I felt the need to address spiritual warfare as it is a part of our walk with Jesus whether or not we choose to embrace the battle. Knowing that, it is better to be equipped to fight and win, hence the title. I will cover a variety of areas, beginning with a practical approach to combating discouragement as I think it is at times common to all of us. However, first we need a scriptural foundation. Paul describes our battle.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:12–13 (NKJV)
There are a few things we can see here. The first is that Paul is pointing out that the unseen spiritual realm influences us in the natural realm. He also compared our battle to wrestling, a close contact affair. The battle is happening in and around us, not in some distant place. In addition, while Paul will later in this chapter include prayer as the covering over spiritual warfare, the primary way we fight is by how we live and by wearing the armour Yahweh provides. Unlike some sadly common practices in the body of Christ, spiritual warfare isn’t about railing at the heavens, it is about living a godly life that influences the atmosphere and lives of those around us, prayer and intercession being a part of that life.
An example of spiritual warfare is found in heeding the verses below. In particular these verses are the antidote to discouragement. As someone once said, our spiritual enemy uses two basic strategies against us, he tries to slow us down, generally through discouragement or a sense of hopelessness or futility, wanting us to give up or give in. The goal being our abandonment of Jesus calling and purpose in our life. The other approach is to push us to go beyond what Jesus is calling us to or to try and hurry His work in our lives. Abraham and Hagar producing Ishmael being a good example of the latter. Now to the verses we can apply to combat discouragement and related feelings.
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:20 (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
Paul directs us to have a thankful attitude and practice no matter our circumstances. Ephesians 6:14-18 outline the various pieces of armour and the role of prayer in achieving spiritual victory. When I recognize that I have His righteousness through my conversion, embrace the truth of that and then choose to direct my thinking to thankfulness I am using the armour Paul describes.
To break this down a bit further, have you ever considered the role your thinking has in how you feel. You watch a sad movie and began to feel a bit morose. You watch a comedy and find yourself laughing and feeling better. There is an expression, ‘what you focus on grows.’ This is true of how our thought life influences our emotions. I once listened to a researcher being interviewed who was studying depression. He had his subjects create a composite of the saddest events in their lives, weave them into a single story and then think on these things while their brain activity was monitored. The result, they felt very said and their higher brain functions shut down. He didn’t study the opposite, having research subjects create a composite of the most joyful moments in their lives then dwelling on them but I can predict what would happen in their brains!
If we heed the scriptural injunctions around how we are to function it will lead to change in our lives. Let’s do that.
More to come.
