One of the tactics of the enemy in his war against the saints is to remain as anonymous as possible. During the Cold War double agents inflicted huge amounts of damage because the system was being undermined from inside. The enemy was hidden, unseen and was striking without warning.

One of the purposes of C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, was to explain that satan’s greatest plan is to convince people that he does not exist, therefore he can continue his work unhindered. Lewis wrote: ‘There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.’

In the Bible, many spirits are identified by name and by studying the Scriptures, we can learn more about how to identify and confront these spiritual realities. Jesus Christ himself confronted and cast out many spirits and in Matthew 12:43, He identifies unclean spirits and reveals what happens to them after they have been confronted and dealt with. In another example, in 1 Kings 22:23, Micaiah the prophet revealed that a lying spirit had been deceiving the people, but they refused to confront it.

One such spirit that likes to remain anonymous is the spirit of fear and intimidation. The job function of the spirit of fear and intimidation is to paralyse Christians emotionally and spiritually, so that the work of Christ in and through their lives will cease. One could ask, “Why is it that so many Christians have visions and dreams, yet never fulfil them?” One of the reasons that Christians do not embrace their call from God is because the spirit of fear and intimidation harasses them until they give up.

In part two, discover how to challenge and overcome the spirit of fear and intimidation. Go