You Are In a War
Do you have a tough time recognizing you're in a spiritual battle? This is a common challenge Christians have, but it's one we must overcome.
While there's been a lot of talk about physical war overseas, it's often easy to overlook the nature of spiritual warfare taking place around us.
In Ephesians 6:10, Paul emphasizes the importance of relying on God’s strength, stating, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” This strength is not something we muster on our own; it is rooted in God’s power. As Klyne Snodgrass notes,
The passive form of the verb (“be strong”) indicates that this empowering is something done to Christians, not something they do themselves; its present tense shows the empowering is continual.[1]
Before his encounter with Jesus, Paul was strong in his own abilities—his knowledge, training, and social status. But once he met Christ, he realized that all his earthly strength was inadequate.
The Key Is To Engage
Next, Paul urges us to identify our true enemy.
In verses 11-12, he says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness.” The word “struggle” here conveys a close, intense combat. The terms Paul uses—rulers, authorities, cosmic powers—remind us that this is a coordinated, hierarchical force of evil.
To engage in this battle effectively, we must be fully equipped with the armor of God. Paul describes this armor in detail in verses 13-17. He begins with the belt of truth, which was essential for a soldier to gather his clothing before a fight. Putting on the belt of truth means embracing the truth of Christ and allowing it to shape every aspect of our lives.
Next is the breastplate of righteousness, which guards our hearts against the enemy’s attacks. Righteousness, rooted in God’s character, provides a solid defense against temptation. The shoes of peace give us stability, much like the sturdy footwear of a Roman soldier. When we are grounded in the peace of Christ, we can stand firm, even in turbulent times.
Paul then mentions the shield of faith, which extinguishes the flaming arrows of doubt and fear that Satan fires at us. Faith acts as a barrier that protects us and quells the attacks before they reach us. The helmet of salvation offers us the ultimate assurance—our salvation is secure in Christ, and no force can take it away.
Finally, Paul describes the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is our only offensive weapon, designed not only to defend against attacks but also to strike back against the enemy's lies.
Paul closes this passage with a call to prayer, urging believers to “pray at all times in the Spirit.” Prayer is the thread that holds all the armor together. Without it, we are vulnerable and exposed. In John Piper’s words,
Until we know that life is war, we will not know what prayer is for.[2]
By staying alert and praying for ourselves and others, we reinforce our spiritual defenses and stay connected to our source of strength.
A Challenge to Act Like Christ
Spiritual warfare is part of being a Christian.
1 Peter 1:13 tells us to “gird up the loins of our minds,” a metaphor for preparing ourselves for action, much like a soldier would gather up his clothing before engaging in combat.
In the same way, we must ready our minds for the spiritual battles we face. If you don’t sense this battle in your life, it might be a sign that there is something wrong and that you have disengaged from the fight.
Our defense against Satan’s attacks is to follow Paul’s advice in Ephesians 5:18 and “be filled by the Spirit.” Author Robert Coleman said: “Every inch of progress will have to be won by conquest, for the enemy will never surrender. Nothing less than the infilling of the Spirit of Christ will be sufficient to meet the challenge.”[3]
Satan is a relentless foe. He attacks our minds, our homes, and our relationships. His number one goal is to destroy us, but if he can’t do that, he will distract us.
He will fill our minds with negativity, business, and fear so that we disengage from the battle. We settle for being a Sunday morning Christian but do not pattern our lives after Jesus. Don’t make this mistake.
Meditate deeply on Scripture, pray with your family, ask the Holy Spirit to root out areas of pride in your life, and actively seek to become more like Jesus every day.
[1]Klyne Snodgrass, Ephesians, eds. Terry C. Muck, The NIV Application Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 338.
[2] John Piper (@JohnPiper), “Until we know that life is war, We will not know what prayer is for,” X (formerly Twitter), September 21, 2016, https://x.com/JohnPiper/status/778565057047388160.
[3] Robert Coleman
