The Spiritual Battlefield

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV)

Talk of spiritual warfare, in our culture, is often viewed warily.  It carries with it a sense of extremism or kookiness, depending on one’s point of view.  It is just not taken seriously.  Sure, people say, the Bible talks of the devil and demons, but that was a long time ago and we know so much more now about the way things work.  And, so, they live their lives without much thought that they might be living amidst a spiritual battlefield.  It shows.

In my many years working with college students, I see where this ignorance leads.  Young men and women unaware of the traps set by their Enemy bring much pain and heartache on themselves.  Boyfriend and girlfriend spend time alone in one another’s bedrooms.  Failure, guilt, and, sometimes, a pregnancy are the result.  Thinking their value lies in what people think of them, they party to be accepted.  The consequences can be devastating—sexual assault, a fatal fall from a window, an arrest, or killing someone while driving.  And thinking tragic events in their past completely define them, they are often filled with bitterness and self-loathing, which often leads to self-harm, including suicide, drug addiction, and severe depression.  

The spiritual battlefield is filled with casualties such as these, which could be prevented if people took these words of Paul seriously.  I think this is what C.S. Lewis had in mind when he wrote The Screwtape Letters decades ago.  Satan is real; his schemes against us are real; and his triumph is greatly dependent on our ignorance of those schemes. Lewis, in brilliant fashion, gives us a glimpse into these spiritual strategies that are formed against us.  He only hoped that people would listen.  

Sadly, many didn’t and don’t.  They continue to live in a fantasy world devoid of the spiritual reality that our Enemy’s intent is to steal our joy, kill our true purpose in life, and destroy any hope for Eternity (John 10:10).  In that, Satan accomplishes his greatest strategy—that we ignore or are unaware of his destructive work.

Today, recognize your life is a spiritual battleground upon which Satan seeks to carry out his schemes.  Don’t let him!  Put on the armor of God so you might be equipped to escape his traps and live life fully as the Lord intended.

© Jim Musser 2016