What is Spiritual Warfare?

[Colfax]

What is spiritual warfare to you? What practices does it include?

 

[dabro]

Mental illness makes it very hard to be a content christian..... lust is a big one men face and in my own experience. Doubt that God is able to bring the right person into my life.....things like that oh and nightmares are a big one I'm dealing with right now.....God gave me patience when it came to the right person but I also feel I really don't need anyone to be happy.....Mental Illness is true and God is able to heal no doubt, it's just in His timing..... I'm going on a fast because it is the most powerful tool against the devil and to seek God's face. temptation with lust still can have it's pulls with me but, it's nothing like it was when I heard God calling me to repent.

 

[saved24]

When I think of spiritual warfare, I think of fighting the devil and his demons. Such as "get thee behind me satan" I think of praying against the devil who may be lying to me or others. I pray against his influence in some people's lives. The devil is the father of all lies!
I pray against him in Jesus' name! Amen.

 

[ryangrom]

Binding and rebuking the Devil by taking authority over him in the name of Jesus in our lives and others. Using the Word against him. Casting down every thought and action out of line with the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds); Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

 

[ltwin]

What is spiritual warfare to you?

In Ephesians 6:12-13, the Apostle Paul tells us that disciples of Christ are at war. We are not at war with people, earthly governments, human institutions, political parties, or foreign cultures. On the contrary, we are at war:

"against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

The church as a whole and Christians as individuals make horrible mistakes when we assume that our enemies are the people and institutions that we can see. They are not. Our battle is never with people, institutions, or philosophies. It is against the spirits and supernatural forces (the unseen spiritual realities) behind these seen realities in the world.

Lets take a culture of racism as an example. While it may be necessary to organize politically and economically to fight racism in government and society at large, social activism by itself will not end racism. Racism is a sin and an evil, and like all sin is driven by unseen spiritual realities. The spiritual powers that seek to divide humanity and stir up hate between races and ethnicities can only be truly overcome by the power of Christ as manifested in and through His Body, the Church.

The same could be said for other social problems such as inappropriate contentography, adultery, homosexuality, poverty, violence, etc. The same could also be said for personal problems like some forms of mental illness and physical disease (note that I am not attributing all sickness to demonic oppression/possession), problems in our relationships (like marriage or children), or persecution that we endure because of our Christian witness.

An example of spiritual warfare in a person's life could be that their spouse or one of their children have rejected their faith in God and now living lives far from God. This is a spiritual battle, and it requires a spiritual response.

What practices does it include?

In Ephesians 6:13-18, Paul tells us to "take up the whole armor of God." You need to take up all the spiritual disciplines available to Christ's disciples. These include righteousness and truth. Before you go into battle, you need to know what the truth is for yourself. The Bible is your source for the truth, and you should know what the Bible says about anything for yourself. Those who are knowledgeable, spiritual, and trustworthy can help you to understand the Word of God, but you still have a responsibility for knowing the truth for yourself.

It is important that we be immersed and saturated with the Word of God because Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that the God's Word is "the sword of the Spirit." It is our most potent weapon against the enemy. With one word from Jesus, all the devils in hell are silenced.

Our faith is another weapon. Paul calls it a shield because the darts of the enemy bounce right off it.

All this comes together in prayer. The act of praying (and I mean real travailing prayer) is the heart of spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare is essentially:

1) Staying grounded in the Word of God so that when the enemy comes we can rebuke him using the Word,
2) Strong in faith,
3) Constant Spirit-filled prayer.

 

[ToBeBlessed]

Great posts all three of you.

I have nothing to add, just in agreement with what they said!

 

[jannikitty]

I especially appreciated this quote from Itwin's post.."An example of spiritual warfare in a person's life could be that their spouse or one of their children have rejected their faith in God and now living lives far from God. This is a spiritual battle, and it requires a spiritual response. "

We keep loving the person no matter how far they are from God and no matter how they are behaving and living. But we do take prayerful authority over the spiritual forces driving them down and away even when it doesn't appear that is what is happening. It can be very subtle and deceiving because the enemy, Satan, is the evil one behind what is happening. Most of the time they have been fooled by the great lier and deceiver into believing the ways of the world. And so we pray using the powerful Name of Jesus.