are taken from scriptures that deal with dispensations other than that of the mystery.

Eph. 6:, which is appealed to in defence of warfare in connection with the saints and to

justify the strange anomaly "prayer-warfare", teaches no such thing. There is not one

word in that passage that means warfare, conquest or fighting. What is enjoined is

standing, withstanding and wrestling. There is but one weapon provided; not prayer (for

prayer is entirely between the believer and the Lord), but the Word of God. We shall

more effectually resist the Devil and all his works if we use the sword of the Spirit, and

"preach the Word in season and out of season", than if we spend whole days and nights in

unscriptural prayer. There is only one weapon that terrifies the Devil, viz., the sword of

the Spirit. There is only one effective guard against all the fiery darts of the Wicked One,

and that is faith. There is only one conquest of the Devil, and that is the finished work of

Christ. It is a denial of our assured position in Christ to adopt all manner of psychic

attitudes in our relation to the foe. In that realm he is easily master, and it is no wonder

that so many physical and mental wrecks abound. The complete armour of God is held

together by the girdle of truth: "the truth shall make you free." But to be "truth" for us it

must be dispensational, and without "right division" the armour is ineffective. Hence the

number who are defeated in the fight.

We do not base our teaching upon our experiences, but as these are used by others we

will for once use such here. We have found that every one with whom we have spoken

on this subject has been either clear or befogged in proportion as they were clear or

befogged regarding the unique character of this present dispensation. Every one who has

either been in bondage to Satan, or who has slipped back into this welter of confusion,

has never really acknowledged in its fullness the unalloyed doctrine of the prison epistles.

There has always been something belonging to a past dispensation that has spoiled the

Again, Eph. 6: does not teach that our warfare is in the heavenlies. Can there be

warfare where Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God? Who is there with whom we

can fight? Satan is beneath our feet in Christ; principalities and powers also. Christ has

led captivity captive. He has spoiled principality and power. Warfare is impossible at

the right hand of God. If we compare Eph. 2: 2 with Col. 1: 13 we shall see that the

authority of darkness and the authority of the air are in some measure parallel, and find

their link in the words of Eph. 6: 12: "the world rulers of this darkness." It is true that a

superficial reading of Eph. 6: 12 gives the impression that our wrestling is in heavenly

places, but Dr. Bullinger pointed out years ago that this is not so. First of all we are told

with whom we do not wrestle, viz., "with flesh and blood". Then at the end of the verse

we find at the close of a parenthesis (in Paul's customary way), that we do not wrestle in

heavenly places. The parenthesis then supplies the positive side. We do wrestle with

spiritual wickednesses, and we wrestle here in "this world".

This has to do with the Christian soldier, and can by no means be brought into the

question of demon possession, or of being led captive by the Devil. If anyone is led

captive by the Devil, it is folly to exhort him to "put on the armour of God", for he is not