Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare

It might be difficult to fully appreciate a threat that originates from something invisible.
God, on the other hand, cautions us that the threat of spiritual warfare is very real and
that we must arm ourselves with what He has given us.

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL WARFARE?

 Bible Verses

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Our conflict, as stated in Ephesians 6:12, is ultimately against “spiritual forces of evil,” implying that the fundamental battle is one of good vs evil. The powers of evil are fighting a spiritual war for the hearts of men, attempting to pull us away from God and separate us from Him. However, for those who have faith in God through Jesus, the war has already been won since Christ defeated death via the resurrection. To be saved from the “second” death of the spirit, we must be born again of the spirit via trust in Jesus (John 3).

 The Bible instructs us to be vigilant and to guard our hearts against the iniquity of sin. Evil can only enter us if we allow it to reside in our hearts, similar to how a vampire must be let into your home. The first step in engaging in this epic spiritual conflict is acknowledging its existence and honestly examining your heart. “For the gospel reveals God’s righteousness—a righteousness that is by faith from beginning to end, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Rom. 1:17)

THE DEVIL IS A LAIR

To be sure, the subject of Satan and spiritual battle is one that some Christians find difficult to contemplate. However, one must examine the truth: By choosing to dismiss the existence of the devil and his primary goal of ruining humanity, we set ourselves up to fall prey to his trickery. His use of falsehoods, in particular, causes us to distrust God and His promises to us. “My people are ruined because of lack of understanding,” Hosea 4:6 says.

To wage war against us, the devil utilizes our mental space as a battleground. One of his favorite tricks is to tell us lies and utter them so persuasively that we believe them to be true. One of Satan’s tactics is to show us a worst-case scenario of our future in order to instill dread in us. He may exploit our weaknesses and situations, and even use individuals to make us worry, instill despondency, and steal our delight. The devil’s biggest deception, by far, is his attempt to persuade us to trust him above God, and that our Father is no match for him. Aside from Satan’s deceit of Eve in the Garden of Eden, the Bible has other examples of the devil spreading lies to God’s children through individuals or circumstances.

THE EFFECT OF PRAYER IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Understand that there is a fight going on, and that you are a part of it. Whether we like it or not, we are all caught up in the spiritual battle between good and evil. You will still be impacted by the conflict even if you do not participate in it, and you will be far more vulnerable to evil than if you choose to fight as God tells you to. So be active rather than passive. Engage in spiritual battle with the assurance that the power of God at work through you is stronger than any evil at work against you.Your prayers can help individuals avoid unpleasant things and welcome positive things into their life. Listen to the Holy Spirit for advice on how to best pray for what is most needed, and then pray to advance God’s kingdom on Earth and halt the growth of evil.

KNOW YOUR COMMANDER AND OBEY HIM.

Jesus Christ is your spiritual commander, and he commands two armies: the army of holy angels in heaven and the army of prayer warriors on Earth. Jesus selected you, saved you, bestowed everlasting benefits on you, and resides in your soul as the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants you to pick His side in the spiritual battle, and to remember that the power He provides you is stronger than evil. Your commander, Jesus, is the best model of a prayer warrior; studying his life on Earth will teach you how to serve God without fear.

RECOGNIZE YOUR TRUE ADVERSARY.

Satan, the highest-ranking of the fallen angels who rebelled against God, is your adversary. Your opponent, accuser, tempter, and deceiver is Satan. He works by convincing you to disbelieve God’s truth and instead trust his lies. When you actively defy God and choose to sin, you open the way for your adversary to attack you. It is critical to avoid sinful temptations and to pray against Satan’s efforts to harm you and others.

IN PRAYER, BE ASSURED OF YOUR AUTHORITY.

Jesus has given you the authority to pray in His name, knowing that He will answer your requests in accordance with God’s will and at the appropriate time. Be confident in your ability to invoke God’s strength in any situation.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE PRAYER (PSALM 91)

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

 The enemy will use any means necessary to steal, murder, and destroy you (John 10:10). The adversary will even use those closest to you. But God has provided you with armor to help you protect yourself. We, as God’s children, cannot fight alone, just as an army cannot fight alone on the front lines. So, in combat, we must employ what God has given us. After all, God is our protector and strength (Psalm 28:7). He will never abandon or abandon us (Deuteronomy 31:6).

TAKING VICTORY IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

According to Strong’s Greek concordance, the term “full armor” denotes panoplia in Greek. To be specific, comprehensive armor of defense and offensive weaponry. God has given us these weapons to defeat the adversary.

So, why do we fight the enemy, even our own flesh, in order to win?

Consider the following scriptures on God’s victory:

 “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4).

 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

 “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31).

 We frequently forget that Jesus Christ has already won the victory against the adversary. The truth is that the adversary and our own goals have convinced us that we must battle for triumph. The falsehood informs us that we never had victory to begin with. The adversary was conquered when Jesus went to the cross and died for us. Even Jesus gave us dominion against the adversary.

 “Look, I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you. However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:19-20).

 THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,…” (Ephesians 6:14-17).

 The belt of truth is Jesus, who is always longed after (John 14:6). When your mind is at battle, it is critical to turn to the Holy Spirit for help. He will lead you to the truth (John 16:3). The image Paul uses here shows that God’s truth will always remain with you and keep everything in place.

 The breastplate of righteousness is to keep pursuing God’s righteousness (Matthew 5:6). “Christ has planted our feet on the rock, and so the first requisite is secured.” If we, for our part, stay close to the Gospel that gives peace into our hearts, the peace that it provides will enable us to remain firm and endure any power that is thrown against us.”

 The shield of faith positions your faith in front of you, as if you were sheltering yourself from an enemy strike. “We walk by faith rather than sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). We put on the armor of faith because we know God is already with us.

 The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit are united because we shall be swayed by our own ideas and desires if we do not regularly renew our minds (Romans 12:2). “Now that you’ve heard about Jesus and understood the truth that comes from him, cast aside your old sinful nature and your previous way of life, which is ruined by lust and lies.” Let the Spirit refresh your ideas and attitudes instead” (Ephesians 4:21-23). They guard against the enemy’s lies since he is the father of lies (John 8:44).

 It might be difficult to fully appreciate a threat that originates from something invisible. God, on the other hand, cautions us that the threat of spiritual warfare is very real and that we must arm ourselves with what He has given us. Just like a good father protects his children, our Father God provides us with all we need to fight the adversary and love one another (1 John 4) while also revealing Christ to those who do not know Him (Matthew 5:14-16).

 

God bless you

Leave a Comment