Spiritual Warfare: The Battle You Don't See

The intensity has been constant and the fruit that it has produced is anger, frustration, fear, defeat and confusion. In my home as well, we have seen this intensity and fruit manifest. Why? Here are my thoughts.

We are dealing with unseen forces, bent on our demise. The battle isn't with your spouse, your children or even your boss at work, it is against a spiritual being that seeks to steal, kill and destroy you (cue dramatic music). The truth is, we have an enemy and it isn't the one that you see in the mirror, or the one that lies next to you and night, or the one that you work for, although it may seem that way. The intense situations that you and I are dealing with or will encounter in the future are being manipulated by various demonic spirits that want you defeated and imprisoned.

Scripture tells us that, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." (ESV 2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

We live each day engaged in a battle, whether you believe that or not. Each day, we live in the flesh: get up, get dressed, go to work, etc. Each day we wage war. However, the war that we are engaged in, whether we believe it or not, is not waged in the things that we do in the flesh, it is waged in the spiritual realm, a realm that we cannot visibly see. The realm of the spirit that manifests in the realm of the flesh.

Years ago, I counseled with a person who was deeply depressed and having various marital problems; they were in bondage to pornography and addictive behaviors and wanted to be set free. This person stated that there seemed to be a battle they were involved in and they were getting their "tail kicked in"! The also stated that, "Sometimes things were good, however those "sometimes" often gave way to the bad and the ugly."

We set a time to meet and counsel and the battle this person was experiencing really ramped up, the intensity and arguments got so bad in their home that their spouse was about to leave with the kids and go and stay with family. We get to the counseling session and this person begins to describe what is happening. They truly loved their spouse and children, but sensed they were losing them both each and every day. Over the next few hours, through prayer and discussion, we began to see a pattern of how the war was being lost. It was then that we began to apply the truth of God's Word to their life and to discern that the bondage that they were in where do to unhealed hurts, un-forgiveness, disobedience, etc.

These areas opened a door for unseen demonic forces to invade this persons life and wreak havoc in their family. Yet, once we addressed those areas with the truth of God's Word ("divine power"), we were able "to destroy strongholds." The resulting experience was true freedom and release. I gained a greater revelation of the spiritual battle that we are all engaged in. I got to witness a family on the brink of total destruction, healed, restored and set free! I eventually got to counsel with the spouse and then both together and they are doing incredible to this day.

They still, from time to time, encounter warfare that comes against their marriage and family, however, they know the battle is won and by faith appropriate that victory and wage a good warfare.

What battle are you currently engaged in? What is the center of your frustration, anger, etc.? Please know and understand that the battle is won in the spiritual realm. You have a God in Heaven that has supplied you with ultimate weapon, His Word, and the Ultimate Champion, Jesus, to destroy every enemy that has come and is coming against you, your marriage, your family, your work place... and on and on. When you allow God's Word to penetrate the areas of your life where you are struggling and allow your mind to be renewed, you will begin to experience victory in the battle.

Most importantly, when you surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you learn to appropriate by faith that the war has already been won in the spirit, through His death and resurrection, and that what you are experiencing is a defeated enemy hoping to deceive you into giving up that victory.