Spiritual warfare is a reality that many Christians face on a regular basis. It involves struggles against demonic forces that seek to derail our relationship with God and thwart His purposes in our lives.
Gaining understanding about the spiritual battles we face is the first key to victory.
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare refers to the ongoing, unseen battle that affects Christians in their everyday lives. It stems from demonic forces and strongholds seeking to turn us away from God and His truth.
The Bible clearly teaches that spiritual warfare is real: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
The Nature of the Battle
This passage reveals key truths about the spiritual battles every believer faces:
- The primary enemies we battle are demonic rulers, authorities, and powers – not flesh and blood.
- These forces of darkness operate in the “heavenly realms” – the supernatural dimension.
- They seek to influence hearts, minds, and events on earth through deception, temptation, accusation, and oppression.
In essence, an unseen war rages around us between the forces of God and the forces of darkness. This spiritual war threatens us when our defenses are down and we engage in sinful patterns that give the enemy inroads into our lives.
Assessing Areas of Vulnerability
To stand firm, we must understand the enemy’s tactics and expose his hiding places by bringing them into the light. We must recognize areas where we may be vulnerable to attack.
Common strongholds include deception in beliefs, pride, chronic worry, addiction, betrayal wounds, and patterns of sinful behavior. Such areas are playgrounds for demonic forces seeking permission to influence and control us.
Exposing these vulnerable areas is key to defeating spiritual enemies. As Scripture declares, “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).
Recognizing the Reality of Spiritual Battles
Many Christians underestimate the reality of spiritual battles. They fail to recognize subtle attacks from the enemy – often because such warfare is unseen.
For example, have you experienced persistently condemning thoughts? Chronic fatigue when reading the Bible? Inability to control your temper despite repeated attempts? Sudden, overwhelming anxiety or fear? These could indicate demonic oppression requiring spiritual warfare.
Common Schemes of the Enemy
The Bible reveals Satan operates as cunning serpent, a roaring lion and an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). Some common schemes include:
- Deception – distorting truth, blinding minds to the gospel
- Accusation – taunting that God no longer loves us
- Temptation – enticing us to indulge sinful desires
- Oppression – tormenting the mind and body; inducing fatigue, mental fog, etc.
Failing to recognize spiritual attack allows these schemes to take root and strengthen. Becoming wise to the reality of the battle is essential.
Overcoming Complacency
Many believers coast through life unaware of spiritual battles raging around them. But Scripture warns, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
We must shake off complacency, ask God to expose blind spots in our defense, and prepare to engage knowing the battles are real even when unseen.
Identifying the Enemy’s Strategies and Strongholds
In fighting a battle, understanding opponent’s strategies is vital. Satan employs predictable tactics and develops strongholds – areas of influence giving him footholds in our walk with God.
Common Strategies
Below are strategies the enemy dependably employs to diminish believers’ effectiveness:
- Deception – disguising lies as truth regarding God’s nature, power, sovereignty and loving care
- Distraction – constantly diverting focus away from prayer, Scripture, and worship
- Division – sowing seeds of bitterness, resentment between friends, churches, spouses
- Accusation – taunting that God no longer loves or cares due to our flaws
These shrewd schemes introduce corruption that spreads like cancer if left unchecked. A strong defense recognizes them immediately.
Identifying Spiritual Strongholds
Strongholds represent areas where enemy forces have dug into our lives, exerting influence through patterns of sinful behavior or corrupted thinking.
Common strongholds include:
- Addiction – drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography
- Chronic worry/anxiety
- Bitterness/unforgiveness
- Pride
- Deception/false teaching
Strongholds develop through repetitive sinful patterns that lay down “paths” over time, making the behavior feel natural. Identifying them is vital to breaking their influence.
Exposing Strongholds through Truth
Strongholds lose influence when exposed to God’s truth. Just as switching on a light eliminates darkness, bringing the truth of Scripture to bear dissolves demonic strongholds.
