Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 09:4 (Winter 2005)
Article: Spiritual Warfare and Missions
Author: Charles E. Lawless

SBJT 9:4 (Winter 2005) p. 34

Spiritual Warfare and Missions

Chuck Lawless

Chuck Lawless is Dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth and is William Walker Brookes Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as a pastor and has authored articles in denominational periodicals and Sunday School curriculum for Life-Way Christian Resources. Dr. Lawless is the author of several books, including Discipled Warriors (Kregel, 2002) and Membership Matters (Zondervan, 2005).

Consider the following scenarios from the mission field. First, a missionary distributes gospel tracts in a border town between Brazil and Uruguay.1 The main street through the town divides the nations. Those in Brazil, where the church has been growing rapidly, gladly receive the tracts. Those in Uruguay, where the church has experienced little growth, refuse the tracts. The Uruguayans, however, often change their minds and receive the tracts gladly when they cross the street into Brazil. Accepting the missionary’s conclusion that those who cross the street are leaving a “cover of darkness” that pervades Uruguay, one spiritual warfare writer presents the story as a contemporary illustration of “territorial spirits.”2

Second, a team of North American believers travels to a creative-access country, where the gospel has taken little hold.3 Passionate and committed, they prayerfully study the region’s history in order to discover spirits of darkness that dominate the region.4 Having identified and prayed against these spirits, these believers declare the strongholds broken and the region now ready for the preaching of the gospel.

Third, a missionary serving in an Asian country experiences an evil presence while attempting to rest. The perceived “spirit” is so strong that the missionary cannot move or speak aloud. Gripped with fear, the missionary prays a silent prayer for Jesus to “send it away”—and the presence departs.

Finally, a missionary in the same region of the world decides that he and his family have endured enough. Lonely, hurting, and longing for friends and family, they pack their bags and head back to America. There, they believe, “the battle won’t be so intense.”

Each of these scenarios reflects an increasing interest in the role of spiritual powers in world evangelization.5 While viewing the Christian life as a battle is not new (e.g., You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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