Are You Prepared for Spiritual Warfare?

My March email mentioned I started teaching a class on the book of Ephesians. We completed Ephesians, and the book’s last chapter focused on the warning that we’re in a war against an array of wicked spiritual beings led by the devil. Our enemy’s objective is to steal, kill, and destroy. What tactics does the devil use to achieve these objectives? Matthew 4 describes the devil’s temptation of Jesus, and the passage provides insight into the devil’s schemes.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written: ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT COMES OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” Then the devil took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: ‘HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS ORDERS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON THEIR HANDS THEY WILL LIFT YOU UP, SO THAT YOU DO NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.’” Again, the devil took Him along to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him. (Matthew 4:1-11 NAS)

First, the devil questions Jesus’s identity when he says, “If you are the Son of God.” If Jesus had any doubt about his identity this would make him vulnerable to the first temptation of relying on something other than God and his word. With the second temptation the devil again leads with “If you are the Son of God.” Yielding to this temptation would mean Jesus would make a pride-boosting spectacle of himself to prove his identity. The third temptation also seeks to cause Jesus to betray his father for worldly glory. This temptation is also an attack on Jesus’s identity, relying on the expectation that Jesus may forget that he was already over and above every earthly authority and kingdom.

The devil employs the same tricks on every human by tempting us to forget we are each made in God’s image. Our identity as image bearers makes us precious to God and responsible for treasuring other human lives as much as God does.

How do we identify demonic influence?

 Don’t use the horror genre as a guide, instead be on guard against false teaching (the doctrine of demons) and persistent sinful behavior. The Bible identifies the behaviors as the deeds of darkness, such as lying, anger, malice, stealing, filthy speech, greed, sexual immorality, and murder. When you see an abusive or immoral person you see someone under the sway of the devil whether they realize it or not. That person has lost their identity as one made in the image of God, and those subjected to their sins are under threat of losing their identity as a person of value. It’s sad to see how entrenched demonic influence is in our world.

What are we to do?

When we see these behaviors in other people we must call them out, and pray they repent. We must not submit to the continual abuse of sinful people. If we find these evil behaviors in ourselves, we must renounce them and repent.

The apostle Paul wrote nine letters to Christian congregations which assume the recipients had once practiced a wicked way of life. How could Paul draw such an awful conclusion? It’s because there are only two choices; before you become a child of God, you are a child of the devil. We all have a lot of bad habits to overcome. That’s why Ephesians 4 tells them stop lying, stealing, and cursing. Get rid of anger, bitterness, slander, and malice. The basis for telling the truth is because we are part of one another. The point is that as Christians we are all part of Christ’s church, his body. We are part of a single entity that Christ loves, so we must treat each other well.

Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, because we are parts of one another. BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:25-32 NAS)

The armor of God

In Ephesians 6, Paul describes Christians as soldiers putting on the armor of God, an image drawn from Isaiah 59. Isaiah preached to the Israelites living in the southern kingdom of Judah. The first part of Isaiah 59 gives a picture of a society in the grip of the devil’s devices. They’ve lost their identity as God’s people. Pervasive sin has cut the people off from God’s power to help them. Blood covers everyone’s hands and they constantly lie to each other. Violence prevails and people trust in confusion to cover sins.

God searches this society and cannot find anyone who is honest and seeks to do right. There is no peace. There is no justice. In Isaiah’s vision, God determines to set things right, so God puts on the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation. God deals out retribution, so the people will again fear God. In the final two verses of Isaiah 59, God promises that a redeemer will come who will speak God’s word and that redeemer will have children who remain faithful to carry out God’s will.

In Ephesians 6:10-17, we the redeemer’s children, put on the armor of God. The armor is essential for us to remember our identity as children of God and to stand against spiritual enemies.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-17 NAS)

The belt of truth refers to our own sincerity and personal integrity. The breastplate of righteousness is the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, we act rightly and with confidence knowing Christ perfects what is lacking in us (see Philippians 3:9). Satan may tempt us toward depression, but the righteousness of Christ is what we rely on, not our own goodness.

The gospel of peace is the knowledge that we have peace with God. This is the foundation from which we fight, knowing we are with God. Once we were enemies of God, and the devil will try to make us feel that separation again. The shield of faith in Christ also keeps us strong in the face of every discouragement. We see that which is unseen, victory in Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 calls the helmet of salvation the hope of salvation another defense against discouragement.

Next comes the word of God, the sword of the Spirit. All the other armor components are defensive in nature, but with God’s word we have an offensive weapon by which to refute the philosophies of the devil just as Jesus quoted scriptures to resist the devil’s temptation.

Finally, we must pray. Pray for fellow Christians. Pray that we are clear and bold in sharing the gospel.

Have you thought about the fact that we must deal with unseen spiritual enemies? What examples have you seen? Let me know in the comments or replying to my email.

Photo by Henry Hustava on Unsplash.