What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Spiritual Warfare”? You perhaps think first of all about demon possession and exorcism, perhaps too about witchcraft and sorcery. Perhaps you will have in mind some famous secular films like the Exorcist or popular level Christian literature.
Well you would not be wrong to think about demon possession or demonization and how Christians should respond to this. We, especially in the secular west can end up eliminating all thought of the supernatural from our day to day beliefs. The Devil and demons are real. However, there can be a danger at the other extreme, that our thinking is coloured more by superstition and fantasy literature than what the Bible has to say.
To give two examples, I have been asked to baptise babies as a pastor. Rather than simply saying “we don’t baptise infants but we can do a dedication”, I ask “why do you want your baby baptised.” Several times I’ve been told “because until they are baptised or blessed by you, they are not safe from demons.” Secondly, I’ve pastored people who have had Christian connections for many years but do not know what the Bible says. They don’t read it but keep it as a lucky charm. I know of people keeping a Bible under their pillow at night to protect them from bad dreams and curses.
It’s important to know that people who claim to be witches and to have spiritual/magical power are false. They do not have any hold over a believer. They cannot use their curses to harm. It is also important to know that prayer, the Bible, Church, speaking in tongues etc should not be used in a superstitious way to try and create some kind of spiritual forcefield around you.
And this is why we need to pay attention to what the Bible actually says about Spiritual Warfare. In this article, I want to look specifically at what Ephesians has to say about the subject. Whilst we immediately turn to Ephesians 6 and the armour of God, it is important to note that the whole book is really about the subject.
Right at the start of Ephesians we are told that God loves us, has chosen us and united us with Christ so that we are seated with him “in the heavenly realms.” This is significant. The popular worldview of Paul’s day saw this world as being created kind of by accident by a disinterested, impersonal, unknowable supreme spiritual entity. You might liken it to when the cat starts to gip and you quickly eject it out of the house, as far down the garden as possible before it vomits. The gap between us and the heavens, was then, according to that worldview, filled with all kinds of demi-gods and malign spiritual beings to be feared and appeased. When Paul tells us that we are seated with the exalted Christ, he is telling us that we are united with our saviour, safely exalted far above any hostile, dangerous power, whether human or spirit. We are safe, hidden in Jesus with nothing to fear. The enemy cannot touch us.[1]
In Ephesians 2, Paul tell us that we were once dead but now made alive. We were also, to use a different metaphor, at one and the same time, held captive and in alliance with the enemy, Satan. So, the Gospel is about God’s rescue mission, he busts us out of the prison, he forgives our rebellion and we are reconciled to him. We are “saved by grace”, that’s what spiritual warfare is all about. The consequence of this, is that in Christ, God has not only reconciled us to Him but also with each other. He has removed “the wall of hostility.” God brings peace where there has been war between us.[2]
Then in Ephesians 3:10, Paul says something incredibly powerful and significant.
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
The church exists like a kind of trophy which clearly states to God’s enemies that they have lost. Christ shows us off to the spiritual powers and declares “look at my church” I guess sin the same way that God told Satan “look at my servant Job.” Here is the evidence that love goodness, mercy, forgiveness, holiness, God himself wins and is vindicated.
Ephesians 6:10ff talks explicitly in terms of putting on armour for a spiritual battle but it is also helpful to see its context. It comes at the end of some detailed instructions about being filled with the Holy Spirit which will mean choosing the true Spirit instead of the anti-Spirit of this age and will flow out in praise and thanksgiving but also in mutual submission as we love one another.
The spiritual battle then is fought out on a daily basis in the home. It’s about how husbands and wives, children and parents relate to one another and how we relate to others, those in authority over us and those we have authority over in the community around us. It’s for every day, ordinary life that we need God’s armour. This is where we see that Christ has the victory.
[1] See Ephesians 1:1-14.
[2] Ephesians 2:1-17.
Faithroots 