What does spiritual warfare mean? Spiritual warfare has nothing to do with physical battles or physical weaponry. Spiritual warfare is the inward and outward battle we face against the enemies of God. These enemies include Satan, his minions—demons and fallen angels—and sin, which can be lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, or pride of life. Once we become Christians, a battle begins between the spirit (our internal spirit) and the flesh (the inward sinful nature we are born with). In this battle, we must learn to utilize the Holy Spirit within us to help us fight. The Apostle Paul spoke directly to this in his epistle to the Church at Ephesus in Ephesians 6:10-20. In verses 14-20, Paul lays out the armor we are to put on, but in the first few verses of that passage, he gives us a glimpse into why we need the armor.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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” (Ephesians 6:10-13).
The battles we face are not fought with the power of man, but with the power of God. To fight these battles correctly, we must be a people of prayer and a people of the Bible. All soldiers need a good leader and specific battle plans to be successful. The Holy Spirit is our link to the Commander and Chief of the Universe, our Heavenly Father. In His Word, we are given the plans for any battle we might face. As we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in our prayer lives and to teach us through our personal and intentional study of the Bible, we develop into mature Christian warriors, ready to promote or defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So, stand up, armor up, and be prepared to face the enemy unafraid and unashamed!
