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Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach
In Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture , authors Bill Cook and Chuck Lawless provide a comprehensive study of a topic that is of key importance in the life of every believer. Surveying and analyzing incidents of spiritual warfare from Genesis through Revelation, the authors create a biblical framework for understanding the reality of Satan’s on-going assault on humankind. Building on that framework, Spiritual Warfare in the Storyline of Scripture also offers practical insights into some of Satan’s most common attacks on believers, and strategies for how we might stand against his onslaught. Readers of this book will gain a more complete understanding of what the Bible teaches about spiritual warfare in order to live in victory, confident that Satan is an enemy who has already been defeated.
- GenresTheology
368 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 8, 2025
Great book! Descriptive and shows all the occurrences and possible occurrences of satanic beings through Scripture. Wonderful biblical theology. I like the second part of the book as well, that was extremely practical. With all this knowledge that was gained from the scriptures about spiritual warfare so what? What do we do with this? We fight with the church, we fight in our evangelism, we fight for and with our leaders. Chuck Lawless says, “Prayerlessness is nothing less than idolatry of the self.” When we fail to pray we listen to our enemies: the devil, the flesh, and the world. We listen to the lies that they whisper in our hearts that we are autonomous. This was an easy book to read and would recommend for anyone studying the topic of spiritual warfare!!
December 17, 2024
Finally finished this after a long time of on and off reading but I can say I am encouraged and challenged! The authors start by rooting you in scripture to see what God has to say about spiritual warfare, then, in the second part, shift to how this plays out in our daily lives. It was challenging to see how we are in a real battle where the enemy wants us to simply be apathetic or prayerless, or even idolize him when it comes to thinking about spiritual warfare. They emphasized the importance, not of studying Satan, but studying God to know how to fight spiritual battles. We are called to live righteously for God and we do this from a place of victory in Christ.
February 18, 2020
Summary: A biblical and theological survey of all the passages in the Bible concerning Satan and spiritual warfare and practical applications for the life of the church.
William Cook and Chuck Lawless make both a biblical and practical case for the reality of spiritual warfare, the personal forces of evil who seek to undermine and oppose the life of followers of Christ, as well as keep in darkness those who have not come to faith. In this work they provide a comprehensive guide for believers to understanding the warfare we are in the midst of.
First of all, they survey all the relevant Old and New Testament that refer to Satan and his forces and spiritual warfare. They provide concise explanations of each passage, offering different readings of difficult passages like 1 Peter 3:18-22, and giving their own interpretation. From the early chapters of Genesis to the last chapters of Revelation, they give the account of Satan's efforts to oppose the purposes of God from the temptation of the Adam and Eve to the final defeat and destruction of Satan. What they make clear is that while the forces of darkness deceive and tempt and oppose, human sin is our own willful disobedience to God. What is fascinating is that the New Testament portion of this survey is four times as long as the Old Testament, particularly with the testing of Jesus, the confrontations with demons throughout the gospels and Acts, the spiritual opposition aroused as the church moves into the Gentile world, and the warfare of the book of Revelation of the dragon and the beast against the people of God and the final defeat of Satan.
The second half of the book draws on this material and applies this to our personal and corporate lives as believers. They begin with how spiritual warfare manifests in the local church, defining both the pillars of a healthy church and the lines of attack on each of these. They speak of the warfare against evangelism, blinding unbelievers to truth and rendering believers ineffective through sin, discouragement, pride, and fear that shuts our mouths. They talk about the remedy of prayer for "GOD'S HEART" (an acronym). They extend this line of discussion into mission and the disinterest, division, and distraction that needs to be countered with teaching and humble dependence. They look at attacks on the family and conclude with the warfare against leaders, addressing why many finish badly. Since many who read this book are likely to be leaders, this is one chapter not to be skipped but to be read, to be used in self-examination and spiritual accountability.
Over and over throughout this book, the authors focus on the dangers of pride, self-reliance, divisions between believers, and biblical illiteracy. At the same time, the authors emphasize the greatness of God, the victory of Christ, and the power of the Spirit, all enabling believers to overcome and prevail by faith.
