Spiritual Warfare: Equipped for Battle
“Spiritual warfare” is a phrase you might hear some Christians use, but the truth is many people do not fully know what it is, or what to do about it. One way to explain spiritual warfare is by comparing it to physical war. Historical battles were often about controlling territory for political or economic power. Spiritual warfare is the battle for control over people’s souls.
The Bible often describes the life of someone following Jesus using the language and imagery of warfare. This refers to the ongoing struggle of living our lives in a way that puts pleasing God before pleasing ourselves or others. Whether you feel under spiritual attack right now, you know someone else who might be or you just want to understand spiritual warfare better, learning how to pray is essential for Christians. The way you pray changes the way you experience these moments.
The Nature of the Battle
Whether you believe in and follow Him or not, God created you for a reason. He created you to know Him and experience His love. However, God has an enemy, who is known as Satan or the devil. Satan is committed to preventing people from knowing God and trusting Him with their lives. The enemy’s tactics may differ depending on whether someone is already a Christian or not, but his ultimate purpose is always to keep people from experiencing the love of God. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” — 2 Corinthians 4:4, NIV.
The Bible teaches that three forces are battling with God for ownership of your heart: the world, the flesh and the devil. Thankfully, God is stronger than all of them. Societies and cultures in the world encourage people to think and act in certain ways. In our Western culture, physical appearance, personal success and freedom from responsibility to the wider community are just three examples of things the world encourages you to put before God.
God’s Wonderful Plan for Prayer
Prayer leaps beyond our finite world. Shaped by God’s very nature, it deals with the Creator, and launches people into the vast arena of God Himself. Romans 8:26, 27 describes the action: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray (for) as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which are not spoken.”
Prayer can be pictured as a cosmic circle engaging four major participants. The following table identifies these roles based on the spiritual framework:
| Participant | Position and Spiritual Role |
|---|---|
| God the Father | At the zenith is God the Father, to whom prayer is rightly directed. |
| The Holy Spirit | The first intercessor, at a “three o’clock position,” who uses human intercessors to express groanings within praying Christians. |
| The Praying Christian | The second intercessor, at a lowly “six o’clock position,” who needs to improve in prayer. |
| Christ Jesus | The third intercessor, at “nine o’clock,” who searches human minds and hearts, receiving and perfecting prayers. |
Key Conclusions on Spiritual Warfare
- When you pray, you step into the arena of God’s plan for mankind.
- Your praying connects the passion of the Spirit with the power of Jesus.
- Praying does not change God’s will; it effects His will (Matthew 6:10).
- Praying is God at work through you!