Spiritual Warfare

In our Wednesday night study, the youth have been discussing the reality of spiritual warfare - that the spiritual world is real, and that there is a real battle being waged there ... a battle that includes us! There are several important observations about spiritual warfare that we can all benefit from (using Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem and Know Your Enemy by Michael Youssef):

The reality of the spiritual battle

• Not all evil from Satan and demons. Some of it is, but not all. Our flesh gets some of the blame, too. Which means that we can't just blame everything on demonic activity. Sometimes, it's not the devil that made you do it!

• The nature of the battle is ultimately about the Gospel (cf. Act 13.8-11; 16.16-18). The battle is over the Gospel itself - it's truth, it's impact on our lives, and it's advance. As we talk about becoming more missional, we necessarily engage more in the spiritual battle.
  

• We are always undergoing spiritual warfare. It may be subtle, but the battle never rests. When we rest, then the enemy gains the advantage.
  

• Christians cannot become demon-possessed (as far as my research reveals). But, we can still be influenced by them.
  

• The demons key activities are: to tempt, to deceive, and to inflict. We must be alert to all three, and defend against all three.
  

• Seven-point profile of the enemy (according to Youssef):
  

1. The enemy believes in questioning authority (his fall, the Fall, abortion, views on the Bible / church etc.)

2. The enemy goes to church!

3. The enemy wants to meet your needs (self-centeredness)

4. The enemy is a supreme forger (he won’t necessarily look evil)

5. The enemy detests the down-and-out (i.e. they have needs and know it)

6. The enemy disguises falsehood with truth (e.g. business, personal life, dating, giving to your church)

7. The enemy never attacks from the front (“acceptable sins”, like gossip, critical spirit, unforgiveness, etc.)

How to engage in the battle

• We have been given authority to rebuke demons (Jm 4.7; 1 Pe 5.8-9)

• But our real authority over demons is the cross (Heb 2.14; Col 2.15; Rev 12.11; 1 Jn 4.4; Php 1.28; 2 Cor 10.4)

• Speaking directly to demons can be more effective, but we don't want to become too fascinated with them or focused on them.
  

• God has given us plenty of weapons (Eph 6.10-20; see also 2 Cor 10.3-4).
  6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power.6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes ²¹ of the devil.6:12 For our struggle ²² is not against flesh and blood, ²³ but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, ²⁴ against the spiritual forces ²⁵ of evil in the heavens. ²⁶ 6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground ²⁷ on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. 6:14 Stand firm therefore, by fastening ²⁸ the belt of truth around your waist, ²⁹ by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, 6:15 by fitting your ³⁰ feet with the preparation that comes from the good news ³¹ of peace, ³² 6:16 and in all of this, ³³ by taking up the shield ³⁴ of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation ³⁵ and the sword ³⁶ of the Spirit, which is the word of God.6:18 With every prayer and petition, pray ³⁷ at all times in the Spirit, and to this end ³⁸ be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints. 6:19 Pray ³⁹ for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak ⁴⁰ – that I may confidently make known ⁴¹ the mystery of the gospel, 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.

• Seven-point strategy against the enemy (according to Youssef):
  

Remember: The victory is ours.


The secret of Masada: Lay down your life (Jm 4.7; Rom 6.13-14). Take up your cross daily and experience death to self. The enemy has no defense against that.


Lock the doors each morning. Pray each morning.


Put on the battle gear. Understand the passage from Ephesians 6 and put it into practice.


Praise the Lord (demons can’t stand that).

If in a conflict, pray for the other person (by name, in humility).

Start thinking of heaven (turn your attention away from things like anger and toward the things of eternity).

One thing Satan would love would be for us to ignore the spiritual battle entirely. He would love for us to ignore the reality of the battle - to think ourselves too "scientific" for such things. But if he can't get us to ignore him, his second strategy would be to make us inordinately interested in him. The most effective response for us is to be fully aware of his methods and activity, to address it simply by the power of Christ, and then to focus our attention on Christ.

I recommend reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This is not a book that tries to describe exactly how demons behave, but through the story, Lewis does show how the demons use trickery to deceive us.