spiritual warfare

In the twentieth century there were a number of Christian theologians who seemed to discount the reality of spiritual warfare in the lives of Christians. They had some valid, good insights into the meaning of principalities and powers in Scripture, but seemed to relegate them to governing authorities and perhaps spiritual powers, or intelligent entities behind them.

While the Bible is not loaded with accounts of people wrestling spiritual powers and entities, it is present. And in Ephesians 6 we in Jesus are warned that we will have to stand firm in God's mighty power and with his full armor on for us in Christ, against the wiles and strategies of the devil and his hosts. While that certainly has application from Scripture to refer to governing authorities resisting those in the faith, it would seem incontrovertible that it refers primarily to the spiritual powers and entities in league with Satan.

C.S. Lewis, in his The Screwtape Letters, has it right when he makes the point that the Christian church errs either in seeing the devil no where, or seeing the devil every where. Of course we must always beware of them, but we're not to be living in fear of them. Our victory over them is in Jesus and in his death, resurrection and ascension, and on that basis by the power of the Spirit. We have to stand our ground against the foe, in resistance, when they attack us. We need to learn the weapons of our warfare and put them into practice. This has made all the difference in the world in the lives of Christian missionaries who have testified of going year after year seeing little or no fruit, to seeing some good fruit come in conversions and Christian growth, over a relatively short period of time.

I was aware of the enemy's likely presence and activity yesterday. Yet I was still thrown for a loop. Hopefully a lesson learned for me. God has been moving in my life in certain ways, and helping me have some breakthroughs over some matters, particularly the same kind (anxiety, though most who know me never knew that) that had plagued me for years. And with Deb's help in prayer and in Christian fellowship, I was beginning to see more opportunities open up, or at least the opportunities I have used more evidently by God.

This is not a popular subject, and in theological circles does carry some controversy. But we need to consider it if we are to live in accordance with the full revealed will of God.

Does anyone have thoughts here, or perhaps a story you would like to tell that would relate to this?