Is spiritual warfare a reality? - War - TouchPoints

Is spiritual warfare a reality?

Genesis 3:1Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the Lord God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”

Matthew 4:1Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted there by the Devil.

2 Kings 6:15-17When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Ephesians 6:10-1210A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

2 Timothy 2:3-73 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.6 And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor.7 Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.

1 Peter 5:8-9Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith.

From the beginning of time and exemplified in Jesus’ own ministry, the Bible clearly teaches that human beings are involved in spiritual warfare. Far from excluding you from spiritual battles, faith puts you right in the middle of them. Those who underestimate this put themselves in jeopardy.

Numbers 33:52you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines.

Sin is like war – it always destroys; sometimes dramatically, sometimes slowly. Sin invades, with the goal of taking over and claiming the territory of your heart. When sin is allowed free reign in your heart, when temptation is allowed to lurk around the edges of your life, it is like an invading enemy army that seeks to make you its slave. The more relentlessly you battle sin and remove it piece by piece from your life, the more you will experience the victorious Christian life and all the blessings that come along with that.