Spiritual warfare exists in the unseen, supernatural dimension between God and Satan. As Christians discover, spiritual warfare is absolutely real even though unseen. The Bible speaks of spiritual warfare, particularly in Ephesians 6 where Paul instructs believers to put on the full armor of God to fight against spiritual forces. Spiritual battles impact Christians daily, and though we cannot see the attacker, we can understand how battles are fought and their effects. As Christians, we must know that we face more than a mere struggle - it is real spiritual warfare. God provides specific armor and weapons, including truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God to achieve victory over evil.

1. Spiritual Warfare – 23st
November 2015 -
Spiritual warfare existsinthe unseen,supernatural dimension,where Godisall-powerful andSatanisin
revolt.AsanyChristiansoondiscovers,althoughspiritualwarfare isunseen,it’sabsolutelyreal.The
Bible speaksof spiritual warfare inmanyplaces,butmostdirectlyin Ephesians6:where Paul speaksof
puttingonthe full armorof God: “For we wrestle not against fleshand blood,but against
principalities,againstpowers,against the rulersof the darkness ofthis world, against spiritual
wickednessinhigh places” (Ephesians6:12).
To understandthe battle,we needtobeginwithacknowledgingthatwe are in a war. AsChristians,we
are ina spiritual battle of some sortona dailybasis.Inwarfare,battlesare foughtondifferentfronts,
for differentreasons,andwithvaryingdegreesof intensity.The same istrue inspiritual warfare.Our
spiritual battlesandwarfare are real,eventhoughwe cannotphysicallysee the attacker.But,we can
educate ourselvesonhowthe battlesare foughtandhow theyimpactour livesonadailybasis.
We are certainthat none of uslike waror havinganythingtodowithit.It is verycontroversial todayin
the physical realm.Those attitudes,beliefsandconvictionswilltransferovertothe spiritual realm.
However,inthe spiritual realm,there isabattle goingonregardlessof ouropinion whetherwe believe
it or not! We are eithervictorsorvictims. There isnohalfwayposition. VeryimportantlyasChristianwe
can learninMatthew28:18, "Then Jesuscame to them andsaid,“All authorityin heaven andon earth
has been givento me” The war isalreadywoninthe heavens.Itisthe ongoingspiritual warthatwe
face on a dailyongoingbasis.The evil one isconstantlytryingtodestroythe relationshipthatwe have
withGod almighty.Thatishispriority…Todraw us to sinthroughevil andevil actions. Ourprotectionis
the throughJesusChristwhodiedforour sake.
Throughour faithand belief in Him,we have the privilege of developingaclose relationshipwith Jesus
ChristthatHe greatlydesires.Manyof us enterintothatcovenantof salvationbygrace. Butmust bearin
mindthat we have to face an ongoingbattle againstthe forcesof evil,if we are tolive inkeepingwith
God’swill.Thisisan ongoingbattle thatrequiresourvictory whichensures victoriouslivinginChrist. As
Christianswe canachieve this consistentvictory onlybyknowing,believingandunderstandingthe
temptationsandthe battlesthatwe endurance daily.We know thatevilpermeatesitself inamultitude
of differentwaysandthus inorderto come outthe victor,we need towage a spiritual waronan
ongoingbasis.
Spiritual warfare isanimage that manyof us wouldratherreject.However,since the Bible usestermsof
warfare,it’sbestthatwe acceptGod’s imagery,sothatwe’re properlypreparedforreal battle.As
Christians, we mustknowthat we’re goingthrough more thana mere “struggle”onearth.– and its
seemsthatwar imagerycapturesthisrealitybetterthananythingelse.Sinceit’swarfare,Godinstructs
Christianstouse a veryspecificsetof armor and weapons aswe can read in Ephesians6:14-18: “Stand
firm then,with the belt of truth buckled aroundyour waist,with the breastplateof righteousnessin
place,15
and withyour feet fittedwith the readiness that comesfrom the gospel ofpeace. 16
In
additiontoall this,take up the shieldoffaith,with whichyou can extinguishall the flamingarrowsof
the evil one. 17
Take the helmet of salvationandthe sword of the Spirit,whichis the word of
God.18
Andprayin the Spiriton all occasionswith all kindsof prayers andrequests. Withthis inmind,
be alert and alwayskeep on prayingfor all the Lord’speople...”

2. We can learnfromabove that God’slistof weaponryisratherunique – these are actually “weaponsof
peace.”Inthisabove passage we can read of God’s armor as follows:The beltof truth,breastplateof
righteousness,the gospelof peace,the shieldof faith,the helmetof salvationandthe swordof the
Spirit,whichisthe wordof God.We can learnthat truth givesusstrength,righteousnessgivesus
honesty, the gospel givesuspeace,faithgivesus protectionand wordof God givesusknowledge and
deepunderstanding.Throughout the Bible,youwill findexamplesof God’sweaponryinaction.Of
course,the lessoninall these examplesasinall spiritual warfare today,itisthe deepunderstandingthat
onlyGod whoallowsusto claimvictoryoverevil!
Spiritual Warfare requiresustobe strongin the Lord and to steadfastlybelievethatHispresence is
sufficient. Spiritual warfare isarealityof the Christianlife.But we mustalways rememberandknowthe
ending– that ourside wins.Since the Devil hasalreadylost,he hasnothingtolose intryingtotake as
manypeople withhimindefeat.Thereforewe canlearninEphesians6: “Finally,mybrethren,be strong
in the Lord, and in the powerof His might. Put on the whole armor of God,that ye may be able to
stand against the wilesof the devil” (Ephesians6:10-11).
“Finally,mybrethren,be strong in the Lord, and in the powerof His might. Put on the whole armor of
God,that ye may be able to stand against the wilesof the devil” (Ephesians6:10-11).