Spiritual Battle
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.”
Ephesians 6:12
Have you ever known someone who picks and chooses what they want to believe from the Bible?
I’m sorry to tell you, that’s not how it works.
The Bible is God’s Word, and His Word is completely true, 100%, non-contradictory.
Which is why, in life, we must always test what we hear to what scripture says, not what we believe, or what sounds nice.
Some people say that you can't believe in God and ghosts or spirits. There are some people that only believe in God and not the devil or demons. But that is not what God’s Word says. In fact, the Bible is very clear on the fact that there is a heavenly realm, an alternative dimension, that is beyond what we see.
God uses many passages to tell us about these things beyond our understanding: Passages about angels and demons alike; passages about the devil and his schemes; and passages about the works of the unseen Spirit of the Lord.
The reason God gives us these passages in Scripture is both as a warning and a promise.
There is a spiritual war at battle and things that happen on this earth are not by coincidence. There's no such thing as just having a “bad day” or being “lucky”.
There’s a battle happening over your soul.
This is why it seems like every time we take a step towards God, we are hit with an attack that takes us four steps back. The devil wants nothing more than to keep you away from God and God’s will for your life, which is why he will do everything in his power to prevent you and stop you from that journey.
Sometimes, the attacks are grand big gestures like a car accident, the loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. But there’s a reason why they say, “The devil is in the details.”
His first way of separating you from God is through the relationships with those that hold you up: your spouse, your friends, your church body, and even your relationship with God himself.
Think about all of the excuses we have not to go to church, not to call and check up on that friend, not to go to Bible study or join a small group, why we aren’t intimate with our spouse, why we didn’t have time to read our Bible, or why we don’t have a prayer life.
Excuses pass off the blame for not doing what we should have done onto someone/something else, instead of taking ownership over that which we can control.
If you are not intentional about your walk with Jesus, then you will make yourself an easy target for the devil to attack and pull you away. Likewise, when you are intentional about your walk with Jesus, you better make sure that you are armed and ready for battle, because it’s coming. It’s coming for you, and it’s coming for your loved ones.
Don’t think that the devil will only attack you. As a mother, the devil will also attack your children. And when (not if) he does, you need to make sure that you are equipped to go toe-to-toe, understanding the spiritual battle, putting on your armor (Ephesians 6:10-20), and showing your children how to put on theirs as well.
It’s like they tell you on the airplane: You must put on your mask first before helping someone else. As your children grow, becoming more independent and acclimated with society (it happens whether you like it or not), they are going to need that armor of protection. If we are raising our children the right way, there is going to be spiritual warfare as they stand against modern culture for a faith we know is True.
Don’t let the battle overtake you. Be intentional with your time: prepare yourself, be on the lookout for the devil’s schemes, and stand strong in your faith as you lean in to God and His will for your life.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12)