Can the Pentecostal/Charismatic belief in "territorial spirits" and "Strategic-Level Spiritual Warfare" be traced back to prior sources?
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The primary sources of information for Pentecostal and Charismatic believers are the Holy Spirit and His Written Word.
External to these sources, there is a really good article on this very subject at: https://frame-poythress.org/territorial-spirits-some-biblical-perspectives/#:~:text=What%20does%20the%20Bible%20have%20to%20say%20about,in%20the%20Gospels%20and%20the%20Book%20of%20Acts..
Territorial Spirits: Some Biblical Perspectives JUNE 5, 2012 By Vern Poythress
Also, see:
The claim is that in the beginning God allotted specific angels to certain countries and that after the rebellion by Satan, his fallen angels continued in dealing with these specific nations. The idolatrous superstitions of pagan nations reveals this demarcation by the limits of specific spirits to a certain territory, which in some cases is marked on the land by an altar. For example:
Satan has assigned certain demons to certain territories, nations, cities and subcultures. These demons seek to pervert the peoples in their territory and to turn them against God (e.g. Ezek 28:12 the "King of Tyre"). Angelic beings were originally (see White, 1991, p59) given certain groupings of mankind to oversee. [Dr. John Studley, personal email quoting his MA thesis.]
In NW Nepal the territorial spirits are named Masta and the geographic extents of their territories are known to the local people. Where a Masta boundary crosses a path it is demarcated by an altar. When travellers reach the altar they place votive offerings in the niches to ensure safe passage and protection as they pass through the territory of the Masta. They are appeased with the help of a Dharmi (shaman). [Ibid.] Satan has assigned a hierarchy of principalities, powers and rulers of darkness to specific territories on the earth. [John Dawson, YWAM, Taking our Cities for God, Creation House (1989), p158.]
As you can see from the above, there are other sources from around the world such as Nepal.
But the authority is always the written word of God. And the only source more authoritative than that is the Holy Spirit Himself.
Disclaimer: I am an Independent Evangelical Christian who was originally brought up as a Catholic.
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