The Three Battlegrounds: An In-Depth View of the Three Arenas of Spiritual Warfare: The Mind, the Church and the Heavenly Places

174 Pages·2006·0.88 MB·English

by  Francis Frangipane

The Three Battlegrounds
Copyright © Francis Frangipane
First Edition 1989
Revised Edition 2006
Thirty-Fifth printing, May 2006
ISBN-13: 978-1-886296-38-1
ISBN-10: 1-886296-38-3
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved
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C
ONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
Part One: The Battleground of the Mind
1. Satan’s Domain: the Realm of Darkness .......... 13
2. The Stronghold of the Godly: Humility ........... 21
3. Pulling Down Strongholds ..................... 27
4. A House Made of Thoughts .................... 33
5. Three Sources of Strongholds ................... 43
6. The Stronghold of Christ’s Likeness ............. 49
7. Rule in the Midst of Your Enemies! .............. 55
Part Two: The Battleground of the Church
8. The Lord Whose Sword Is Drawn ............... 63
9. Beware of the Stronghold of Cold Love ........... 67
10. The Gift of Discernment ....................... 73
11. Eliminating False Discernment .................. 79
12. Repairers of the Breach ........................ 83
13. God’s Army of Worshipers ..................... 89
14. Casting Down the Accuser of the Brethren......... 95
Part Three: The Battleground of the Heavenly Places
15. The War Over Reality ........................ 107
16. Exposing the Spirit of Antichrist! ............... 115
17. Discerning the Spirit of Jezebel ................ 123
18. Elijah, Jehu, and the War Against Jezebel ........ 131
19. Our Experience with Jezebel................... 139
20. Strategy Against the Spirit of Jezebel ............ 145
21. Deliverance from the Spirit of Jezebel ........... 151
22. God Will Judge Your Judgment ................ 155
23. Discerning the Nature of the Enemy ............. 161
A Last Word
A Short Glossary

P
REFACE
We would encourage our readers to become familiar with the
glossary in the back of this book. Also, from time to time we
update our text. If you see some things differently than we do,
please let us know. As the Lord leads, we will make necessary
revisions in a subsequent printing.
No one is more mindful of the fact that we are exploring
uncharted regions of a subject that is ever unfolding. There is
yet much wisdom and knowledge to discover in these dimen-
sions. Therefore, let us approach these studies being mindful of
our present inadequacies.
At the same time, this volume will serve as a companion for
those serious leaders and prayer warriors who earnestly desire
to become conformed to Jesus Christ. As we pass to you our
information, our confidence is that the Lord Himself has set His
heart to guide us. In Him, all things are complete, and by
relying upon Him all things become adequate.

I
NTRODUCTION
This is a book about spiritual warfare. Before we proceed,
however, I have two concerns. The first is our need for wisdom.
There is an old European proverb worth heeding. It reads: “Age
and treachery will always defeat youth and zeal.” Before we
engage in spiritual warfare, we should know this about Satan:
he is an ancient and extremely treacherous foe. On the other
hand, the strength of most Christians lies primarily in idealism
and untested fervor. It is not long, usually five to ten years in
the ministry, and most zeal has waned. Without warning, the
minister’s call has deteriorated from a walk of vision to a mere
job.
What occurred was that zeal, by itself, challenged the
treachery of hell and lost. The brightness of youthful dreams
dimmed under the dark cloud of relentless satanic assault.
Under the weight of growing frustrations and discouragement,
compromise increased, and with it came iniquity and spiritual
bondage.
Yet, the real villain was not sin but ignorance. We put the
devil in a doctrinal box and expected him to stay there. He did
not. He undermined relationships, and our love grew cautious.
He resisted us in prayer, and our faith turned weak. Disillusion-
ment set in. After spending much time with struggling pastors,
I have seen a common trend in most: They failed to discern the
assault of the devil. They stood unprotected against an ancient,
treacherous foe.
Jesus prepared His disciples for everything, including
spiritual warfare. They watched Him cast out demons; they
clearly knew the devil was real. In fact, He sent them forth to
also deliver people from demons. But before He sent them out,
He charged them to become wise “as serpents” yet innocent and
harmless “as doves” (Matthew 10:16). This fusion of divine
wisdom and Christlike innocence is the taproot of all spiritual
victory. Indeed, we can defeat the enemy, but wisdom must
precede warfare and virtue must come before victory.
Consequently, the goal of this book is to train the church in
wisdom and call the church to innocence. We will not disregard
what we have previously learned; we will still live by faith. But
we must learn the ways of God, which means we must think
with wisdom. And we must be pure of heart, that we may see
God and gain discernment. Indeed, it is the lack of discernment
that has left us vulnerable to satanic attack.
Of my second concern, let me say that there are no shortcuts
to successful warfare, only ways to make it longer and more
perilous. One way of peril is to enter battle blinded by presump-
tion. When it comes to waging war effectively, consider
carefulness to be the essence of victory.
Whatever lofty spiritual plane you imagine that you are on,
remember: Adam was in Paradise when he fell. Before your
increased knowledge and religious experiences make you overly
self-confident, recall that Solomon wrote three books of Scrip-
ture; he actually gazed upon the glory of God, yet he fell. Yes,
even in your deepest worship of the Almighty, do not forget in
long ages past Lucifer himself was once in heaven pouring out
praise to God.
We each know of many who have fallen. Jesus warned that
the love of many would grow cold. Do not presume it cannot
happen to you. Our enemy has been deceiving mankind for
thousands of years. Our experience, on the other hand, spans but
a brief moment. It is wisdom to recognize that we do not know
all there is to know concerning warfare.
Therefore, be bold but never brash or arrogant in your prayer
life. Use your spiritual authority administratively, compassion-
ately, but never presumptuously. Multitudes of well-meaning
but ignorant Christians have approached the field of spiritual
battle with flippant attitudes and have suffered greatly for it.
Study several books and seek confirmation from the Lord for
your strategies. As it is written, “Prepare plans by consultation,
and make war by wise guidance” (Proverbs 20:18).
Thus, our purpose here is to help equip you for battle in three
primary areas of battlegrounds: the mind, the church and the
heavenly places. There are other fields or subcategories of
spiritual warfare; however, these are where most of us will face
conflict.
One last note. A few of you will be instrumental in actually
saving your cities. Our prayer is that these chapters will help
guide and equip you for that goal. The promise of the Spirit
speaks thus: “There was a small city with few men in it and a
great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large
siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor wise man
and he delivered the city by his wisdom” (Ecclesiastes
9:14–15).
While many are predicting the destruction of our nation and
the collapse of our cities, they have not considered the power of
Christ in you. But remember, “Wisdom is better than strength
. . . wisdom is better than weapons of war” (Ecclesiastes 9:16,
18).
—Francis Frangipane, July 1989