We Are Waging War

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

Many believers do not realize they are engaged in a spiritual war against the devil and his demonic kingdom. Indeed, from the moment a person gives their life to Jesus Christ they declare war against the devil. The devil’s ultimate goal is for all souls to perish and join him in hell. Thus, he wages a guerrilla-type of spiritual warfare against every believer so they would go astray.

The devil is shrewd, cunning, and wicked. He is powerful, persistent, and depraved. He will stoop to any level and get down and dirty to disrupt our relationship with God. He is the prince of all liars and the ruler of darkness. His most potent weapon is making people think He doesn’t exist so He can attack them by surprise. One of the worst mistakes a believer can make is to underestimate the devil and his demonic kingdom. Let us not forget that the devil tried to deceive Jesus while the Lord was praying and fasting in the wilderness. Thus, the devil is not impressed with our prayer life or our spiritual fervor.

Every act of kindness, every time we attend a church service, every Bible study, every act of generosity, and every word of praise to God is a declaration of war. When we come together to worship God, we are waging war. When a godly man honors his responsibility as a faithful husband and father, he is waging war against the demonic kingdom. Every time we tell the truth instead of lying, we are waging war.

The devil is fighting for his survival. He knows that his reign of terror will end with him bound in the pits of hell, and he is trying to change his inevitable destruction. He is a desperate and determined demon who will not stop attacking the people of God until the very end.

The devil is not just going to remain silent and different while believers are gaining territory for the kingdom of God. He does not want us to share the gospel of truth and do the great commission work assigned to us by Jesus Christ. Every testimony of the goodness of God is an act of war.

The good news is that through Christ Jesus, we are already victorious against our spiritual enemy. The devil may roar like a lion, but Jesus is the real lion of Judah who cannot be defeated. Thus, Paul told the saints in Corinth that they have spiritual weapons to demolish their spiritual stronghold. Each believer is equipped with spiritual weapons to wage war against the devil and his kingdom. Some of those weapons are faith, praise, worship, and scripture.

Indeed, a believer can praise their way into victory against demonic attacks. When the enemy tempts us, we can quote scripture to resist his temptation and walk in victory. Every act of worship is deadly to the devil and destructive to his demonic kingdom. When we activate our faith to walk in the will and the favor of God, we are waging war against the enemy.

Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we do not have to live in fear of the enemy. All we have to do is remember the words of Paul in Ephesians 6:10-18:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

Questions for Personal Reflection

What does it mean to know that your spiritual life is a declaration of war against the devil?

How are you helping others to live victoriously against the devil?

Prayer- Blessed Lord, I thank you for the spiritual weapons you have given me to wage war against the devil and his demonic kingdom. Please help me to remain alert and aware of demonic attacks so I can activate my faith to resist the devil and live in victory.