What is Spiritual Warfare?
Rev Charlie (May 2026)
Objective evil exists, and it is not hard to identify. We turn on the news, and we see all kinds of atrocities being committed at home and abroad, and even in our own neighbourhoods. But it is even closer than that. The well-known Russin dissident, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, famously said, “The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either – but right through every human heart – and through all human hearts.” But why is evil so prolific and where does it come from?
The Bible cites three sources of evil, namely the world, the flesh and the devil. In the New Testament, ‘the world’ is used as shorthand for the world that is in rebellion against God, and it encompasses the corrupt moral zeitgeist of our age. The flesh refers to our own evil inclinations and desires. This is the evil that Solzhenitsyn referred to, and according to the Bible, it has been present in every human being, like a ubiquitous hereditary disease, ever since our first parents rebelled against God in the garden. Finally, we have the devil, who is a spiritual entity who seeks to oppose God.
At this point some may guffaw and conclude that I am away with the fairies, in part I think because in the popular imagination talk of the devil conjures up the image of a little red man with horns and a pitchfork. It should be noted, however, that this depiction is not only inaccurate, but also unbiblical. Notwithstanding, the Bible, and especially the New Testament, repeatedly makes reference to the devil and demons. Across the four Gospels, the devil is mentioned by name approximately thirty-five times, and Jesus is recorded directly speaking to demons on at least seven occasions.
The devil and demons are created beings that have rebelled against God. Whilst this might sound shocking and implausible, it must be remembered that humans are also created beings that have rebelled against God, the only difference being that humans are physical and spiritual, whilst demons are solely spiritual. God is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere at once), the devil and demons are not. Though limited in power, they hate God and are active in the world, seeking to destroy all that He has created. This is the underlying cause of a spiritual war that all human beings are embroiled in whether they realise it or not. The Bible is very clear about this, for example:
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: 12)
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5: 8)
The Bible draws our attention to this spiritual conflict because we cannot be effective in a war about which we are ignorant. Moreover, as Christians, we can expect to come under targeted spiritual attack, particularly if we are actively seeking to build God’s kingdom. However, this need not be a source of fear, because, as 1 John 4: 4 reminds us, ‘[…] the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.’ Jesus’ own brother, James, was therefore able to say with confidence, ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ (James 4: 7) For more details about how to engage in spiritual warfare, I recommend Ephesians 6: 10-20.
We must be aware of the devil and his schemes, but our focus should always be on Jesus, and not the devil. As C.S. Lewis wrote in his clever exposé of the devil’s tactics, The Screwtape Letters, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
Christians can be prone to giving the devil too much credit, as if every instance of evil and personal misfortune were a direct result of his actions. However, if God were to destroy the devil and all his demons tomorrow, evil would not cease to exist and the war would continue against the world and the flesh. When Jesus returns, evil will be completely abolished. Until that time, we must recognise that we are engaged in a spiritual war. A war that is best fought on our knees in prayer. What is more, it is a war with a foregone conclusion, the devil is a defeated enemy. Jesus has already won the victory through his death and resurrection.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2: 15)
