Jim Osman is pastor of Kootenai Community Church, in Kootenai, Idaho, and author of several books, including “Truth or Territory,” which is the basis for our discussion today. “Truth or Territory” walks the reader through the unbiblical teachings so prevalent today regarding Spiritual Warfare, and points us back to a Biblical understanding of our battle with deception in the Spiritual realm.

Outline of the Discussion

• • Jim was first exposed to a lot of bad theology related to Spiritual Warfare in college. His theology was challenged by a book called “A Holy Rebellion” by Thomas Ice.
  • The book came out of a series of articles wrote for his church website.

Truth or Territory

• • Spiritual Warfare is either a war for Truth, or a war for Territory. While the popular Spiritual Warfare teachers teach that it’s a territory war, the Bible teaches that it’s a war over Truth.
  • The only valid source of intel in Spiritual Warfare is the Scriptures. The Territorial model has people interrogating the forces of Satan or relying on people who have come out of the occult for intel.
  • Scripture really is sufficient!

The Enemy and His Army

• • The danger is not that Satan would inhabit a building or possess someone, but rather that he would deceive us.
  • By tricking us into thinking we’re fighting a territory war while he’s fighting a truth war results in us losing the battle.
  • The concept of Satan having legal rights that we must figure out in order to wage an effective battle is not only unbiblical, but illogical as well.

The Flesh

• • We have not one enemy, but three: The World, The Flesh, and the Devil. The Flesh is an enemy that doesn’t get enough credit.
  • Consistently throughout the New Testament, we are taught that the primary enemy that we must war against is the Flesh. The process of sanctification is one of overcoming the sinful desires of the Flesh.
  • It’s not uncommon for Spiritual Warfare teachers who are engaged in an unbiblical Territory war to be found to have serious moral failings such as adultery or substance abuse.
  • The war against the Devil is often a distraction that allows the Flesh to out-flank us and overtake us.

Hedges of Protection

• • Praying for a hedge of thorns or a hedge of protection is more incantation than legitimate, Biblical Spiritual Warfare.
  • Job 1 and Hosea 2 are common proof texts for praying hedges, and both are (at best) used woefully out of context, if not outright abused. Neither of them indicate something that we can or should pray into being.

Hexes

• • Also known as Generational Curses.
  • Generational Curses are the idea (based loosely on Exodus 20) that sinful behavior can lead to God cursing people to the third and fourth generation.
  • Often left out of the argument for hexes is the subsequent promise of blessings to a thousand generations for obedience.
  • This is not only unbiblical, it’s a cruel doctrine.

Binding Satan

• • Linked to Jesus “Binding the Strong Man” in Matthew 12 & 16.
  • Matthew 18 deals with church discipline and legalism/antinomianism.
  • Never addressed are logical questions: How is Satan bound? How long is he bound? Who keeps loosing him?

Rebuking Satan & Demon Possession

• Jude tells us that we do not have the authority to rebuke the Devil (even the archangel Michael does not have the authority.)
• A believer cannot be demon possessed.

Scriptures Referenced

• Isaiah 14
• Ezekiel 28
• Revelation 12:4
• Philippians 2
• Romans 6-8
• Colossians 3
• Job 1
• Hosea 2
• Exodus 20
• Matthew 12, 16, 18
• Jude
• 2 Peter

Additional Resources

• Truth or Territory: A Biblical Approach to Spiritual Warfare
• How Deliverance Ministries Lead People to Bondage – Bob DeWaay
• The Dishonoring of God in Popular Spiritual Warfare Teaching – Bob DeWaay

Related Episodes

• Justin Peters: Exposing the Word-of-Faith Movement
• Justin Peters: Word-of-Faith Revisited
• Sandy Simpson: The New Apostolic Reformation
• Sandy Simpson: The New Apostolic Reformation – Part 2
• Michelle Lesley: The New Apostolic Reformation