The Spiritual War


Whether you realize it or not, you are in a fight and in a war.  Your fight is not a physical fight but a spiritual fight.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”  Over the past, people have used physical warfare to force their religion on others.  History shows that armies that claimed to be Christian or Muslim or some other religion have fought to win others for their cause.  Many people have died or been forced to accept another religion.  But your warfare is not physical but spiritual.  Your main enemy is the devil and his forces that oppose God.  Ephesians 6:12 “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.”

Your fight may be on many sides.  The first fight is your own personal fight for your soul.  If you lose this fight, all other spiritual fights are without meaning.  1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”  Your own fleshly desires and pride work to draw you away from God and the things of the Spirit.  Galatians 5:16-17 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”  The works of the flesh are described in Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.”  These are the kind of things which war against your soul.

Another fight you may have is against those who oppose you in your walk of faith.  They may oppose you in what you believe, the principles that you stand for, and the way that you live your life.  1 Peter 3:14-16 “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ‘And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.’   But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.”  You must know why you believe and live as you do; you must be willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake; you must be ready to give a defense to those who oppose you.

Another fight you may have is to win souls for Christ.  There are many around you that are lost and do not know God.  The world is filled with those who don’t believe in God and His work of creation.  The popular doctrine is that everything has evolved through natural selection.  I encourage you to know why you believe in God and what evidence you see proves His creation and design of all things.  There are also many who believe in God but have never obeyed the gospel.  The gospel message of Christ is powerful.  The apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”  The truth of God as revealed in the Bible is powerful in changing lives.  We previously had 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”  God’s message is powerful.  It can pull down strongholds, cast down arguments and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

The armor for your warfare is described in Ephesians 6:13-18 “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.  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”  Your weapons include truth, righteousness, faith, the gospel, the word of God, and prayer.  These can empower you to pull down strongholds, cast down arguments and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Do not be ignorant of the war that you are fighting.  My encouragement is to be brave and fight using the spiritual weapons God has given you.


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