Spiritual Warfare: How Do We Fight?
There are evil forces actively waring against us and fostering circumstances to destroy our faith. How do we fight?
Growing up in West Africa, I’ve never doubted the reality of spiritual battles between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan. Passages like Ephesians 6 and Daniel 10 have never been a stumbling block, and I’m grateful for that. However, I’ve also encountered questionable teachings and practices on the subject. For instance, I’ve been told that in order to be effective in spiritual battle, one must physically engage in prayer—stomping the ground, throwing air punches, etc. (I’m not joking). There’s also the belief that praying at 3 AM is crucial because it’s supposedly the devil’s most active hour, and, of course, you must bind the devil multiple times in the name of Jesus.
Look. The bible does not provide many specifics about the devil’s movements or exact tactics (intentionally). So I can’t flat-out deny the possibility that some of these practices might have a kernel of truth. But I’d rather stick to what Scriptures clearly lays out for us.
Today we will look at 1) who is our enemy, 2) what he is after, and 3) how we fight. We will systematically go through Ephesians 6:12-18 and incorporate other Scriptures for interpretation purposes.
Who is our enemy?
“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)
Our enemy is the devil and his demons. They are not imaginary or metaphorical personages. They are real, personal, and very powerful beings (Genesis 3:3; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 12:9).
What is our enemy after?
The devil is ultimately after your faith in Christ. By faith we are saved and united with Christ, and by faith we walk. Our faith in Christ is “more precious than gold” and we are being guarded by God's power through faith until Jesus returns (1 Peter 1:5-7). When Jesus prayed for Peter’s upcoming spiritual attack, he specifically prayed that his faith may not fail (Luke 22:31-32). The enemy knows that if he can destroy your trust in Jesus, he’s won. He is not after your sense of peace, happiness or even your moral standing. In fact, he’s willing to use anything—whether wealth, power, poverty, suffering or self-righteousness—to draw you away from abiding in Christ.
How do we fight?
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. … 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”. (Ephesians 6:11;13)
We fight by putting on the whole armor of God. Only in the Lord and in the strength of His might can we stand (Ephesians 6:10). Let’s look at each item of the armor of God.
a. Truth (“fasten on the belt of truth” - Eph. 6:14a)
“The devil plays on what’s already in you. He aggravates what’s already in you through lies” (Tim Keller, Spiritual Warfare)
From the very beginning, in the garden, the devil’s tactics have been rooted in lies and deception (John 8:44-47, Genesis 3:4,2 Corinthians 11:3,Revelation 12:9). He will lie to you about God’s character and His Word. He will downplay the devastating consequences of sin on your whole being—spiritually, physically, and emotionally. He will promise that giving in to sin will bring freedom, relief, or strength. But it’s a lie (that I fell for many times). The more we yield to sin, the stronger its grip on us becomes. The more we choose righteousness, the weaker sin’s hold on us. Fasten tightly the belt of truth. God’s Word is Truth (John 17:17). Let it be implanted in your heart and mind before the hour of temptation, so that, like Jesus, your weapons will be ready for use in the moment of temptation (Matthew 4:1-11).
b. Righteousness (“put on the breastplate of righteousness” - Eph. 6:14a).
As believers, we are clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus. We are also called to walk in righteousness by the power of His Spirit in us. As I was surveying scriptures on this topic, I did not see any binding of Satan in prayer. I noticed however something striking: the consistent theme of overcoming the devil’s schemes by walking in Love (the fruit of the Spirit). That’s right—spiritual warfare isn’t confined to moments of prayer. We engage in the battle against the devil’s schemes through our daily conduct and sacrifices of love. Consider the following passages:
“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:25-27).
“Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11).
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.” (James 4:6-9).
If we’re walking in unrepentant sin, it doesn’t matter how many air punches we throw at the devil in prayer at 3 AM or how many times we bind him—he will still have a strong foothold in our lives. Our heart’s posture and our prayers must be rooted in humility and repentance before God. We are called to actively pursue the fruit of the Spirit. This is how we put on the breastplate of righteousness.
This post turned out longer than I anticipated, so we’ll stop here with Truth and Righteousness. In the upcoming posts, we’ll dive into the other pieces of the armor of light!
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4)