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Spiritual Warfare: Christians, Demonization, and Deliverance
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, the flesh and the devil, we learn that we are more than conquerors in Christ.
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, the flesh and the devil, we learn that we are more than conquerors in Christ.
336 pages, Paperback
Published February 7, 2025
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March 30, 2026
I appreciate the author's desire to wake up western Christians to spiritual warfare. However, I have several issues with this book.
First, the writer states that the "possessed" and "oppressed" paradigm is incorrect. It's not as simple as believers being oppressed by demons, while non-believers can be possessed. He creates a third category he calls "demonized." However, when he describes it, it essentially sounds like possession, but for Christians. He argues that the Holy Spirit either will not or cannot go into all of a believer until the believer overcomes these demons. Only then will the Holy Spirit (who, remember, is God) be able to be fully in a person.
Second, he regularly uses logical fallacies, specifically strawman and motte-and-bailey. Multiple times he tried to argue a common ground ("we all believe xyz"), but then creates a new category to attack ("so then obviously abc is wrong"). Specifically, he argues that beause Paul tells Timothy to entrust to others the things which you heard from me (2 Tim 2:2), that this must have included teaching on spiritual warfare, and since Paul as an apostle practiced confronting demons, that Christians today must also practice confronting demons. Some of this is an argument from silence, while part of it jumps to a conclusion without connecting the dots. Other times he will argue something along the lines of, "this view should not be a matter of biblical orthodoxy" in that we can agree to disagree, but then he turns to accusing those who disagree with him of eisegesis and not believing the "plain meaning of Scripture."
Finally, the most common note I jotted down in the margins was: "chapter & verse?" He's created a system of casting out demons that is based on nothing found in Scripture. Sometimes he does use Scripture accurately, other moments he's jumping to conclusions and assuming a text means one thing when it's not clear that's what it means.
A few years ago I read a book called "Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture" by William Cook and Chuck Lawless. If you're just starting to look into the idea of spiritual warfare, I recommend starting with that one.
First, the writer states that the "possessed" and "oppressed" paradigm is incorrect. It's not as simple as believers being oppressed by demons, while non-believers can be possessed. He creates a third category he calls "demonized." However, when he describes it, it essentially sounds like possession, but for Christians. He argues that the Holy Spirit either will not or cannot go into all of a believer until the believer overcomes these demons. Only then will the Holy Spirit (who, remember, is God) be able to be fully in a person.
Second, he regularly uses logical fallacies, specifically strawman and motte-and-bailey. Multiple times he tried to argue a common ground ("we all believe xyz"), but then creates a new category to attack ("so then obviously abc is wrong"). Specifically, he argues that beause Paul tells Timothy to entrust to others the things which you heard from me (2 Tim 2:2), that this must have included teaching on spiritual warfare, and since Paul as an apostle practiced confronting demons, that Christians today must also practice confronting demons. Some of this is an argument from silence, while part of it jumps to a conclusion without connecting the dots. Other times he will argue something along the lines of, "this view should not be a matter of biblical orthodoxy" in that we can agree to disagree, but then he turns to accusing those who disagree with him of eisegesis and not believing the "plain meaning of Scripture."
Finally, the most common note I jotted down in the margins was: "chapter & verse?" He's created a system of casting out demons that is based on nothing found in Scripture. Sometimes he does use Scripture accurately, other moments he's jumping to conclusions and assuming a text means one thing when it's not clear that's what it means.
A few years ago I read a book called "Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture" by William Cook and Chuck Lawless. If you're just starting to look into the idea of spiritual warfare, I recommend starting with that one.
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