Spiritual Warfare

 

 

 

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 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, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." -Ephesians 6:11-18

Note a few points:

The armour primarily protects the front, not the rear, of the soldier; in combat a soldier's safest and most effective position is facing the enemy. The armour is for fighting at close quarters with the enemy. The armour must be worn to be effective. Without regular use and practice with the armour on it would be an uncomfortable hindrance and distraction so that a soldier would be more easily defeated.

Each piece of armour is the Word of God. (Look at the Greek text) Look at each piece: Girdle (Psalm 119:142; John 17:17). Breastplate (Psalm 119:144,172; Proverbs 2:3-9; II Timothy 3:16). Armor for the feet; not the Gospel, the "preparation" of the Gospel. (II Timothy 2:15; 3:16,17) Shield; “faith" also refers to the body of basic teachings or truths. (Psalm 91:4; Jude 4) Helmet. (James 1:21) Sword (An offensive weapon, not defensive). (Hebrews 4:12)

When the Bible speaks of warfare it is not referring to sports or games, it is referring to violent confrontations in which the objective is to conquer or destroy an enemy. In real world confrontations, relying solely on defensive measures can make an army, a military unit or an individual ineffective against an enemy. We can relate this to spiritual warfare in many ways; we should seek to hurt and defeat Satan's kingdom, not merely defend against.