This happens through speaking Scripture, prayer, praise and declaring God’s sovereignty and power to destroy all strategies and strongholds employed against us.
Putting on the Full Armor of God
After recognizing satanic schemes, believers must utilize their spiritual armor. Ephesians 6:10-18 outlines the “full armor” protecting us in battle.
Key elements include:
- Belt of Truth – Jesus is the way, truth and life. No lie originates from Him.
- Breastplate of Righteousness – Jesus’ righteousness given as a gift through salvation.
- Gospel of Peace – Readiness to share the hope within us.
- Shield of Faith – Belief resulting in God’s mighty power released through prayer.
- Helmet of Salvation – Confidence in redemption, renewal of our minds.
- Sword of the Spirit – God’s infallible Word empowering us.
Combined, these comprise an impenetrable defense empowering us to quench all the fiery darts and stand firm (Eph 6:13,16).
The Nature of Spiritual Armor
Believers often underestimate what this spiritual armor represents. Paul describes literal weapons protecting Roman soldiers. In the same way, taking up spiritual armor summons real spiritual protection supplied by Jesus Himself.
Wearing God’s full armor unleashes Christ’s power. As we’ll see next, this empowers the weapons unlocking victory against every adversary.
Using Offensive Spiritual Weapons
Spiritual armor is primarily defensive. But Jesus equips believers with offensive weapons tearing down demonic strongholds.
These include:
- The Word of God – Scripture’s truth dissolves lies, deceptions
- Prayer of Authority – Bringing situations to Jesus with trust
- The Blood of Jesus – Appropriating Christ’s protection over hearts and minds
- Praise & Worship – Releases God’s presence and power into environments
confidently wielding such weapons accelerates victory. As James declares, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Our submission to God is prerequisite for resisting the enemy.
The Power of Declaration
All believers have authority to speak Christ’s victory into circumstances through declaration. The tongue holds power to create or destroy (Prov. 18:21) – so we prophetically declare realities that must be so according to God’s will.
Examples include:
- “In Jesus name, all lies planting doubt are uprooted now through truth.”
- “All anxiety must submit to overflowing peace and joy right now by Christ’s authority.”
- “Healing reigns – sickness/pain must flee Jesus’ power and promises.”
Such declarations empowered by the Holy Spirit effect spiritual realities. Angels heed God’s Word (Ps. 103:20) working on our behalf when we decree His truth.
Achieving Victory in Spiritual Warfare
Believers equipped with spiritual armor and offensive weapons can walk confidently into victory against every darker power. While demons continue scheming, Christ’s sovereignty over all creation ensures their schemes will ultimately fail.
One key way we partner with Jesus in defeating evil is through reading reliable, Bible-based books about spiritual warfare. Understanding biblical keys to victory equips us to apply faith and appropriate God’s powerful promises.
The Best Book about Spiritual Warfare
After extensive research, I recommend Victory in Spiritual Warfare: Field Guide for Battle by Dr. Tony Evans as the premier book on this topic. In a detailed yet accessible way, Dr. Evans lays out scriptural guidance to recognize and respond boldly to the unseen war.
The book covers understanding biblical truths about darkness and light, Satan’s origin and limits, the believer’s authority in Christ, and nearly 50 spiritual warfare prayers. Additional topics include breaking deception and accusation, removing demonic obstacles, and proclaiming Christ’s victory into everyday circumstances.
For anyone seeking to better understand and prepare for spiritual battles, this book proves required reading. Applying its biblical wisdom imparts readiness, confidence, and effectual power against every adversary.
Spiritual warfare is an ever-present reality – but one Jesus has already won. Dark schemes and strategies will continue, but believers equipped with God’s armor and weapons can walk forward in resurrection power and unwavering authority.
We all face struggles requiring courage, clarity, and perseverance. But by wielding the Word of Truth, reverberating the Name of Jesus, and knowing our identity and authority in Him, we shake the very foundations of darkness. And the gates of hell itself shall not prevail against us.
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