Spiritual Warfare
It’s a scary thing to be in a state of open war; it’s unsettling to think that you might be under attack but quite unaware of what’s taking place. It’s no secret that warfare today is undergoing rapid change. There are still live fronts with soldiers and military hardware in many places. But there is a whole new aspect to it: the silent, the covert, the electronic. Hardly a day now goes by when we don’t read of another suspected cyber attack on a Western government or institution by a foreign power. In recent years, it is reported that the Canadian government has been experiencing about 2,500 state-sponsored cyber attacks each year. That’s the new reality; that’s our brave new world.
In Ephesians 6, Paul highlights that we are in the midst of a mighty but largely invisible battle. He warns, “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (v. 12). We are in the depths of a great war, and for much of the time it is an unseen battle. There is no flash of artillery nor thunder of bombs. But the enemy is fierce and the danger is real. That enemy is Satan—a spiritual being who at some point in the distant past led a heavenly rebellion against God. Satan is not God’s equal by any means (God could destroy him and his minions at any moment) but God has allowed him to continue his rebellious work for a time.
In the midst of this great spiritual battle, we are to put on spiritual armor so that we can “stand against the schemes of the devil” (v. 12) and “withstand in the evil day” (v. 13). Many mediaeval castles in Europe contain grand “war rooms” that display impressive collections of shields, swords, etc. Paul welcomes us into the spiritual war room—the weapon store—of the heavenly citadel itself. He urges us twice to put on the “whole armor of God” (vv. 11,13). This includes “shoes for your feet” (v. 15) It’s been reported that when tensions were particularly high between the United States and North Korea some years ago, North Korean soldiers were sleeping with their boots on – ready for action should conflict break out. Paul tells us that, as believers living in a war zone, we need to be prepared to take territory. Have you got your “gospel boots” on? Are you prepared with “the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (v. 15) to share the good news that God has reconciled sinners to Himself through Jesus’ death on the cross?
The final element in Paul’s list of spiritual armor isn’t given a military picture, but it is a powerful tool--mightier than any weapon of war. That tool is prayer. Paul encourages us to “keep alert” (v. 18) and pray “at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (v. 18). In a sense, prayer seems like the least intuitive thing to do in a battle because it feels passive and not active. But in prayer we acknowledge that we are totally dependent upon God—that the battle belongs to the Lord. Perhaps in your spiritual battle, you feel weak—that your weapon room is bare and the enemy is at the gates. Pray as the Spirit enables, and as the Spirit gives words to your wordless cries, may you become “strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (v. 10).