The Reality of the Spiritual Realm

What is Spiritual Warfare? The following questions help to delineate the nature of the spiritual realm and the war between the forces of darkness and the kingdom of light.

1. Is there really such a thing as "Spiritual Warfare"?

In all likelihood, I had no idea that the problems I was facing as a new Christian were from spiritual battles taking place. I thought I was just an innocent bystander on the battlefield and didn't know how or why I got shot. I really think that the difficulties which cropped up early on were spiritual battles for which I was not equipped to recognize or defend.

The first incident I realized was a serious spiritual battle with depression. For the first time in my life, I got depressed for no apparent reason. My job was going well. Things were fine on the home front. I was in decent shape physically. So why was I depressed? During this time I sought the Lord with passion. I understood the spiritual nature of the battle and determined in my heart to stay close to God. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (James 4:7-8a, NIV). I also found that the study of creation during this time was especially helpful in renewing joy in the Lord. Knowing that the Lord will restore all things to better than new is a real encouragement for the depressed soul.

2. What does the Bible say about spiritual warfare?

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. (Eph 6:12, NIV)

The point the Apostle Paul is making here is that we are not battling our fellow human beings, made in the image of God, but the forces in the spiritual realm opposed to God. We have a tendency to condemn someone because of their actions rather than act in redemptive ways because of their nature as a special creation of God. I would much rather punch someone out than pray for them as Jesus commanded (Matthew 6:5:44-45; Luke 6:28). Paul is stressing the importance of remembering the real enemy is Satan and his demons. So our battle is to be spiritual not physical.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Pet 5:8, NIV)

The common portrayal of Satan as a red-faced man with horns, tail, and pitchfork stands in stark contrast to this word picture given by Peter. Satan is depicted as a formidable enemy who is angry and dangerous. Because of this truth, Peter warns the believer to be prudent and on the lookout for this enemy. The enemy is in the spiritual realm, he is real, and he is out to devour you. Spiritual war is an appropriate term. There is a very real battle being waged by those who oppose God and those who love Him. This verse calls the believer to arms.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7, NIV)

This is a most interesting verse. It shows an unusual battle plan. Rather than confronting the enemy to conquer you should resist him to win. How can this be? The believer is to submit himself to God first and then resist the devil. As the believer submits to God and draws close to His glory, the devil must flee. Satan wants no part of God's glory or His presence or His children's adoration. Spiritual war pivots on our relationship with God. Satan tries to break our fellowship. We must submit ourselves to God rather than fighting Satan on his turf. Drawing close to God through prayer and meditation on His Word will put the battle on God's turf. This keeps us from being broken and battered in the spiritual realm.

3. Are demons to blame for all the evil in the world?

Some people spend their lives prying up rocks to see if there is a demon under it. All the bad or undesirable things that happen to them are blamed on demons. Other people try to live in ignorant bliss of the spiritual war around them. Neither view is appropriate for the believer. If I focus only on finding demons I miss the more important ministry of reconciliation for the lost and hurting in this world. Searching for demons becomes like a great hunt. The "game" to be bagged and mounted on the wall is the object of our time and attention. Rather than seeking God, I seek Satan. Surely this is not what God intended. By the same token, I cannot ignore the reality of Satan's existence or work in and around my life. In so doing, I allow him unfettered access to my sphere of influence in this world. I actually could be accused of cooperating with Satan by refusing to oppose his activity.

A correct view of spiritual warfare sees Satan and his band of demons as real, formidable enemies. They are not to be taken lightly. But, then, neither is the Almighty God we serve. "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4, NIV). God is the one who spoke and the universe was created. God is all powerful. Satan, though strong, is nonetheless limited in power and scope. He is ultimately limited by God's sovereign will. The believer must submit himself to God, to His Word, and to His will. When the Bible says to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand against the schemes of the devil, we put on the armor. When the Bible says to pray in the spirit at all times for all things, we pray. This is an appropriate perspective for the believer.

4. What are the three enemies the Christian faces in spiritual warfare?

In war there are at least two sides to the battle. In many cases, many sides are involved. The various factions band together united against the others. Sometimes the factions band together with their enemy temporarily to gain some advantage and then attack. War is a confusing array of senseless facts along with senseless violence.

