Spiritual Warfare by Luke Ninan
Ephesians 6:12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the power of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.”
We have a struggle/battle against the evil forces of this world. Even if we like it or not they are there in this world. Lucifer, once an angel of God, a renowned worship leader, who was thrown down to the earth because of his pride and desire to be like God, along with his demons are in a constant fight with us. They constantly throw flaming arrows at us (Ephesians 6:19). War against Satan is actually a mental process. As 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, it is all in our thoughts and we have to demolish everything that we think against the knowledge of God.
Arguing against the knowledge of God is actually arguing with God. And us against God is what the evil one wants. Satan puts a thought in our mind which will be against the knowledge of God and these thoughts develop into feelings, then to action, then to habits which eventually forms strongholds in our lives. Strongholds lead to deceit, confusion, independency, bitterness, loneliness, prayerlessness, sexual impurity, rebellion, jealousy, pride etc., So our battle actually starts in our mind.
Human beings are made up of body, soul and spirit. As Christians, Holy spirit resides in our spirit. The soul comprises of the mind, emotions and will. Our brain has the capacity to think, store and remember. Brain is like a hardware and whatever we feed, it thinks. There are three conditions of our mind –
1. Natural mind – 1 Corinthians 2:14
It doesn’t have the capacity to discern what comes from God and often thinks those as foolishness.
2. Carnal mind – Romans 8:5-7
The word of God is sowed in this mind but sin and worldly patterns crush the word of God within and the flesh works stronger.
3. Spiritual mind – Romans 12:2
This is a renewed and transformed mind which do not conform to the patterns of this world.
It is important to know the condition of our mind. Satan’s tactics is to expose us to the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and to the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17) There are examples wherein Satan has attacked the thoughts of people in a family, city, nation and an individual. Each of people had different approach towards these thoughts.
1. Family – Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-3, 4-6,12-13)
Sin entered into this world because of the thought that Satan put in the mind of Eve and then Adam. As the result of their thoughts and actions, shame, fear and guilt took over them. Thus fall of man happened.
2. City – Nehemiah (Nehemiah 4:1-3)
While rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the Jews had to hear words of discouragement. They were called feeble and weak. But still Nehemiah believed in God and did not let these thoughts dwell in him. As a result the Jews were encouraged and the walls were built.
3. Nation – Israel
They saw miracles in front of their eyes. Still they grumbled. When troubles came in front of them, they thought of the trouble and not about the mighty deeds that God has done in the past. Their thoughts and actions let them wander in the desert for 40 years.
4. Jesus – The Man
Jesus was tempted by Satan, with the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life in the wilderness. But He did not conform to them and so he victoriously defeated Satan.
We have to be in guard of our minds because Satan is constantly throwing flaming darts towards us as thoughts, which when dwelt upon will lead us away from God.
Reflection by Susan Paul