26 April 2026

THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

(Spiritual Warfare: SW 01)

The Bible tells us that “Jesus is the Captain of our Salvation” (Heb.2:10 – KJV), and exhorts us to “fight the good fight of the faith” and “wage a good warfare” (1 Tim. 6:12; 1:18). We are also called to be “a good soldier of Jesus Christ and not be entangled with the affairs of civilian life” as we serve under our Mighty Captain Jesus (2 Tim.2:3-4). These exhortations tell us that there is a war going on, but not a physical one – rather a spiritual warfare. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly realms” (Eph.6:12). The head of all these spiritual powers of darkness in the heavenly realms is Satan, or sometimes known as “the evil one” or “the devil”. He is also called “the enemy”.

This spiritual war first began in Heaven, when Lucifer, one of the high ranking angels, rebelled against the Creator God because of his pride. The Bible reveals this: “And war broke out in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon with his angels fought, but they could not prevail, nor was a place found for them in Heaven any longer. So, the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:7-9 - NKJV).

The devil after being cast out of Heaven made havoc of the earth and God’s people: “Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the Male Child…and the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev.12:7-17). War has been declared by Satan against God’s children! We need to be prepared so that we can and will always be ready to fight and win in the grace and power that Christ gives to us.

So whether we like it or not, believe or not, there is a spiritual war going on. We will be foolish not to believe what God has said and revealed. We believe God has called us to be involved in spiritual warfare. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. The soldier should always be ready when the enemy threat is around. The soldier should also be appropriately armed (Eph.6:10-18)

There is one assurance that we have: the devil is already defeated and disarmed by our Lord at the Cross: “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He (Christ) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col.2:15). The devil is a defeated foe – like a dog chained and held by a leash. Unless we allow him, he cannot harm us. Our Lord gave this promise: “I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy: nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). In Christ we are born of God and He keeps us safe, “and the wicked one cannot touch us” (1 John 5:18). God is always on our side and so we are on the victory side. The Bible declares: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom.8:31). None, of course! Hallelujah!

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