A Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare
For some of us, spiritual warfare may sound like a vague term.
The phrase may creep up in a sermon or jump out at us from a book, but for many of us spiritual warfare exists as a nebulous subject rarely ever on our minds. However, according to Scripture, being adept at spiritual warfare is extremely important, and as the Bible shows, spiritual warfare is very real.
Spiritual warfare is the invisible war between good and evil—the conflict between us, God’s children, and satan, the enemy of our souls. Now, before you start to panic about being at war with the devil, remember you are on God’s winning team. When we confess Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, we come under His blood. The devil and his minions no longer have power over us.
When we live in the reality that we are God’s, we come under the promise that we are both loved and protected (see John 3:16; Luke 10:19). When we come under the shadow of His wings and walk in this reality, there is nothing the enemy can do to defeat us (see Ps. 91:4).
The challenge to being successful in spiritual warfare is learning how to walk in God’s protection, so the enemy’s attacks and lies can’t harm us. God has given us a shield of faith to extinguish the enemy’s fiery darts (those lies or assignments he is trying to throw at us [see Eph. 6:16]). When we partner with the enemy’s lies, we give them power and allow the devil unnecessary influence over our lives. If we stay focused on God’s truth and refuse to allow the enemy to have a place of influence, we become shielded from his attacks and stand in the authority that we have been given as God’s beloved children. Like Jesus, we become experts at sleeping in the midst of our storms:
On that day, when evening had come, he [Jesus] said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:35–38)
If we are truly partnered with Christ, then we should be able to abide in His peace at all times. Living in His peace, we can easily say no to satan when he tries to tempt us to partner with him. The devil can’t force us to partner with sin, and like Jesus, we can’t be forced to be afraid of the waves. Understanding the great power of the cross is our building block on which we can stand in spiritual warfare. The next time you feel attacked by the enemy, take a step back and ask the Lord what He thinks of your situation. I promise you the more you stay focused on His goodness, the more empowered you will be.
Where We War From
For a more in-depth explanation on spiritual warfare, let’s look at some Scriptures. Many of us have heard sermons on how God gave man authority over the earth, then lost it to satan, and then regained it through the death and resurrection of Christ. In Genesis, Adam and Eve walked in communion with God, but because of the fall, a wall/veil between themselves and the Lord was erected. It wasn’t until thousands of years later when Jesus died and was resurrected that the veil was torn so we could once again commune daily with God.
In Genesis, when satan tempted Eve and caused her and Adam to sin, their relationship with God was severed. Man was removed from the garden, and satan was given authority over the earth (the physical realm).
When Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, He took back the authority man had given to satan. Retaking His seat in Heaven, Jesus gave mankind all of His authority and told us to make disciples of all the earth (see Eph. 1:19–23; Matt. 28:19).
Today the enemy’s strategy is to trick us into believing the devil still has the authority. He wants us to believe we are still subjected to his schemes, tricks, and temptations, but that is simply not true. When we are born again, we become seated with Christ in the heavenlies (see Eph. 2:4–6). As we fight from this position, we become wise, unstoppable warriors.
Three Spiritual Realms
In 2 Corinthians, Paul gives us a glimpse of exactly where we should war from. Consider this verse:
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2 NKJV).
In this verse, Paul reveals there are at least three heavenly realms. Many theologians today divide these categories into the first heaven, the second heaven, and the third Heaven.
The first heaven is categorized as the physical realm around us (what we can see and/or touch with our physical senses—like the sky). The second heaven is the unseen spiritual realm where God’s angels and satan’s demons do combat. The third Heaven (God’s actual dwelling place) is where we are seated with Christ and from where should be doing our warfare.
When we try to engage our earthly, first heaven realities, we end up fighting the people around us (flesh and blood) instead of the enemy (satan’s spiritual forces). Warring from this realm, we strain from the ground to push up against the enemy and his attacks. This positions us beneath the powers of the enemy (since the first heaven is below the second heaven) and prevents us from warring with full effectiveness. Fighting with this mindset, we find ourselves straining to lift off the weight of the demonic oppression that is targeting us.
When we do warfare in the second heaven, we enter a boxing ring where we fight against the enemy on his own turf. Boxing the demonic at this level, we get in a few good punches, but we also experience our fair share of retaliating shots. When we war in the second heaven, we miss out on our true authority because we are neglecting God’s gift of being seated with Him in the third Heaven. Spending too much time squabbling with our foe and failing to connect with the Lord’s revelations and strategies, we end up receiving more hits than we give. If we are to be truly effective warriors, then we must do spiritual warfare from God’s position of power.
When we engage in spiritual warfare in the second heaven, we fight as opponents—not champions. We position our skills and strengths versus the enemy’s. This rarely produces a sustaining victory because satan and his forces have had centuries to perfect their skills. It is to our benefit to allow the angelic realm to do the boxing for us as we remain seated with Christ in the third Heaven. A passage showing this type of second heaven warfare can be seen most vividly in Daniel:
And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God [on earth/from first heaven], your words have been heard [in heaven/third Heaven], and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days [in the second heaven], but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia [second heaven], and came [appearing physically in the first heaven] to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come (Daniel 10:10–14).
