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Scripture Focus
Ephesians 4:11–13 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (KJV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Matthew 28:18–20 (KJV)
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Introduction: The Church Is at War, Whether We Admit It or Not
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12, KJV).
The Church was never called to be passive in a hostile world. We are in a spiritual war, not with people, but with darkness. Many believers suffer unnecessary defeat because they only use one or two spiritual tools when God designed the Church to fight with five-fold warfare.
Five-Fold Warfare is not about personalities or titles. It is about how Jesus equips His Church with five spiritual functions to advance the Kingdom, tear down strongholds, and mature believers into warriors of truth.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–12, KJV).
Each role carries a warfare function in the Kingdom of God. When one function is missing, the Church becomes vulnerable. When all five operate together, the Church becomes spiritually dangerous to hell.
This reality aligns with the warning shared by Jeremiah Johnson, who teaches that spiritual opposition often targets these five functions with strategic attacks. According to Johnson, the enemy does not attack randomly. The enemy studies how the Church is designed to function and attempts to sabotage each role at its core (Johnson, 2024).
Johnson identifies five recurring spiritual attacks aligned against the five-fold ministry:
Apostles face Leviathan
Prophets face Jezebel
Teachers face the religious spirit
Pastors face discouragement and depression
Evangelists face vanity
Understanding both the design of God and the strategies of the enemy allows believers and churches to fight wisely instead of blindly.
Five-Fold Warfare: How God Arms the Church for Spiritual Battle
Five-Fold Warfare is how the Kingdom advances. The Church was never meant to merely gather, sing, and survive. The Church was designed to invade darkness, rescue captives, dismantle lies, and establish the reign of Christ in hostile territory.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, KJV).
Each five-fold role carries a specific warfare function. When the Church ignores this design, spiritual battles are lost not because God is weak, but because His people fight without using the full armor and structure He provided.
1. Apostolic Warfare and the Leviathan Attack
Apostolic Warfare: Advancing Territory and Establishing Kingdom Order
Apostles function as frontline generals. They pioneer new ground, confront strongholds in regions, and establish spiritual order where chaos rules.
Warfare Function
Break territorial darkness
Establish churches and righteous foundations
Confront spiritual resistance in new territory
Carry authority to plant, build, and correct
Biblical Example
Paul entered regions bound by idolatry, witchcraft, and false doctrine and overturned spiritual systems through preaching, miracles, and spiritual authority (Acts 19).
Modern Application
Apostolic warfare today looks like taking the gospel into hostile or resistant places, confronting cultural strongholds, establishing Kingdom structure where there is spiritual disorder, and refusing comfort zones for mission. This warfare breaks the mindset of “stay safe” and replaces it with “occupy until He comes.”
The Leviathan Attack Against Apostolic Function
Jeremiah Johnson associates Leviathan with attacks on apostolic leaders and apostolic functions. This spirit seeks to bring pride, division, false accusation, slander, and twisted communication. Leviathan works through subtle relational corruption, causing leaders to distrust each other, question motives, and fracture unity. Johnson explains that Leviathan often operates behind the scenes, creating narratives that undermine credibility and poison spiritual foundations before ministries can mature (Johnson, 2024).
When apostolic leaders are distracted by division, new territory is not established. When unity breaks, Kingdom expansion stalls. Leviathan targets the very foundation of apostolic advancement.
Biblical Response
Scripture repeatedly warns that pride precedes destruction (Proverbs 16:18). Apostolic warfare requires humility, truth, integrity, and forgiveness. Unity is not optional in warfare. Division is a strategic victory for darkness.
2. Prophetic Warfare and the Jezebel Attack
Prophetic Warfare: Exposing Darkness and Releasing God’s Word
Prophets function as spiritual watchmen. They see what others ignore and speak what heaven reveals. Prophetic warfare exposes deception, calls for repentance, and releases truth that dismantles lies.
Warfare Function
Expose hidden sin and deception
Call nations and churches to repentance
Release the word of the Lord that shifts atmospheres
Discern spiritual activity behind natural events
Biblical Example
Elijah confronted false prophets and idolatry on Mount Carmel, calling fire from heaven and exposing the spirit behind the culture (1 Kings 18).
