Spiritual Warfare

Have you noticed the number of Christians preaching or writing on the subject of spiritual warfare? Recently someone pointed that out to me, and we began to list the many sermons and books on the subject.

At first, I thought that I was just noticing these messages on spiritual warfare because I recently published a book on the subject. But my friend began to list pastors (like David Jeremiah, Ray Pritchard, and Chip Ingram) preaching messages on spiritual warfare. The other day I had two authors (Karl Payne and Jerry Rankin) on my radio program to talk about their books on spiritual warfare. And we also noticed that there were many Sunday School classes and Wednesday services about the invisible war or spiritual warfare.

So many Christian leaders seem to be understanding that, as it says in Ephesians 6:12, that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness of this world, against spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places.”

Perhaps it is because they see how spiritual warfare is affecting everyone in the Christian world. There is no place you can escape from this warfare. There are no “safe zones” or “secure bunkers” where you can hide.

Perhaps it is also because they see that so many Christians do not even know there is a spiritual war taking place around them. Some become spiritual casualties while others are mortally wounded in the spiritual conflict.

Of course, it is also important that Christians be on the offensive. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 that: “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

A spiritual war is taking place around us, and I am encouraged that so many Christian leaders are addressing this important topic. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.