In this passage, an angel described the conflicts happening in the second heaven. Whereas the messenger angel was delayed, Michael, one of God’s archangels, was dispatched to bring reinforcements. This allowed the first angel to become disentangled from his second heaven foe and deliver his message to Daniel in the physical realm (the first heaven).
When we engage in spiritual warfare from the third Heaven (our victorious place of rest where we are seated with Christ), we become spectators and allow God’s army to do the fighting for us. This is the only position where satan is under our feet. Interestingly, in Scripture it is the God of peace who crushes satan under our feet (see Rom. 16:20).
More Thoughts on Warfare
Other than Jesus Himself, the apostle Paul is one of the Bible’s most prolific thinkers on spiritual warfare. Paul gives us some incredible insights into how this area of battle works. When I travel, the apostle Paul is one of the writers I most often refer to when I am teaching this subject. Consider this famous passage from Ephesians:
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12 NLT).
Paul’s verse shows us our enemies are not flesh and blood (what we physically see around us). Our neighbors, leaders, spouses, and teenage children are not the enemies we should be fighting, nor the political figures or agenda pushers with whom we strongly disagree.
We must learn to take our focus off of what is going on in the physical realm around us (the first heaven) and aim our prayers at what God is doing in the spiritual realm. Jesus encourages us to invest ourselves in what is going on in Heaven rather than on earth because He knows the more we invest in eternity, the more our physical surroundings will reflect that reality. Consider this verse:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19–21).
Jesus instructs us to pay attention to what is going on in the spiritual realm and even encourages us to put our treasures and values in that area. This solidifies the idea that the spiritual realm at least influences, if not actively engages with the natural. Jesus, like Paul, encourages us to keep our minds focused on what is going on in the unseen realms. We are not just meant to thrive here on earth physically. We are meant to thrive spiritually as well. Consider this verse:
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:2–3).
Unfortunately, most of us tend to focus only on what is going on physically around us, and this is a major tactic of the enemy. When we engage only in the physical realm, we fail to do battle against the unseen forces that are behind the scenes pulling the strings.
In the story of Elisha and his servant, we saw how one man’s eyes (Elisha’s servant’s) were closed to the spiritual realm. When the enemies of God surrounded Elisha, his servant saw only the Persian armies amassing against them. Not feeling any fear, Elisha said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant and allowed him to see the truth that he was surrounded by angels—and not just the physical Persian enemy.
Like Elisha’s servant, we need to stop focusing on what is happening around us, and pay attention to what is going on behind the scenes. As the Bible points out, there is an entire spiritual world moving around us. If we acknowledge the spiritual realm and allow the Lord to open our eyes to its influence, then we will see just how protected and equipped for spiritual battle we are.
The Spiritual Realm Is Very Real
Most Christians have trouble relating to the spiritual realm because, obviously, it is difficult to see. However, to be truly effective, we need to take the subject of the spiritual realm seriously. Much of what we see in the physical realm has a spiritual reality behind it. When I see a person acting out in rage, it is most likely not just that person partnering with a bad mood. Quite possibly, there is a literal spirit of rage tormenting that person and he or she is agreeing with it and therefore coming under its influence.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed”? I have news for you—there is no wrong side of the bed! There is just you and God and the spiritual realm. If you are not careful, you will pick up on the unhealthy broadcasts that are being sent out in the spiritual realm and start acting out of them accordingly. Part of a Christian’s job is to learn how to discern what is going on around them spiritually so they won’t end up partnering with what is in opposition to God.
When we partner with what God is saying and fight from a heavenly perspective, we more easily overcome the enemy’s schemes. Just as Jesus calmed the storm with His disciples, we get to rest in God’s goodness and renounce any and all attacks the enemy is waging against us. This is the simple reality of spiritual warfare for the redeemed Christian. Be encouraged by Christ’s words:
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you (Luke 10:19 NASB).
Conclusion
If you are a Christian, spiritual warfare should not be a heavy burden. As you partner with God and watch His plans become reality, you should feel encouraged. Rather than dreading the enemy’s attacks, begin to see spiritual warfare as an opportunity to watch God intervene in your life. If you are feeling intimidated by the enemy, reflect on these verses below. Trust in God and know you are protected by Him. The devil has no power over you unless you allow it. Read these verses and allow them to pour strength into your spirit:
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20).
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV).
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm (Ephesians 6:10–13 NLT).
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us (1 John 4:4–6 NLT).
As you begin this journey in growing in your understanding of spiritual warfare, allow these verses to seep in and speak to your heart. Get alone with God, and ask Him how He sees your role in the wider realms of spiritual warfare. Ask Him for a verse for confirmation, and as you go throughout your week, see what truths He provides. I promise, you will not be disappointed. God is talking all the time. All we have to do is open our spiritual ears and listen.
