Satan, together with his angels, has been cast out of heaven and now roams the earth furiously looking for people whom he can capture alive and thus force to do his will. Our armour is primarily meant to protect us in the spiritual battle, but we have also been given one weapon of attack: the words we speak (which are guided) by the Spirit. An important purpose of these words is to break down the strongholds of Satan and set his prisoners free in Jesus' name. This does not happen without a struggle. Satan does not give up his power (over people) easily. He does not let them go without a fight. It is for this reason that he - together with the demons - attacks victims (and perpetrators) who try to leave the cult in all kinds of ways. For him it is very simple: he wants his prisoners either back or dead - and preferably both in the end. Jesus, however, is the King who frees prisoners and gives them life. We may ask Him - pray and beg - to let His light shine in the darkness, and we may proclaim deliverance and life in His name over all those whom Satan tries to hold captive. And above all, we may thank Him that He is the One who saves, who will establish justice and who will make all things new. (Based on: Rev. 12:7-12; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Tim. 2:24-26; Ephesians 6:11-18; Isa. 61:1; John 3:16; John 12:46; and Rev. 20-21)
Paul explains in Ephesians 6 that the sword is the Spirit, and he indicates that these are 'God's words'. Every word we speak that is led by the Spirit, every word that comes from Him, is a frontal attack on the kingdom of darkness. When Jesus resisted temptation in the desert, He spoke Old Testament words. When He cast out demons, taught, comforted people, healed people, He spoke 'ordinary' words - words that He had from God (for everything He did and said came from the Father). James calls the tongue a small organ of speech; he calls it a fire. We bless God with it and curse people He has made with it - something James says is not right (James 3:1-12). When Paul calls the Spirit our sword (our weapon of attack) and specifies that it is 'God's words', he is showing that our words are the weapon with which we can attack darkness. Every word that comes from God - every word given to us by the Spirit - shines light in the darkness. Every edifying word, every word of comfort or mercy, every prayer of blessing, every supplication for human salvation - this is our weapon of attack in the spiritual battle. That is why we must let ourselves be led by the Spirit when we pray, because by doing so we are able to allow God's Spirit to speak through us - which is really no more than a part of 'unceasing prayer'.
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