Modern Application
Prophetic warfare today looks like confronting compromised doctrine, calling out sin even when unpopular, exercising discernment against deception in the Church, and speaking God’s truth into cultural confusion. Where prophets are silenced, deception grows comfortable.
The Jezebel Attack Against Prophetic Function
Johnson teaches that the Jezebel spirit seeks to silence prophetic voices and suppress truth. This attack is not about gender but about control, intimidation, manipulation, flattery, emotional coercion, and seduction. Jezebel thrives when leaders avoid confrontation and choose peace over truth. When prophetic voices are suppressed, deception gains influence and false peace replaces repentance (Johnson, 2024).
Biblical Response
Scripture shows that Jezebel resisted God’s prophets through intimidation and control (1 Kings 18–21). The prophetic role requires courage. When truth is not spoken, bondage remains unchallenged.
3. Evangelistic Warfare and the Vanity Attack
Evangelistic Warfare: Plundering Hell and Populating Heaven
Evangelists function as Kingdom raiders. Every soul saved is a victory over darkness. Evangelism is spiritual warfare because every soul is contested territory.
Warfare Function
Rescue souls from darkness
Confront unbelief and spiritual blindness
Demonstrate God’s power through signs and truth
Expand the Kingdom through the gospel
Biblical Example
Philip went into Samaria where witchcraft ruled through Simon the sorcerer. The gospel overthrew the influence of sorcery and joy filled the city (Acts 8).
Modern Application
Evangelistic warfare today looks like bold street evangelism, preaching repentance and salvation, rescuing people from addiction, occultism, and deception, and declaring Christ publicly despite rejection. Every soul saved is a defeat for hell.
The Vanity Attack Against Evangelistic Function
Johnson identifies vanity as the spiritual attack against evangelists. Vanity shifts focus from souls to platforms, applause, crowds, offerings, and personal recognition. When evangelism becomes performance, the mission is corrupted. Evangelists begin to seek fame instead of fruit. The enemy distracts them from their assignment by tempting them to build their own name instead of lifting the name of Christ (Johnson, 2024).
Biblical Response
Jesus modeled humility in mission. Evangelism is not about visibility. It is about obedience. The Great Commission is fulfilled through faithfulness, not fame (Matthew 28:18–20).
4. Pastoral Warfare and the Discouragement Attack
Pastoral Warfare: Guarding the Flock and Healing the Wounded
Pastors function as spiritual shepherd-warriors. Their warfare is defensive and restorative. They protect believers from wolves, false doctrine, burnout, and spiritual collapse.
Warfare Function
Guard the sheep from deception
Restore wounded believers
Disciple the immature
Protect the Church from internal division
Biblical Example
Jesus as the Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep and warned of wolves who come to scatter (John 10).
Modern Application
Pastoral warfare today looks like protecting believers from false teachers, providing accountability and care, confronting sin with love, and building spiritual resilience in people. Where pastors stop guarding, predators enter freely.
The Discouragement Attack Against Pastoral Function
Johnson identifies discouragement and depression as major attacks against pastors. Discouragement drains joy, blurs vision, weakens faith, and leads to isolation. If left unchecked, it can progress into burnout and despair. This attack weakens the shepherd, which in turn weakens the flock. When pastors are weary, wolves move freely (Johnson, 2024).
Biblical Response
Scripture calls shepherds to strengthen themselves in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). The Church must actively pray for its pastors because the enemy targets leaders to weaken the entire body.
5. Teaching Warfare and the Religious Spirit Attack
Teaching Warfare: Destroying Strongholds of the Mind
Teachers function as strategic instructors in warfare. False beliefs empower bondage. Truth breaks chains. Teaching warfare tears down mental strongholds and equips believers to stand firm.
Warfare Function
Destroy lies with truth
Equip believers to discern deception
Ground people in sound doctrine
Build spiritual stability and maturity
Biblical Example
Jesus constantly taught truth to dismantle religious deception and hardened traditions (Matthew 5–7).
Modern Application
Teaching warfare today looks like sound doctrine over emotional hype, exposing twisted Scripture, teaching believers how to think biblically, and building discernment in a confused generation. If the mind is not trained, the enemy rules through deception.
The Religious Spirit Attack Against Teaching Function
Johnson warns that the religious spirit promotes form without power, legalism, pride in knowledge, control through rules, and resistance to the Holy Spirit. This spirit replaces transformation with routine and obedience with performance. It creates churches that look spiritual but lack spiritual authority (Johnson, 2024).
