
- SPIRITUAL WARFARE
'spɪr.ɪtʃ.(əw.)əl 'wɔr.fɛ(.ə)r noun. Actively opposing the activity of evil spirits by resisting temptation, exposing their hidden involvement, and exorcism. - 2. Popularly (but inaccurately), vigorous prayer, singing, or other acts of worship.
- [Spiritual warrior
'spɪr.ɪtʃ.(əw.)əl 'wɔr(.ri).ər noun.]
Every human,
It’s hardly a complicated idea. But you know humans. We complicate everything.
Usually with false definitions. Visit a lot of churches, and yeah, they’ll correctly describe spiritual warfare as opposing and fighting evil. Funny thing is… their way of opposing it isn’t always to resist temptation. Sometimes they never even talk about resisting temptation. That’s not the evil they worry about. What they’re worried about are other people.
Eek! How are we to fight this evil? Well you won’t find such Christians talking about integrity, personal accountability,
It’s why people who pray a lot like to call themselves “prayer warriors,” and musicians like to claim, “Worship is warfare.” They’re not necessarily resisting temptation… but they’re certainly agitating themselves against evil.
But you do realize Jesus and his apostles describe neither prayer nor music as warfare. Because they’re not. Resisting temptation is.
Easier to sing and pray than resist sin.
How’d Christians get the idea talking and singing count as warfare? I suspect
And Christians have even invented little myths which go along with our lack of holiness. Supposedly the battle between Michael and Satan
Rubbish. But popular rubbish. Found in the superstitions of sports fans, who think their positive vibes for their teams help them win. Or the superstitions of ancient Greco-Roman pagans, who straight-up believed their prayers and offerings turned into
And no, prayer doesn’t work like that at all. Prayer’s not a spiritual force we grant to angels so they can fight harder.
…Though why am I talking about Michael’s fight with Satan in present tense? It’s not ongoing.
The actual battle, the real spiritual war, is between us humans, and
So stop visualizing the wrong battle! Stop thinking all you gotta do is sing or pray really hard, and it’ll strengthen Michael’s angels to fight harder. They won their fight! Now you need to fight. Stop sinning, dammit!
God’s armor doesn’t include music and prayer.
Many a Christian can quote you
Ephesians 6.10-17 KWL - 10 Lastly: Get powerful in the Master, in the authority his strength gives you.
- 11 Wear all God’s gear, so you’ll be able to stand fast against the devil’s tactics,
- 12 because we aren’t in a battle against blood and muscle:
- We’re against types of authority, power, things which govern the dark places in this world,
- types of supernatural evil in the high heavens.
- 13 This is why you put on all God’s gear,
- so you’ll have a fighting chance on the evil day. You’ll be entirely ready to stand fast.
- 14 Stand: Belt your waist with truth. Wear a vest of righteousness.
- 15 Lace your shoes in preparation for the good news of peace.
- 16 Carry at all times the shield of trust in God,
- which you’ll use to put out every flaming arrow of evil.
- 17 Accept the helmet of your salvation
- and the machete of the Spirit—which is God’s spoken word.
It’s after Paul described the armor that he brought up prayer:
Ephesians 6.18-19 KWL - 18 Through it all, as you’re praying prayers and requests at every moment in the Spirit,
- as you’re staying alert about it, always staying on it and making requests for all saints—
- 19 and pray for me, so a word would be given to open my mouth,
- to boldly make known the mystery of the gospel.
’Cause prayer’s not a weapon. I know; plenty of Christians claim it is. Our weapon is our machete (
Y’notice the armor is to resist the devil’s attacks against the individual Christian. Not Christianity, not the church as a whole, not our nation; it’s not a wall or moat. It’s personal armor. True, ancient Romans could lock shields together to resist an attack, and there’s a lot to be said about Christians supporting one another. Still, Paul described a one-on-one fight between an individual Christian… and our common foe.
If prayer is all the “warfare” we do, it’s not enough! If an enemy soldier is clubbing a soldier, and he keeps screaming into his radio, “Guys! Send me a drone!” does it really matter how fervently or loud he is? How badly he wants that support? How strongly he tries to psyche himself into feeling his need? How close his relationship might be with the generals at headquarters?
Again, not saying we shouldn’t pray. Just that we’ve been given a weapon, and that James told us if we resist Satan it’ll flee.
Well, maybe we don’t. Or maybe it’s just that it’s more fun to not resist temptation at all, and beg God to do all the fighting for us, because fighting temptation is so hard.
But we gotta stop being lazy Christians, pick up the armor and weapons God gave us, and start fighting.