Is spiritual warfare a purely spiritual conflict between God and Satan, with the Christian trapped in between? To many Christians, the spiritual realm and spiritual weapons of warfare, such as praying in the Holy Spirit and intercession, are the ways to win.
Yet the armour of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) is held in place by truth, covers a heart of godly integrity, and has a well-prepared approach. It includes full, up-front protection, a strong mindset, and spiritually sharp verbal skills.
The armour links spirituality with humanity, because the real battlefield is the human condition: the war is fought in us. The “fiery darts” of the enemy, for example, are satanic arrows of accusation, aimed at mortally wounding us. Faith is our best protection from attack, because faith extinguishes incoming threats.
Devils usually come dressed in people who shoot accusations in the form of cruel judgements and harsh criticisms. Spiritual warfare is mostly conducted on a very human level, and affects a believer’s emotional and physical, as well as spiritual, well-being.
It would be nice to think that we could escape the continual conflict – have some extended R & R in a battle-free zone. But the battle would simply move with us; because, you see, life is all about how you and I handle ourselves: when tempted, when under pressure, and when “just coping” in the active service that is the Christian life.
Heaven waits, guarding hard-won rewards, the result of costly decisions made, and painful sacrifices accepted. An impregnable bastion, Heaven is an eternal, glorious, stress-free zone of spiritual bliss. Its reality alone gives meaning to the nasty encounters, frequent firefights, and, at times, seemingly endless conflicts of this earthly life.
So let’s keep fighting until we win our appointed victories – over ourselves, as well as the enemy that would tempt us to apply for a leave of absence. Or go AWOL. Courage under fire is what’s needed in the conflict. This is no time to quit the field of battle!