a pastor, and I appreciate feeling like I’m sitting under a lot of wisdom. I personally highly recommend for folks who can’t write off what they’ve seen and experienced, but need more clarity of how authority in Christ works. Loved.

[Katie Bonzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book after feeling spiritual attacks / a shift of good things happening to things occurring in my life that were not of God.
The book wasn’t what I expected, I thought it would be how to build yourself up in armor of god for spiritual attacks. The book was a guide of how to identify if you have demonization and how to expel the demons from a person.
I highly recommend this for pastors but I think the average person will not put these works into action against a person under demonic control.
All in all it’s always good to have a refresher course in what to see as a sin versus the grounds taken on habitual sins and ancestral sins of which demons can use against us regularly and establish a place in us and stronghold.

[Quinn Castaneda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. The only reason I didn't give a full 5 stars is because of some minor differences in opinion that I have with the author. That said, it would be foolish to ignore the other 99% of the book just because of some small things. I really enjoyed reading this. I think it explained the topic in a way that was both thorough and understandable. It was a little redundant/repetitive at times, but I know it was like that to really get the points across. I really appreciate that it acknowledged reality--that while demons are real, not every problem is caused by them, and as Christians we need to be able to discern what things are and aren't. Frankly this review is an understatement, but I absolutely recommend this book to all Christians.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic biblically based book on a topic that is so often glossed over or not spoken on at all in the church today. It is a “heavy” read, I had to take it chapter by chapter, bit by bit but highly recommend every Christian read it. I wish the church today would take a stand like this book does and stop thinking that demonization only occurs in places like the Middle East or “somewhere else”. It’s right here in America, Satan is working over time and we as the church put our heads in the sand on how to biblically deal with it.
This is a book you can read multiple times and glean something new or different from each time you read it.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect when I started this book. I learned of it from Janet Parshall's show and since I know very little on the subject, why not try it. I did learn a lot about spiritual warfare. It's not talked about much and I've learned why. Not politically correct, fear and so forth. So I learned of the three things that can harm man but oh so much more. I think it brought me closer in my walk with God and brought back some things I had learned in my youth. Do not fear man, fear God. Serve Him and follow scripture. this is a book I will revisit.

[Joy Ghormley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an important topic!

This book gives case evidence to the existence of demons working against us humans, Christians or not. The rise to the term demonization fills in the previously unexplained or unexplored topic of Christians being consistently tormented by evil or bizarre thoughts and behaviors. This book is a must read for anyone involved in ministry to set people free from demonic influence of any type. I gave it 4 stars because the content is very applicable while some of the points could have been a little more efficient.

[Ron Jaeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Dr Payne, for this incredibly useful textbook for understanding the biblical perspective of spiritual warfare. It it a comfortable or easy topic but Christians need to understand Christ’s power and charge to us. You’ve done an exceptional job by sharing your experience and wealth of understanding.
The Appendix is greatly appreciated.
We, Christians, have been called to be solders not spectators! Thank you for preparing us to be strategically prepared soldiers.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly grateful for the wisdom, methodology, and biblical foundation in this book. I feel more equipped to identify and respond to spiritual attacks than I ever have before, and feel inspired by the call of duty that the author provides as reminders from God. I especially appreciate the author's goal and call to make this knowledge transferable; not stopping with our own learning, but continuing to be shared across God's kingdom. Highly recommended for Christians and non-Christians alike!

[Amy Clackum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book

This book does an excellent job of giving clear distinction and discussion of spiritual warfare. There is no glorifying it, just practical steps to addressing it. It reads almost like a text book, albeit an interesting one. It drives home the point of how spiritual warfare affects people without being filled with stories and emotions. Highly recommended to everyone I know and especially those in ministry.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Understand your power over all those negative thoughts you have. Learn to engage in the battle instead of just being used and abused by worldly, fleshly or demonic influence. Finally understand what Jesus's resurrection did to the satan! Bound him!
We have no power separate from Christ, but learn to wield HIS power for victory!

[Josh England]

Incredibly important

This is one of the most spiritually enlightening books I have read in the last 30 years. As an elder I would recommend this book as a must read for all Christians. It is a a text book to CS Lewis' screwtape letters. We have applied the Biblical truth of this book. It is very real, very true, and absolutely critical.