Finding Freedom: Spiritual Warfare

Scriptures: 1 Peter 5:8-9, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:17

Warfare is Active

There is a spiritual battle raging around us, every day of our lives. Satan is constantly attacking us, hurling lies, and trying to distract us from the plans God has for us. He doesn’t want us to be who God made us to be, to step into our calling, or stand up for what’s right. He knows if he can keep us down—thinking we’re incapable, inadequate, unattractive, unworthy, and unwanted—he wins.

But we are not helpless or hopeless. God has given us the authority to say we won’t take it. Not for ourselves, and not for our spouses, children, families, or friends. In the book of James, God promises us that when we resist the devil, he must flee. But too often, we might just think about resisting while actually staying passive. In this passage, God is telling us to act. Calling us to fight.

Think about it this way: If someone were to sneak up behind you and attack, you wouldn’t stay quiet and let them hurt you. You would fight back by yelling, kicking, hitting, screaming—doing anything you could do to get away safely. Fighting a spiritual battle isn’t any different. You must do everything you can to resist the attack.

God has given us multiple weapons to fight the enemy. Taking our thoughts captive, worship, prayer, and staying involved in Christian community are all weapons in our arsenal, and the best weapon God gave us is the Bible. The Bible is the Word of God, and it’s described in Ephesians as our Sword of the Spirit. As we become more familiar with Scripture, we are sharpening our sword for battle. We can deflect the lies of the enemy by speaking God’s truth and promises over ourselves, our situation, and our families.

The enemy knows if he can keep us fearful, hopeless, and isolated, then he can steal from us the opportunity to win more people to Christ. Satan is desperate to convince us we’re not enough and we can’t make a difference because his future is already written, and he loses.

Take a moment to acknowledge that you’re in a spiritual battle and the eternities of your loved ones are at stake. Let it strengthen your resolve and give you something to fight for. Stand confident on God’s promise that He’s already won the war, and ask Him to show you how to fight.

Scriptures: Matthew 4:8-11, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Proverbs 4:20-22, Psalms 51:10, Philippians 4:8

Take Thoughts Captive

One of the most common ways we experience spiritual warfare is in the mind. The enemy is constantly hurling lies at us and trying to get us to agree with the discouraging, destructive, and dangerous things he says.

But Satan isn’t creative. Creation belongs to God. So the best he can do is figure out which lies hurt us the most and torment us with them over and over again. The attacks impacting us most today are probably the same attacks he’s been throwing at us our whole lives. But his lies only have power when we choose to agree with them.

When we agree with a lie, we give it credibility. We internalize it and let it become a part of who we believe we are. You’ll know you’ve made an agreement with a lie because it will sound like the voice in your head. If we heard an evil, hissing voice like something out of a movie, we’d never listen to it. But because it’s in our own voice, we’re so much more willing to believe it as truth.

When our thoughts are aligned with God’s word, the devil can’t lie to us. The apostle Paul encourages us to take our thoughts captive. That means not letting our thoughts run wild, but checking our thoughts against the truth of God’s word. He also urges us to think on whatever is true, noble, lovely, and praiseworthy. He understood the mind is a battlefield, and he wanted us to cast out everything that doesn’t line up with God.

Again, taking thoughts captive and casting out lies is active. We can’t simply think “go away.” Satan can’t read our minds. Sometimes we allow him to influence our thoughts when we pick up the lies he hurls at us, but only God is all-knowing and able to hear our thoughts. When Jesus was in the desert being tempted by Satan, Jesus spoke Scripture and told him to go away. In the same way, we have the authority to command him to flee in the name of Jesus.

With practice, it gets easier to spot the inconsistencies between what you’re hearing and what God promises. You’ll get faster at taking thoughts captive, speaking against lies, and realigning with truth. Ask God to help you spot the lies and remind you of the truth so you can more easily fight back!

Scriptures: Isaiah 55:10-11, Psalms 100:1-5, Ephesians 5:19-20

Worship

Worship is a key tactic in spiritual warfare. The act of praising God helps us combat the lies of the enemy and shut out that inner dialogue telling us we’re not enough. It’s impossible to focus on His goodness, faithfulness, power, and might while also feeling weak, worried, afraid, or alone.

Most people, when they hear the word “worship,” think of the songs they sing in church or music they hear on the local Christian radio station. But, by definition, worship is any expression of reverence and adoration for God. We are worshipping when we give our tithe, serve with a joyful heart, show love to our neighbor, and help someone in need. Worship is simply showing gratitude to God for who He is and what He’s done. And it’s a powerful weapon against the enemy.

Several years ago, my family went through a difficult financial season where we were barely making ends meet. I was struggling to overcome the lie that I had failed my family. I knew Satan wanted us afraid and focused on what we didn’t have, but we refused to give in. Instead, we chose gratitude because my wife remembered—you can’t worry and worship at the same time. So, whenever we were home, we were blasting worship music to help us replace our negative thoughts with God’s promises.

