Spiritual Warfare: Our Churches

     The term Spiritual Warfare is a misnomer. It is a misleading term that makes it sound like there is a chance that God could lose. That is not the case. We as Christians, are victorious already, through the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross. All that we have to do is acknowledge that victory. Unfortunately, most Christians think that because they were sealed with the Holy Spirit, they are free from thinking about the enemy. WRONG. There is a reason that Paul wrote what he did in Ephesians 6:10-18. There is a reason that the Bible says that Satan roams around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). 

     There are many ministries that are casting out spirits. There are churches that are claiming that a Christian need never have a spirit expelled from them. The proof is in the Bible. Jesus and all of His disciples cast out demons from the people of God. The Holy Spirit seals us but we open doors to the enemy all the time through unrepentant sin. When we invite the enemy into our lives through an open door the Holy Spirit will not go against our wishes.      

     If the awareness of the spiritual realm and the fact that we are susceptible to the enemy through our actions and thoughts is taught in our churches, then we can be ready for the attacks that the Bible says are going to happen. We need to be educated so that we can be prepared, not scared.

We have to make it across the battlefield of life and the only way to make it to eternity with God is to choose to believe Jesus. To make no choice is staying with the enemy.  

Evaluate the practice of spiritual warfare as seen in American popular religious practice and in ministries with which you are familiar (your church). What are the emphases in discussions on spiritual warfare? Is the practice of spiritual warfare sufficiently grounded, biblically and theologically? Are there ways in which spiritual warfare is not taken seriously enough? There are several practical steps that can be taken in ministry contexts to ensure that a biblically balanced approach to spiritual warfare is maintained.