Jerry Rankin - Spiritual Warfare: The Battle for Gods Glory

Too many works about spiritual warfare are more about Satan than God, more about anecdote than the Bible, and more about power displays than Christian discipleship. This book, too, will likely stretch youperhaps even to points of disagreement at timesbut it takes you to the bottom line of victory in spiritual warfare: living daily in the power of God. Read this book, and learn from a man who longs for the entire world to know this Christ-centered victory.

DR. CHUCK LAWLESS,

Dean, Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism,
and Church Growth
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Can there be consistent victory against our selfish disposition, our seductive and oppressing environment and the unseen, dark power of our enemy? Jerry Rankin answers these questions with a resounding yes in specific, clear, exciting, compelling biblical detail. The book is Scripture saturated, evangelical in orientation, and packed with powerful illustrations from the author's personal experience. It will give the reader guidance, encouragement, conviction, and hope for living a victorious Christian life.

DR. ROBERTSON MCQUILKIN

President Emeritus, Columbia International University

Author of Life in the Spirit and Living the Life

If anybody knows that servants of God are in a furious battle with an unseen enemy, my friends Jerry and Bobbye Rankin do. If anybody knows that the enemy will do anything he can to halt kingdom work, Jerry and Bobbye Rankin do. And if any two people know how to brush themselves off after an unexpected assault, then stand back to their feet with twice the power, Jerry and Bobbye Rankin do. As the day-in, day-out leader of an army of several thousand missionaries mobilized around the globe, Dr. Rankin is in a unique position to tell people like you and me what God is doing around the world. From an eyes-on, hands-on perspective, he can also tell us what Satan is doing to try to stop him. As much as anyone I've ever met, Dr. Rankin knows this battle is real and what it takes to be consistently victorious. He is an experienced warrior in this worthy fight. He knows what works. He knows what doesn't. He also knows the roles of love and forgiveness, without which Jesus assured us a kingdom divides and falls. Of all things I love best about the Rankins, this is chief: they are rock solid in doctrine but not stifled or stuffy in how they live it out. They're all about Jesus and how He reaches the hearts, saves and fortifies the lives of real people.

BETH MOORE, Author and teacher

Founder of Living Proof Ministries

Copyright 2009 by Jerry Rankin

Al rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

978-0-8054-4880-1

Published by B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 235.4

Subject Heading: SPIRITUAL WARFARE \ DEVIL \ SPIRITUAL LIFE

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture references marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, the Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977; used by permission.

This book is dedicated to the thousands
of missionaries who have ventured into
Satan's territory to claim the kingdoms of
this world as the kingdoms of our Lord.
They have stood firm against religious
opposition, government restrictions,
and even persecution and have not succumbed
to the enemy's subtle efforts to discourage,
distract, and defeat them. With faith in the
Word of God, they have claimed the victory
purchased and assured by our Lord
Jesus Christ. They were driven by a vision
that God would be exalted among
the nations. God was glorified in their
lives because they did not love
their life, even unto death.

A theme central to Scripture but largely neglected; a hope that for most has witheredthese come alive in the pages of Spiritual Warfare: the Battle for God's Glory. This is the life message of Jerry Rankinlived out before written down, as I can testify from personal observation.

Is there any hope in this life for winning out in the battle against our selfish disposition? Our seductive and oppressing environment? The unseen dark power of our enemy? Yes! Yes! Yes! says Jerry Rankin. And he says it most convincingly.

And who can consistently experience this victory? Some spiritually elite among us? No! No! No! says Jerry Rankin. It's God's own intended birth gift to every one of His children. But how can this be? The author answers this question in specific, clear, exciting, compelling biblical detail.

The book is Scripture saturated. The author doesn't just cite proof texts for the points he wants to make. The Word comes alive in power as it is constantly woven into the text. The reader may not agree with the interpretation of some passage, given the hundreds that are used; but most are clearly the point of the passage.

The book is packed with powerful illustrations, many astonishingly so. I'm not one easily moved by the printed text, but more than once I found the tears flowing. Or the example so convicting I had to pause and ask God to forgive. Or to empower. Or times the story would evoke a simple, Thank you, Jesus!

The book, as one would expect from the author's background, speaks powerfully to the missionary. But the illustrations drawn from around the world are of equal benefit to the nonmissionary, because the biblical truth expounded is universal.

The book is broadly evangelical in orientation. The author demonstrates full confidence in the authority of Scripture but avoids extremes that often characterize teaching on a Spirit-energized life. Perhaps you may discover some disagreement in understanding what the Bible teaches on a particular point, given this large sweep of Bible teaching on the subject. But most surely will find

• Clear guidance on how to live the promised life.
• Deep conviction about falling out of step with the Spirit.
• Strong encouragement to engage the battle.
• Hope surging that victory is indeed the Christian's birthright.

I did!

Robertson McQuilkin

President Emeritus, Columbia International University

Author of Life in the Spirit and Living the Life

I 'm not sure when I first became aware that the struggle to live a life worthy of my identity as a Christian was spiritual warfare. Becoming a Christian at the age of ten brought a consciousness of a relationship with God that was secure. I knew that trusting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior had resulted in my sins being forgiven. Nevertheless, there was a new sensitivity to wrongdoing and attitudes and behavior that were not appropriate for a Christian. I would like to think it was the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but at that age it was probably just as much the threat of a paddling or the displeasure of my parents that instilled a sense of guilt for frequent failure. I really did want to grow in my faith and live according to God's Word, but victory over my old sin nature continued to be elusive.