When Jonathan Met the Men Who “Fought Angels” | Jonathan Cahn Sermon
When you walk in the will of God, the attacks that rise against you are not a sign of failure—they are evidence that you are moving in the right direction. Jonathan Cahn opens his message by reminding believers that warfare often intensifies precisely in the place where God intends to bring breakthrough. What the enemy targets most fiercely is often the very area God wants to use for His glory.
He turns to the Gospel account of Yeshua being led by the Spirit into the wilderness for forty days, where He confronted temptation face-to-face. The devil offered Him power, protection, and provision—but each time, Jesus answered with the truth of Scripture. This moment reveals the nature of the enemy: a fallen angel who rebels against God, opposes His purposes, and seeks to derail the people of God through temptation, deception, and spiritual attack.
Jonathan explains that spiritual warfare is not limited to temptation alone. The enemy uses dark practices—occultism, curses, possession—and also subtle strategies meant to distract, confuse, and disrupt. He describes moments in ministry where possessed or disturbed individuals suddenly appeared to challenge, intimidate, or derail what God was doing. In one striking encounter during a film shoot, a man began shouting that he “fights angels and kills them,” aggressively challenging Jonathan and his team. In another moment, in the heart of Times Square, an elderly woman walked toward him completely unclothed, focusing intensely on him to break his concentration during filming. These bizarre distractions, Jonathan says, revealed that the enemy was attempting to interfere because God was at work.
The enemy also works through resistance, closed doors, and confusion. Jonathan recalls how an important building approval for their ministry was nearly blocked when a local leader appeared at the final vote to turn the council against them. Yet God miraculously reversed the situation and opened the door anyway. He shares how even while preparing this very message, his computer repeatedly froze, files disappeared, and emails wouldn’t send—only functioning again the moment he reached out for help, then freezing once more as he resumed writing. The timing was too precise to ignore.
But spiritual warfare is not always dramatic. The enemy is called the diabolos—the one who casts accusations, throws division, and opposes the purposes of God. Jonathan explains that the Hebrew root of Satan means “to oppose, resist, attack.” His strategy often manifests in ordinary ways that believers overlook.
One of the most common—and most destructive—forms of attack is a spirit of negativity. When a person lives constantly dwelling on the negative, judging others, assuming the worst, or focusing on conflict, they unintentionally open a door to the adversary. Negativity drains peace, distorts perspective, and creates hostility within the heart. Jonathan warns that some believers may be unknowingly aiding the enemy by embracing this mindset, sabotaging their own calling and joy.
Scripture teaches us instead to dwell on what is good, pure, excellent, and praiseworthy. Learning to turn from negativity and replace it with God’s truth brings protection, clarity, and peace. It may take time, Jonathan says, but choosing discipline in your thoughts closes the door the enemy tries to exploit.
His closing reminder is simple yet powerful:
If the enemy is attacking the very place God is calling you, don’t retreat—go forward even more boldly.
Because resistance is often the confirmation that you are exactly where God wants you to be.
