Series on Spiritual Warfare

In this series of posts, we will discuss spiritual warfare and how it influences and impacts us as family members who have difficult situations in our families.

Part 3

We are discussing spiritual warfare as it relates to the battles going on in our families.

There are evil forces hidden in the dark that is behind every form of wickedness, that is behind many of the problems and trials we face.

This is true with the trials we face within our families.

We cannot ignore this.

We are in a spiritual battle. The battle is in the realm of the spirit or in other words, in the atmosphere around us that we don’t see with our natural eyes. But the fact is, the battle is real. We are engaged in it whether we want to be or not.

We have the victory if we learn how to stand against these forces of evil.

Just as we wouldn’t send our troops out to war without fully equipping them nor should we as Christians go out to war against these spiritual forces of evil without being fully equipped. And one of the first things we need to do is put on our armor.

The armor I’m talking about is the armor God provides us. Each piece is identified in Ephesians 6:10-18.

In chapter 6 of Ephesians Paul is addressing the Ephesian believers on spiritual and practical matters.  He saves the most important truth for last which is the truth that we must know that our strength and power to overcome the evil is not in and of ourselves, it comes from the Lord who lives within us. He tells the believers to stand victorious with His power flowing in and through them. (Ephesians 6:10 TPT). We too must realize that our strength and power are not of ourselves but come from the One who lives in us, Jesus Christ.

Once this foundational and most important truth is laid, Paul then informs the Ephesians they MUST wear their spiritual armor. Why? The armor is for protection. Spiritual armor is for protection against spiritual enemies namely the devil and his cohort of demons.

One needs protection from head to toe.

Paul tells the believers to put on the “full” armor of God. Other versions say put on the “complete” armor of God. The Amplified Bible puts it this way: “Put on the full armor of God (for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier), so that you may be able to (successfully) stand up against all the schemes and strategies and the deceits of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11 AMP)

God has given us many pieces of armor to protect us. Paul then reminds the Ephesian church that they are not warring against people only. The real battle is in the spiritual realm. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood (contending only with physical opponents), but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this (present) darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.” (Ephesians 6:12 AMP) This is why we need to wear our spiritual armor. It is because we are fighting against unseen forces of evil in heavenly places. The devil has schemes, strategies, and deceits that he uses to attempt to defeat God’s people. We must wear the complete armor of God to protect ourselves.

We need to wear the complete armor of God so that on the day of evil we will be able to resist and stand our ground.

With God’s armor on, we will stand firm. Listen to Paul’s words to the Ephesian church:

“Paul continues “Therefore, put on the complete armor of God so that you will be able to (successfully) resist and stand your ground in the evil day (of danger), and having done everything (that the crisis demands), to stand firm (in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious)”. (Ephesians 6:13 AMP)

May I encourage you to read Ephesians 6:10-18? Together we are victorious through Christ Jesus! Let’s stand strong in His power!