It is a warfare that begins when we are born again and continues on in the life of every Christian…[See Eph. 6:10.] The Scripture tells you right here that spiritual warfare is first and primarily against the forces of darkness, against Satan and against satanic powers, but that is not all that is involved in spiritual warfare. We first have to recognize the fact of spiritual warfare…Not to worry—God will get your attention. There is such a thing as spiritual conflict.
We are born into the world in conflict, in conflict against the world. We will live in that conflict, and we will die in that conflict unless Jesus Christ returns within our lifetime. The Scripture clearly teaches us that there is such a thing as spiritual war. 2 Cor. 10 says the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but they have divine power to tear down strongholds…and to literally decimate every proud thought that exalts itself against the power of God to bring every thought captive to the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, there is a war going on. It is not against people. It is against the rulers of the darkness of this age which manipulate people as if it were a great chess board on earth and the forces are arrayed against the Church. In 1 Timothy 1: 18 Paul says war the warfare—“war”. So, you can’t escape the fact that the Christian is committed to spiritual warfare. “War” that type of warfare.
In 2 Tim. 2:4 [Paul] says that anybody that is chosen by God to be a soldier does not get entangled with civilian pursuits. In other words, when God calls you into the church of Jesus Christ, you have enlisted in the army of God. You can truthfully sing “Onward Christian Soldiers,” because you are at war.
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