Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 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. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

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Social media posts going into this new year brought so much hope and expectation. The start of a new decade teemed with momentum, but little did we know this would come to a grinding halt even before we are out of the first quarter of 2020. While not in a ground or air war, we are in a war against the virus COVID-19. An invisible enemy, and yet a natural evil that reflects the results of the Fall in Genesis 3. Social media posts seek to make sense of the “whats,” “whens,” “what-ifs,” and “how long” of this virus. While the situation is still fluid and there is uncertainty about this pandemic, we know that there is a greater, unseen battle that is waging in the spiritual realm.

Spiritual Warfare is a topic that is often taboo among Christian circles today. Warfare is nothing new to us, as we see it with the conflict around the world, but to think of a war going on in the spiritual realm is a somewhat strange and difficult concept to grasp. We must, though, see spiritual warfare as an essential aspect of the Christian life, because we deal with it every day, whether we realize it or not. Avoiding a proper understanding of spiritual warfare leaves us susceptible to the attacks that Satan will throw at us. These temptations will most likely cause us to feel defeated in our Christian walk.

So what is spiritual warfare? We know that God is sovereign over the universe and has control of all things, but we also understand, from Scripture, that God has permitted Satan to have influence over the earth. Satan’s reign has a territorial aspect in that he reigns over the earth, but his reign is also temporal. Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians 4:4 of Satan being “the god of this age.” Though Satan has rule, God ultimately reigns sovereignly. There is a war going on nonetheless.

Therefore, if spiritual warfare is an all-encompassing aspect of our Christian life, who or what are our enemies? I would suggest that there are three enemies: the flesh (inner battle we wage within ourselves), the world (context/environment we live in), and the devil (orchestrating our downfall from the supernatural realm). Knowing our enemies is just the first step to engaging in spiritual warfare. We must next understand how we wage war against these enemies. This is not a time to sit back as redeemed Christians and think that the war is over. Yes, the ultimate victory is ours through the blood of Jesus Christ, but we must continue to fight until he returns.

Paul, in Ephesians 6:10-20, lays forth how we can wage war against the devil by girding ourselves in the armor of God. Even before we put on the armor of God, we know that the victory is already ours through Christ because of his death, burial and resurrection (cf. Genesis 3:15, 1 Corinthians 15). Paul says in verse 10 that it’s by the Lord’s power and strength that we can stand firm against Satan’s attacks.

This armor is to be the permanent attire of the Christian. We should make it a point of application and practice to pray on this armor daily. We are soldiers of Christ, and we must be armed and ready to battle. That’s what Paul is getting at in verse 11, when he instructs us to put on the whole armor of God.

Verse 12 points to whom it is that we are battling against. It is not man fighting against man; rather, it is a battle in the spiritual realm. Therefore, because this battle deals with those fighting in the heavenly places, we must take up the armor (v. 13), again a charge to put it on in order to withstand the attacks.

Whether Satan tries to attack us doctrinally through our distrust of God, forsaking our obedience, or living hypocritically, the actual armor is our defense and offense against the devil.

The Armor (v. 13-17)

· The Belt of Truth: The belt in a soldier’s attire helped cinch up the loose-fitting clothing. Therefore, the truth of God’s Word gives us a guide and helps us hone in on what is true and right, keeping us fixed on God’s Word amidst other pervasive worldviews.

· Breastplate of Righteousness: This was the vital piece to the armor, as it protected the vital organs. We are covered in the righteousness of Christ and because of that cannot be snatched up ultimately by Satan.

· Boots of the Gospel: The boots helped with firm footing on the battleground. Because of the assurance that we have in the Gospel, we are able to cling to the peace we have through the cross and resurrection.

· Shield of Faith: This shield was large enough to protect the entire Body of the soldier. Our continual trust and faith placed in Christ alone keeps us firmly rooted in the One who holds victory over sin and death.

· Helmet of Salvation: This helmet protected the head, which was a continual target in battle. Satan will always be trying to plant discouragement and doubt in our minds about our salvation. Thus, we must continually let our thoughts and mind’s attention run back to the Gospel as doubt seeps in.

· Sword of the Spirit: The only offensive piece of armor. God’s Word is the only piece of weaponry that we need. Wield the Word of God with care and confidence.

Verses 18-20 then tie this entire passage together, showing how prayer is directly linked to spiritual warfare. We must pray with great variety – adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Our prayer must be focused and done with frequency – continually being in a spirit of prayer. Praying in the Spirit then shows us our humble submission and dependence on Christ. Prayer keeps us watchful against the attacks, but looking forward to Christ’s return. Finally, our prayer must be persistent, again linking us back to the idea that Satan is always looking to devour us. So, we must be on our knees asking for God to help us battle through his power and the protection of His armor.

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Lord, we cry out with the Psalmist, "how long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?" Such trial, tribulation and tumult in this world, be it in natural evils like a virus or the sorrow we feel in death, cause us to despair and at times feel depressed. Lord, we are grateful that even in the midst of such despondency, we need not look down at our present circumstances, but look up to you. For we, like David in Psalm 13 goes onto sing, "have trusted in your steadfast love and rejoiced in your salvation." While the effects of sin may prevail in brief, we have a loving Heavenly Father, who has dealt bountifully with us through His Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. May we abound in joy and peace as we hope in you, through belief that you will hold us fast and ultimately deliver us. Yours O Lord is the victory through Jesus our Redeemer. Turn our eyes toward you we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

~ written by Ryan Martin