This book is a useful source book for anyone teaching on spiritual warfare, combining a thorough survey of scripture with practical applications grounded in years of pastoral experience. It steers a healthy balance that both recognizes the reality of spiritual warfare, and the reality that, in the victory of the cross and resurrection, Satan and his forces have been decisively defeated and the believer provided with all he or she needs for life and godliness.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
William Cook and Chuck Lawless make both a biblical and practical case for the reality of spiritual warfare, the personal forces of evil who seek to undermine and oppose the life of followers of Christ, as well as keep in darkness those who have not come to faith. In this work they provide a comprehensive guide for believers to understanding the warfare we are in the midst of.
First of all, they survey all the relevant Old and New Testament that refer to Satan and his forces and spiritual warfare. They provide concise explanations of each passage, offering different readings of difficult passages like 1 Peter 3:18-22, and giving their own interpretation. From the early chapters of Genesis to the last chapters of Revelation, they give the account of Satan's efforts to oppose the purposes of God from the temptation of the Adam and Eve to the final defeat and destruction of Satan. What they make clear is that while the forces of darkness deceive and tempt and oppose, human sin is our own willful disobedience to God. What is fascinating is that the New Testament portion of this survey is four times as long as the Old Testament, particularly with the testing of Jesus, the confrontations with demons throughout the gospels and Acts, the spiritual opposition aroused as the church moves into the Gentile world, and the warfare of the book of Revelation of the dragon and the beast against the people of God and the final defeat of Satan.
The second half of the book draws on this material and applies this to our personal and corporate lives as believers. They begin with how spiritual warfare manifests in the local church, defining both the pillars of a healthy church and the lines of attack on each of these. They speak of the warfare against evangelism, blinding unbelievers to truth and rendering believers ineffective through sin, discouragement, pride, and fear that shuts our mouths. They talk about the remedy of prayer for "GOD'S HEART" (an acronym). They extend this line of discussion into mission and the disinterest, division, and distraction that needs to be countered with teaching and humble dependence. They look at attacks on the family and conclude with the warfare against leaders, addressing why many finish badly. Since many who read this book are likely to be leaders, this is one chapter not to be skipped but to be read, to be used in self-examination and spiritual accountability.
Over and over throughout this book, the authors focus on the dangers of pride, self-reliance, divisions between believers, and biblical illiteracy. At the same time, the authors emphasize the greatness of God, the victory of Christ, and the power of the Spirit, all enabling believers to overcome and prevail by faith.
This book is a useful source book for anyone teaching on spiritual warfare, combining a thorough survey of scripture with practical applications grounded in years of pastoral experience. It steers a healthy balance that both recognizes the reality of spiritual warfare, and the reality that, in the victory of the cross and resurrection, Satan and his forces have been decisively defeated and the believer provided with all he or she needs for life and godliness.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
June 20, 2020
This book is going to have lasting effect and will be a part of many Bible college and Seminary classes for many years to come. This is the very best survey I have seen on the idea of spiritual warfare! With both Dr. Cook and Dr. Lawless we find men who are humble, pastoral, and deeply caring for the depths of warfare we face around us every single day. I was challenged both to see the biblical stances on the spiritual realm and the schemes of Satan alongside the practical words that will help me as a follower of Christ, husband, father, and pastor. I personally feel more aware of the spiritual battles going on around me and I will use this is a great tool for the ministry to students and church members alike.
March 11, 2025
Fantastic dive into the bible and spiritual warfare. I appreciate this one more than I would Micheal heisers books, just for the fact of more practical application, and being more accessible for the common person. Although I love both. Definitely recommend for anyone curious on a biblically solid worldview of the spiritual realm
July 29, 2020
Not particularly helpful. Peppered throughout with lots of fairly obvious and unnecessary statements. Read David Powlison on spiritual warfare instead of this.
April 4, 2025
A really great book. I think the target group are pastors and elders more than layperson. And yet there are a lot of insights for us too.
December 27, 2025
A nice general overview for the general reader from a mainstream evangelical perspective.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews