Victory in Spiritual Warfare: 10 Powerful Truths in Ephesians 6

Over the last month as a friend and pastor I have met and talked with many of you who have voiced feeling like there is a spiritual attack on your life, heart, emotions, marriage, family and more. Yesterday I fasted and prayed for our church, for what God is doing, and specifically for the core leaders of this amazing new movement that Jesus is building. As I prayed the Lord laid Ephesians 6 on my heart and I wanted to share a few truths from it to help shepherd our hearts toward Christ and remind us of the reality of spiritual attacks and how to walk in victory when they come.

Ephesians 6:10-20 says,
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

I want to highlight and share a few short but powerful truths from these verses.

1. Our strength to walk in victory and power in this life comes from the Lord alone. Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. It is his power that makes us strong. Everything Paul teaches in this section of scripture shows us how to become strong in the Lord. At the core of spiritual warfare is learning how to depend fully on God’s strength and power rather than relying on our own.

2. We will without doubt face the schemes of the devil. There is no avoiding this. It is not a matter of if but when. Paul clarifies that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood but we do wrestle with spiritual forces of darkness. As leaders of our families, our circles, and our church we must acknowledge that we will without doubt face the schemes of the enemy. God promises victory but not without a fight!

3. God has given us genuine and powerful armor that transfers his strength and might to us as we face spiritual attacks. This armor is real, supernatural, and effective. Every piece is designed to create a deeper dependency on Christ. Spiritual warfare is learning how to embrace and live covered by the strength, power, and might of God rather than our own.

4. The first command is to stand firm. The attacks of the enemy are always meant to divide and conquer. Every single one is designed to separate you from intimate relationship with God, with your spouse, with your church community, and with your brothers and sisters in Christ. The enemy will always pressure you to run away from God, from the church, and from each other. That is the entire point of every attack. He wants to destroy unity between you and God, between you and your family, and between you and your church. If he can isolate you his mission is complete. So the primary goal of the enemy is division and the primary path to victory is to stand firm.

5. God’s truth must be the belt that holds everything together. Specifically the truth about who God is and who you are in Christ. God is the creator of the universe, the savior of your soul, and the one who holds eternity in his hands. He foreknew you, loved you, and chose you before the foundation of the world was laid. Jesus laid down his life for you. Your sins are forgiven. You are a child of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, and have an eternal inheritance waiting for you in heaven being guarded by the power of God. Jesus is your king, your high priest, your vine who gives you life and power, your perfect elder brother, and your friend who walks with you daily. He dwells in you, his presence is always with you, and he is always in the boat with you (Mark 4). In Christ you are more than a conqueror. The truth of God strengthens us more deeply and more intensely than anything else. We must remember each day who we truly are in Christ. This must be our foundational reality because the enemy will always attack this first and most.  

6. Righteousness protects us. The breastplate covers the heart. Paul is teaching that righteousness protects our hearts from becoming vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks. Active unrepentant sin keeps us open to the schemes of the enemy. If there is active sin in our lives we need to confess it, repent, seek forgiveness, and ask God to help us lay it down. Sometimes this must happen daily which is why Jesus is our faithful high priest.

7. The Gospel must always be ready and available in our hearts to preach to ourselves and to speak into our marriages, our children, our church, and our friends. God loved us first and proved it by sending his Son to die for our sins on the cross. We are forever covered by the love and blood of Jesus. We are promised that we are being conformed to the image of Christ. We are being purified, empowered, and transformed because of the victory of the cross and the empty tomb. We need this truth deep within us so that it overflows and combats every lie the enemy brings to our hearts and minds. We must be READY with this at all times.

8. Faith is our ultimate shield against the schemes of the enemy. The enemy’s attacks on some level or another will always attempt to get you to stop trusting God, the Gospel, the Word, the promises of God, and the work he is doing in your life. His goal is to divide you from intimacy with God. So when the attacks come we must take up faith and trust God and his Word even above what we see with our eyes or feel emotionally. In Mark 4, during the storm the disciples trusted the wind and the waves more than they trusted Jesus and his Word. Fear overwhelmed them because faith diminished in them. Jesus calmed the storm and asked them why they were so afraid and if they still lacked faith. Our fear, anxiety, and worry should immediately alert us that we are trusting the wrong thing and should drive us into prayer, casting our burdens back onto Christ. We must trust the Lord at all costs. When we realize we are not trusting him we must go to prayer and fasting until he strengthens our hearts again.

9. We must have a daily and deep relationship with the Word of God because it is the sword of the Spirit that cuts away sin, exposes lies, and destroys the idols of our hearts. The Holy Spirit will do powerful work in your life daily, but you must be in the Word. It has to become part of your daily rhythm. Imagine the Holy Spirit holding a weapon. Every time you open the Word you hand him another round to destroy lies, drive out fear and anxiety, and deliver peace and truth into your heart.

10. Prayer must become a way of life. Paul says praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. Prayer must be our first and most immediate response. It should be the foundation of our day. The battles of life should be immediate triggers for us to pray. When anxiety creeps in I go to a prayer closet as fast as I can and give God whatever thought, lie, or fear I am dealing with in the moment. Sometimes I go back five times in a single day, but the Lord always meets me, reminds me of his truth, and restores his peace. Fear, anger, stress, anxiety, temptation, and even our sin should all become triggers that drive us quickly into prayer. This is how we abide in Christ. This is where the vine gives the branch life, power, peace, and supernatural ability to produce heavenly fruit that transforms our lives and glorifies the Father as Jesus teaches in John 15.

We must remember that we are part of what the enemy hates most. We belong to Christ. We belong to holy marriages. We belong to families with children. We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. We are disciples, servants, ministers and leaders of that church. We are leading others to Christ. We are discipling people. We are expanding the kingdom of heaven. Satan hates us and everything our lives represent. But God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Stand firm.
I Love you all.
Pastor Jordan