I love how so many worship songs include God’s word as song lyrics. It not only makes it easier to remember encouraging verses when we need them, but just by singing, we can declare the truth of God’s word over our situation. In fact, if you’re feeling attacked in the grocery store and don’t want to recite Bible verses or speak out against the enemy, you can boldly use your Sword of the Spirit just by singing a few lines. No matter if it’s spoken or sung, keeping God’s word on your lips throughout the day helps you stay in a mindset of worship.

When we worship, our whole focus is on God. It’s the best way to block out the lies of the enemy because in a state of worship, we remember who God is, what He brought us out of, and how He can be trusted to do it again.

How do you stay in an attitude of worship throughout your week? Do you have a favorite worship song that reminds you of God’s truth?

Scriptures: Psalms 86:6-7, Psalms 61:1-2, Matthew 26:37-42, Philippians 4:6-7, Romans 8:26

Pray

Prayer is a powerful way to join the fight in this spiritual battle. If you’re not sure where to start, there’s good news. God intended it to be as easy as talking to a friend. He doesn’t care how we say our prayers, He just wants us to talk to Him.

In fact, if God had His way, we would pray without ceasing throughout the day. It doesn’t necessarily mean praying long prayers one right after the other. It simply means that in every moment, with every breath, we have the opportunity to intentionally acknowledge God’s presence and invite Him into our thoughts so that we can be more open and in tune with what He’s saying.

For example, we may quickly ask for safety while we’re driving or thank God for His creativity when we see a beautiful flower. We may invite Him into our conversations with friends or ask Him to guide us in making a business decision. We may ask Him to guard our hearts and minds when we look in the mirror and don’t like what we see. The reality is, the voice of the enemy could become the constant in our lives if we don’t intentionally fill the space with God. The enemy loves to get us feeling isolated, but with prayer, we’re never alone.

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus was overcome with grief. The Bible says He threw himself facedown on the ground and poured out His heart to His Father. He begged and pleaded for a different outcome but ultimately, surrendered to God’s will. This should be the example we follow. Our prayers don’t have to feel pretty. They don’t even have to be words! God knows the mournings of our heart and He fights for us. So, we can cry or be angry. God can handle our emotions. We don’t need to avoid our feelings when we feel attacked, but turn to God for help.

Jesus, I know you’re here. And because I know your heart, I can trust that the negative things I’m hearing aren’t from you. I render them powerless in my life and ask you to remind me of the truth. Thank you that the enemy is already defeated and has no power. Show me where I need to fight. Show me how to fight. Thank you, Jesus, for never leaving me to fight this battle alone. Amen.

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, Ephesians 6:11-18, Psalms 35:1-10, John 16:33, Luke 10:17-20

Armor Up and Rally the Troops

We’ve talked about how to use the weapons God has given us. But every warrior knows, you’re not ready for battle until you’re in your armor. In Ephesians, Paul encourages us to put on the full armor of God—not just when we’re feeling weak, but every day. Before our feet hit the floor in the morning, we should armor up through prayer.

The Belt of Truth reminds us who we are in Christ. The Breastplate of Righteousness protects our hearts as we strive to make God-honoring decisions. The Shoes of Peace give us a restful tranquility everywhere we go. The Shield of Faith helps us trust in God, no matter our circumstances. The Helmet of Salvation keeps out Satan’s distractions and gives us a sound mind. And by reading the Bible, our Sword of the Spirit helps us speak truth and life over every situation.

Each piece of armor is crucial in protecting us from harm, but we still need another thing to be fully ready for the fight. Warriors don’t charge into battle alone because they recognize they’re stronger together. Similarly, we weren’t meant to engage in spiritual warfare without a community of believers around us.

When you let your guard down and truly let others get to know you, it forges a special bond. They won’t let you beat yourself up, stay home depressed, or wallow in self deprecation. When you’ve lost all strength, they’ll pull you up. When you don’t have the words, they’ll rebuke the enemy and fight on your behalf. We were designed to lock arms and fight together, so don’t isolate yourself. Make the effort to build community and watch out for each other. Because the battle is real, and the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

With God, we don’t need to fear. Instead, let the warfare fire you up! Let it awaken you to the power of God and what He stands ready to do through you. See the attacks as confirmation of God’s purpose for your life. Don’t be confused or overwhelmed. Be motivated and encouraged. We are robbing hell and setting captives free! So, stay in the Word. Take thoughts captive. Worship like never before. Pray without ceasing. Put on God’s armor. And get in community. You’re on the front lines, so let’s hear your battle cry! Because it’s time to fight! Fight! Fight!