Biblical Response
Truth without love produces pride. Love without truth produces compromise. Teachers must walk in humility and dependence on the Holy Spirit so doctrine leads to transformation, not bondage.
Why the Church Loses Without Five-Fold Warfare
Many churches emphasize pastoral care and teaching while neglecting apostolic advancement, prophetic confrontation, and evangelistic invasion. The result is:
Comfortable believers with no spiritual authority
Weak resistance to cultural sin
Churches that heal but do not advance
Christians who survive but do not conquer
A Church that only comforts without confronting darkness becomes spiritually passive.
When the Five-Fold Operates Together, the Church Becomes Dangerous to Hell
Apostles advance territory
Prophets expose darkness
Evangelists rescue souls
Pastors guard and heal
Teachers equip the mind
Together, they create a balanced, mature, warfare-ready Church.
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith… unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13, KJV).
Hell fears a Church that understands its five-fold warfare identity.
Call to Action: Stop Playing Church and Start Warring in the Spirit
This generation does not need a softer gospel.
It needs a stronger Church.
Pray for apostolic boldness.
Pray for prophetic clarity.
Pray for evangelistic fire.
Pray for pastoral strength.
Pray for teaching truth.
Ask God to activate every warfare function in your life and your church.
Because comfort never advanced the Kingdom.
Warfare does.
References (APA 7)
Johnson, J. (2024, October 10). 5 demonic spirits assigned to destroy you: Leviathan, Jezebel & others are targeting YOU. Destiny Image.
https://www.destinyimage.com/blog/jeremiah-johnson-5-demonic-spirits-assigned-to-destroy-you-leviathan-jezebel-and-others-are-targeting-you
The Holy Bible, King James Version. (1769/2017). Cambridge University Press.
Prayer for a Stronger Church and Spiritual Warfare
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with humility, reverence, and a deep awareness of the times we are living in. We acknowledge that this generation does not need a softer gospel, but a stronger Church that stands firmly upon Your truth and walks in the power of Your Spirit. We do not ask to be made comfortable. We ask to be made faithful, obedient, and courageous in every assignment You have given us.
Lord, we repent for every moment we have chosen convenience over conviction and silence over obedience. We repent for the times we have sought the approval of people more than the approval of God. Forgive us for blending in with the culture when You called us to stand apart as a holy people. Cleanse us from compromise, spiritual laziness, fear of man, and the desire to avoid confrontation with sin. Renew in us a holy reverence for Your name and Your Word.
Father, we ask You to release apostolic boldness within Your Church so that we may advance Your Kingdom without fear, intimidation, or hesitation. We ask You to grant prophetic clarity so that we may discern truth from deception and speak Your Word with accuracy, purity, and courage. We ask You to ignite evangelistic fire within our hearts so that we may burn with passion for the lost and boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ with love and urgency.
We ask You to strengthen pastors and leaders with endurance, wisdom, humility, and courage so that they may shepherd Your people faithfully in difficult times. We ask You to establish teachers in truth so that Your Word is handled rightly, preached clearly, and never twisted to fit the pressures of culture. Guard Your Church from false doctrine, mixture, and compromise, and anchor us deeply in the truth of Scripture.
Father, we ask You to activate every warfare function in our lives and in our churches. Train our hands for spiritual battle and sharpen our discernment to recognize the tactics of the enemy. Strengthen our prayer lives so that we do not grow weary in intercession. Awaken our authority in Christ so that we may stand boldly against deception, spiritual apathy, witchcraft, immorality, and every work of darkness that seeks to weaken Your people.
We declare that we are not called to live for comfort, but to live for Christ. We are not called to be entertained, but to be equipped. We are not called to blend into the world, but to stand as light in the darkness. We are not called merely to survive these times, but to overcome through the victory of Jesus Christ.
Revive our hunger for holiness. Restore our love for truth. Strengthen our resolve to stand when others bow and to speak when others remain silent. Make us effective for the Kingdom of God and dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. Let our lives bring glory to Your name and advance the work of Your Kingdom in this generation.
We declare that comfort has never advanced the Kingdom of God, but obedience, sacrifice, and spiritual warfare have.
We pray all of this in the mighty and victorious name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
