The Art of (Spiritual) Warfare

By Shawn McMullen

Military history is rife with accounts of armies who were decisively conquered by their opponents, yet even in defeat, continued to resist by waging guerilla warfare. Fueled by an unwillingness to accept loss and an intense hatred for the enemy, pockets of these conquered armies continued to resist long after their defeat, hoping to inflict as much damage as possible for as long as they were able. 

This aspect of combat history also describes the purpose and work of Satan in the world today. From the moment he set himself up against God and was cast out of heaven, the devil has been hard at work, relentlessly attempting to disrupt and impede the plan of God.  

He’s a formidable adversary. Known as “the tempter” (Matthew 4:3), “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44), “the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16), “your enemy” (1 Peter 5:8), the one who “leads the whole world astray” (Revelation 12:9), and “the accuser” (12:10), Satan isn’t compelled to fight by the rules. He’s devious, persistent, and ruthless. His millennia of experience give him keen insight into human nature and make him a master of deception. 

Although Jesus’ resurrection dealt him a crushing blow from which he can never recover, Satan continues to lead his demonic army in attempts to corrupt and destroy God’s faithful. 

From Saul to Paul 

Guerilla campaigns aren’t without their turncoats, however. Consider Saul of Tarsus. Operating from a misguided devotion to God, Saul ruthlessly persecuted the church of Jesus Christ. Acts 8:3 tells us how “Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison” (New International Version). 

But something happened that changed Saul’s allegiance. As he traveled to the city of Damascus to expand the reach of his persecutions, Saul was confronted by Jesus Christ himself. That confrontation led to Saul’s conversion (see Acts 9:1-22), and eventually to his commission as a high-ranking leader in the army he once fought against. As Paul the apostle, he devoted the rest of his life to serving his new commander, Christ, and working tirelessly against the devil’s schemes. 

Even wicked armies have their codes and despise their defectors, and to Satan, Saul of Tarsus was a traitor. Throughout his ministry, Paul the apostle endured the wrath of his former master. Satan directly interfered with Paul’s ministry plans. He wrote to the church in Thessalonica, “For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way” (1 Thessalonians 2:18). And he didn’t stop there. It seems the deceiver took Paul’s defection personally and responded with personal payback. “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7). 

Paul knew what he was up against. He understood that he had angered the enemy, as does every lost soul who becomes a child of God. It was from that context that he wrote, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11), adding, “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” (v. 12). 

Paul had many enemies in this world. Real human beings who did all they could to make his life and ministry difficult. But he always knew that below the surface, the real enemy, the force behind all the opposition, operated in the spiritual realm. 

The True Battlefield 

You have to give the devil credit for implementing such an ingenious plan. As he draws nearer and nearer to Judgment Day, intent on corrupting as many of God’s children as he can, he’s devised a scheme to make it appear as if we’re struggling with people and circumstances we can see, when all the while we’re doing battle directly with him in the spiritual realm. 

Anytime we choose sin over holiness; whenever we fight with family, quarrel with a coworker, undermine a fellow church member, or violate our own conscience, Satan wants us to see only one dimension of the struggle. He doesn’t want us to realize that as we face conflict in the physical realm, we are also at war in the spiritual realm. 

As long as we’re unaware that a spiritual battle rages behind every temptation we face, Satan’s forces have the upper hand in the struggle. Like guerilla soldiers, they remain out of sight, attacking from behind cover. 

Paul sought to change that perspective among God’s people by writing, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:14). The explanation that follows shows us how the pursuit of truth, righteousness, peace, and faith combined with confidence in our salvation, a commitment to God’s Word, and the practice of prayer empower us to stand our ground against the enemy’s assaults. 

Once we’ve opened our eyes to Satan’s tactics and are protected by God’s armor, nothing can take us by surprise. Even so, like Paul, we must remember that we’ve made an enemy for life. As long as we remain in this world, Satan will pull out all the stops to pry us from our faith. Let’s counter his efforts, not by focusing exclusively on resistance, but by drawing nearer and nearer to the God we love and serve.