Spiritual Warfare: Equipping Ourselves for the Battle

Spiritual warfare is a reality every believer faces. The Bible makes it clear that we are engaged in a battle - not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that seek to derail our faith and hinder our walk with Christ. However, God has not left us defenseless. Through His Word, He provides the armor, strategy, and power we need to stand firm.

Let's explore what Scripture teaches about spiritual warfare, focusing on four key passages: Ephesians 6:10-20, James 4:7, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, and Romans 8:35-37.

The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 6:10-20 is one of the most well-known passages on spiritual warfare. He begins by saying:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6:10-11, NIV)

Here Paul reminds us that our strength does not come from ourselves but from God. The battle is real, but victory is possible through His power. He describes the armor of God as essential protection against the enemy's attacks:

• The Belt of Truth - We stand firm when we root ourselves in God's truth, rejecting the lies of the enemy.

• The Breastplate of Righteousness - Christ's righteousness protects our hearts from guilt, shame, and condemnation.

• The Gospel of Peace (Shoes) - The gospel gives us stability, keeping us grounded and prepared for battle.

• The Shield of Faith - Faith in God deflects the enemy's fiery darts of doubt, fear, and temptation.

• The Helmet of Salvation - Our salvation in Christ guards our minds from deception.

• The Sword of the Spirit (God's Word) - The Bible is our offensive weapon, cutting through the enemy's lies with divine truth.

• Prayer - Paul emphasizes prayer as essential in spiritual warfare, urging believers to pray at all times.

This passage teaches us that the battle is not won by our strength but by standing firm in the armor that God provides.

Resisting the Enemy (James 4:7)

James 4:7 gives us a simple yet powerful strategy for spiritual warfare:

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Victory begins with submission to God. This means aligning ourselves with His will, surrendering our pride, and relying on His strength. When we walk in obedience, we are in a position to resist the devil.

Resisting means actively standing against the enemy's schemes - rejecting temptation, rebuking lies, and refusing to give Satan a foothold in our lives. The promise here is clear: when we resist, the enemy must flee. He has no power over those who are fully surrendered to God.

Taking Every Thought Captive (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Paul reminds us that the battle is not fought with earthly weapons:

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

One of the primary battlegrounds in spiritual warfare is the mind. The enemy seeks to establish strongholds - deep-seated patterns of thinking that oppose God's truth. These may come in the form of fear, anxiety, pride, lust, or doubt.

Paul instructs us to demolish these strongholds by taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. This means filtering our thoughts through God's Word, rejecting anything that contradicts His truth, and replacing lies with Scripture.

A practical way to do this is through memorization and meditation on Scripture. When negative or sinful thoughts arise, counter them with God's promises. This is how we wield the Sword of the Spirit effectively.

More Than Conquerors (Romans 8:35-37)

In the heat of spiritual warfare, we may feel overwhelmed, but Paul gives us a powerful assurance in Romans 8:35-37:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Nothing- not suffering, trials, persecution, or spiritual attacks - can separate us from the love of Christ. The phrase "more than conquerors" means we don't just barely survive spiritual warfare; we overwhelmingly triumph through Christ. Our victory is secure, not because of our own strength, but because of God's unfailing love and power.

Final Thoughts: Standing Firm in Victory

Spiritual warfare is real, but so is our victory in Christ. By putting on the armor of God, resisting the devil, taking every thought captive, and standing firm in God's love, we can walk in victory.

Here are a few practical steps to strengthen yourself for spiritual battle:

1. Daily Prayer - Stay connected to God through consistent prayer.

2. Scripture Memorization - Arm yourself with the Word of God.

3. Repentance and Submission - Stay humble and submitted to God.

4. Christian Community - Surround yourself with other believers who can support and encourage you. We are always here to pray for and encourage you.

5. Faith Over Fear - Trust in God's promises not the enemy's lies.

   
   

The battle may be intense, but we are not alone. Christ has already won the war. Stand firm, walk in His strength, and claim the victory that is yours in Him.

"Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." (Ephesians 6:10)

On The Podcast:

In March we launched our first roundtable episode with our whole team. We discussed Spiritual Disciplines and the Holy Spirit joined us. It was a precious time with other believers.

Heidi and Patti joined us to discuss the Power of Journaling.

Craig and Gerald discussed how they find Joy when life is difficult.

Josh and Charice prayed for healing along with the other requests we received.

If you have a prayer request you can submit it here.

Contest Corner

The winner of our March contest, receiving a prayer journal, is Missy! We will mail that to you soon.

This month we would like to encourage you in your spiritual battles and are offering two resources to choose from, simply comment Military or Prayers to enter to win!