➢ What are some things people do to protect themselves from viruses, bacteria and radiation?
➢ Why are people so cautious about these things that are not visible to us in our everyday life?
➢ Do you think most Christians are also at least that cautious and alert about the harm the devil and his demons can inflict upon them and their loved ones?
➢ Why are more Christians not concerned about spiritual warfare even though the Scriptures provide so much warning?
“Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” – Ephesians 6:10-11
God wants us to have a “secure” heart—even though Satan wants to do us great harm. This lesson gives an overview of the spiritual warfare that confronts every Christian.
We live on a spiritual battlefield with an enemy dedicated to our destruction.
Satan attacks us through our flesh which is programmed to desire the pleasures of sin and independence.
“For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.” – Romans 7:18-20
“For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” – Galatians 5:17-18
“We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.) Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.” – Romans 6:6-13
“Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.” – Galatians 5:24-25
Satan attacks us through the world system which brainwashes us to accept its false philosophies.
“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” – 1 John 5:19
(Jesus praying to the Father)
“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one.” – John 17:14-15
“Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” – Colossians 2:8
“Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2
“You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4
We live in an evil environment. The world system is under the control of Satan. He uses illusions of reality, distorted values and false hope to obtain our allegiance. Peer pressure, fear of rejection and persecution ensure our compliance.
We reside in enemy territory. But Christ, who lives within us, is the truth that exposes the lies and deception. Jesus is the unextinguished light that permeates the darkness. He is the King of the universe. He is far greater than Satan who reigns over this doomed kingdom.
But who do we choose to listen to and consequently follow? As we renew our mind with God’s truth we will be set free from a deceptive world system that wants to keep us in bondage.
Satan attacks us through evil spirits who seek to deceive, afflict and enslave us.
“Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings” – 1 Timothy 4:1
“Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8
Satan attacks us through our flesh and the world system. He also attacks us more directly through evil spirits whenever he has the opportunity.
Satan has a great hatred for God. But he is powerless against his Almighty Creator. So the only way he can get at God is by hurting God’s people.
So like a ferocious lion, he is constantly looking for ways to do harm to Christians. He uses fear to induce panic into his victims. His demons manipulate the thoughts of those who are ignorant—luring them into the open, out from under God’s protective covering. They use every possible ploy to snare their prey and keep them in bondage. Then, they systematically go about destroying the helpless believer.