The ‘Yahweh's Warfare’ theory is the one that has emerged as a important issue in modern missiology. It is a theory first claimed by the church growth theorists from Fuller theological seminary by C. Peter Wagner and accepted mostly in Asia, Africa, and South America. This theory has a strength that it makes the supernatural events of the Bible a real experience and brings the expansion of the Evangelism. On the other hand, I think it lacks the Biblical base and focuses only on overcoming Satan and demons, hence it weakens the main points of the Bible such as the proclamation of the Truth and the salvation of souls. Therefore, it is necessary to put this movement on a sheer balance so that it can be helpful to bearing positive fruits to Christian ministry, based fully on the Bible. This issue was addressed during the Lausanne Covenant and then focused on as main contents at the Manila Covenant in 1989, and at Capetown covenant in 2010. However, the dispute over the issue is not completely solved and is still demanding the full Biblical base. In the same line, in order to understand the spiritual warfare through the Biblical base, the present paper investigates the ‘Yahweh's Warfare’ theory that the Old Testament scholars presented and argues, and that is helpful to basing the spiritual warfare theory to sublimate it spiritually in Christ. Thus, the present paper proposes to present the principles of the spiritual warfare by studying the ‘Holy Warfare’ theory argued by G. Von Rad in 1940’s, the writings of the ‘Yahweh Warfare’ theory and consulting the Old Testament texts regarding the ‘Yahweh Warfare.’ The main points of the Yahweh Warfare theme are: (1) Jehovah is the warrior who wages wars and orders in them; (2) the Christians who participate in the wars should be holy and belong to God fully; (3) the enemy of the spiritual warfare is Satan; and (4) the aim of the Yahweh Warfare is the establishment of the divine kingdom while the spiritual warfare aims to build the kingdom of God. The present paper does not deal fully with the Biblical base for the spiritual warfare, but confines itself to presenting the Biblical base for the spiritual warfare simply through the Old Testament texts on the Yahweh warfare.

The purpose of this article is to assess the historical development of spiritual warfare theory from an evangelical missiology. The recent spiritual warfare theory has emerged due to the sudden growth of Pentecostals during 20th century, along with a few missiologists’ introduction of ‘power encounter’ to the evangelical missiology which was often observed in animistic culture. The movement became widespread by the enthusiastic advocating efforts of Peter Wagner at Fuller Theological Seminary. The movement became widely acknowledged during the second Lausanne Congress at Manila in 1989. After the second Lausanne Congress meeting, the subgroup of Spiritual Warfare Network was finally formed within Lausanne movement and became the chief center of the proliferation of the theory among evangelical churches. While this theory became so prevalent among evangelical mission practices, there also emerged of the voice of caution to this theory among other evangelical missiologists. In 1993, a meaningful discussion on this issue within Lausanne camp initiated the discussion and “the Statement on Spiritual Warfare” became available by Lausanne committee. This was the first official voice of Lausanne group on this issue. This statement expressed the negative attitude toward spiritual warfare theory. From 1993 to 2000, even within evangelical camps, the polarization between Spiritual Warfare advocates and those who criticized them became obvious. But, in 2000, “Consultation on Deliver Us from Evil.” has presented the moderate and balanced view on this issue, and provides new way to make a reconciliation between two groups. Therefore, what are the biblical views on spiritual warfare? To assess biblical and healthier understanding of Spiritual Warfare theory, the paper attempts to provide dangers of this theory as well as its possibilities in our missionary practice. Some dangers are such as its experience-oriented approaches, its lack of sanctification aspect in Christian life, its too-much emphasis on demonology and miracle, and its danger of Christian magic and etc. Moreover, in order to exercise healthy practices on spiritual warfare, first, the biblical concept of spiritual warfare is needed; second, more extensive and broader understanding of spiritual conflict is needed. Third, its emphasis on the prayer must be well-taken by other evangelicals. Lastly, the other Christian virtue must be balanced with the practices of spiritual conflict.