Dealing with Spiritual Warfare

The Word of God is our most powerful weapon

Spiritual warfare is a consequence of a person’s faith in Christ. As an ex-new-ager who unconsciously served Satan for over a decade, it’s something I have dealt with many times over the three years I’ve been a Christian. One thing I learned quickly is that Satan isn’t bothered about the people who don’t follow Jesus, because they’re already where he wants them to be.

The devil's primary attack method against the church (a collective body of Christians) is to twist the truth, which is scripture. It all began in Genesis 3:1 – “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” By undermining and twisting what God says, he seduces us into compromise and induces us into error.

I was tempted to turn away from Jesus after my baptism. I could hear Satan’s whispers, “Did Jesus really say that he was the only way, the only truth and the only life?” The spiritual battle was real, and I found myself in conflict for several weeks as the devil had planted doubt in my mind.

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The Armour of God
Paul demonstrates in Ephesians chapter 6, that there is a spiritual undercurrent to our physical life and that until Christ returns we are in constant spiritual warfare. Paul encourages us to find our strength in God and act upon His Word, and by doing so, we can win the individual battles we face and collectively defend the church against the devil’s schemes.

This is our call to defence - “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” - Ephesians 6:10-11.

Our greatest armour is the word of God. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was faced with temptation, and He responded to the devil each time with “It is written.” The Word of God gives us the strength to overcome the battles we face, and when we apply the Word to our lives, we see the Holy Spirit in action.

“Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” - Ephesians 6:13.

Satan wants to separate us from God, and he will attack weak points in our lives, usually through addictions or particular struggles that held us captive before coming to Christ.

Paul reminds us to be alert and to keep praying for each other. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” - Ephesians 6:18.

I’m blessed to have received prayer from fellow Christians when faced with spiritual warfare. Each prayer strengthened my faith and drew me closer to Christ, defeating the devil’s plans against me.

God is sovereign and in control of all things - His plans cannot fail. So if our salvation isn’t under threat, what is our incentive to defend ourselves and the church against spiritual warfare? As God’s children, we want to see peace, love, and harmony maintained in the church (the individual bodies of Christ.)

Our defence shouldn’t come from a place of fear, as our focus is on who God is and what He’s given us through Jesus. Our incentive is to glorify Him, which we cannot do if we allow Satan to tempt us. There must be no end to our work in the defence of God’s society and to the spiritual integrity of the church.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in faith, because you know the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” – 1 Peter 5:8-9.