In spiritual war, there are also many sides engaged in misinformation and destruction. In the kingdom of light, believers are engaged with the obedient angels in a holy struggle against the spiritual forces of darkness which rule this world (Acts 12:7-10; Eph. 3:10,6:12; 2 Thess. 1:7). In the darkness are Satan and a third of the angels who also rebelled against God (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 12:4). As the "god" of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), Satan and his demonic forces influence a world system which also opposes God. So in this spiritual war, the believer faces the world system and the demonic forces. These two enemies are joined by another, sometimes unrecognized, enemy -- the flesh or the sin nature. Believers are certainly a new creation in Christ, different than before. Yet we still have a sin nature which is powerful. Ingrained habits and patterns of thinking which are sinful are still a part of us after salvation. Thus, the believer faces three enemies -- the flesh, the world, and the demonic forces -- which conspire to make our lives fruitless and frustrating.

Interestingly, unbelievers are not the enemy. As Paul wrote, "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" (Eph. 6:12 NIV). Unbelievers are blinded by Satan and under his control whether they realize it or not. Our battle is against the spiritual forces of wickedness. We must always keep this at the forefront of whatever battle ensues.

Satan, as a true enemy of believers, has succeeded in convincing many people he is not real, or at least not a real threat. Satan will use any means possible to deceive people and keep them in bondage. The Bible says he may even appear as an "angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14 NIV) if it suits his purposes. He and his demonic forces are formidable enemies who seem to falsely believe that they can actually win against God. Therefore, they try to keep unbelievers in bondage to sin and also bring down Christians in sin. Satan may also use or stimulate the world system to accomplish his evil purposes. He can also use our weak points in the flesh to entice us to sin. In a power encounter, demonic forces are strong and dangerous.

The world system inherently operates independent of God. This is enough to raise alarms in the soul of a believer. Jesus said, "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 NIV). Yet the world operates as though God were detrimental to our existence. It might be descibed as the collective result of billions of people living according to the flesh. Often Satan is falsely accused of enticing a believer to sin when, in fact, it is the world system. While Satan is the ruler of this world, he does not have the power to control it all at once. As a created being, he is not omnipotent or omnipresent. Nevertheless, the world system is greatly influenced by demonic forces. Evolutionary teaching, no doubt propped up by demonic influence, has had a ravaging effect on the faith of many believers. It has kept many others from coming to faith in Christ. Sexual promiscuity, materialism, greed, power, and many others sinful issues confront us in the world system. They are the natural outgrowth of the sinful nature organized into systems and process across the globe.

The flesh, or the sinful nature, consists of both the body or the outer man and the inner man. As a result of Adam's sin and the Adamic nature passed on to humanity, every part of our being has been contaminated by sin. This includes the mind, emotions, will, thoughts, desires, and body. Though God's grace if sufficient to save us from sin, He has chosen to make us new from the inside out. Our new nature is spiritual and permanently fused to God the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 5:17,Eph. 1:13-14). Yet we have the same mind and body as before. This is why Paul exhorts us:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom. 12:1-2 NIV)

Paul knew how important is would be for a Christian to renew his mind with the eternal truths of Scripture. Only the truth of God can overcome the lies, bad habits, sinful patterns of thinking. Consider the man who, when looking at a woman, immediately evaluates her figure. If he lingers in this, he may begin undressing her to really pin it down. This may even lead to suggestive sexual innuendos and even adultery. This is a sinful pattern of thinking that can only be overcome by the solid meat of God's word. The body, likewise, must be renewed lest Satan entice us into lusts of every kind - physical, dietary, sexual. The flesh holds many weak areas which are easily enticed by the world system and Satan. Only the Holy Spirit has the power necessary to overcome its natural desires and inclinations.

So our three enemies -- the demonic, the world, the flesh -- are engaged in an active pursuit of godlessness. Only when the believer chooses to believe God and follow the Holy Spirit will he be victorious over his foes.

The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. (Rom. 8:7-9 NIV)

Fortunately, the Spirit of God is more than enough.

5. Do missionaries experience more spiritual warfare than other Christians?

Because Satan has such free reign in areas where Jesus Christ is not known, missionaries face an entrenched enemy. They fight Satan and his demons on their own turf, so to speak. The missionary is largely alone in this fight against the spiritual forces that would squelch his good news. So missionaries must become equipped to do battle in the spiritual realm before going off. Spiritual warfare will be a daily activity for them. A soldier would never approach the battle field unarmed and unshielded. Neither should a missionary go out unprepared for the spiritual battle they will surely face. The Apostle Paul says to be strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10) and put on the full armor of God (Eph 6:11) so that you can stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:12). It is an intense battle that, when it is all over, all one can do is just stand (Eph 6:13).

Next: "The Reality of the Spiritual Realm - Who is Satan and what is his purpose?"