1. Spiritual warfare is a fact of life for Christians. The expression ‘spiritual warfare’ is simply a way of describing the believer’s struggle against evil. It’s our battle against everything which sets itself against the knowledge of God. Ephesians 6:10-20 is basically a description of the ‘ordinary’ Christian life. It reveals that spiritual forces of evil are behind the interpersonal struggles and conflicts described in Ephesians 4-5.

2. Spiritual warfare is just as intense in the Western world as it is in third-world countries. We miss this since spiritual warfare is generally more subtle in the Western world than in third-world countries. For example, three years ago, my son, Ben, and I participated in an outdoor evangelistic service in a little mountain village in southern Haiti. Several hundred people gathered on the dirt road in the middle of the village. Ben shared his testimony, and I shared a brief challenge from Scripture. But before the evening was over, a group of voodooists showed up and some odd things took place. We could directly feel Satanic opposition. But in the Western world, Satan is often more subtle. Part of his scheming, I believe, is convincing us that we really don’t face spiritual warfare. But the last time I checked, false teaching is prevalent in our culture! According to 1 Timothy 4:1, false teaching has a demonic source. Similarly, our struggles with sins like bitterness, anger, slander reflect the attacks of the devil (see Ephesians 4:26-31 with Ephesians 6:10-12).

3. The way to engage in spiritual warfare is by using the resources made available by our union with Christ to pursue Christian maturity. There is nothing magical or esoteric about Ephesians 6:10-20. The Apostle Paul simply uses this metaphor of putting on armor to summarize what he has already taught in his letter to the Ephesians! Yes, every piece of armor in Ephesians 6:10-20 has already been discussed by Paul earlier in the letter. We engage in spiritual warfare by using these pieces of armor to resist Satan’s attacks and stand firm (see ‘resistance’ language in James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:9). Of course, we must resist Satan by avoiding participation in tarot cards, demon movies, and seances. But we must also use truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and God’s Word to resist the devil’s efforts to destroy us by our anger, gossip, or participation in gossip.

4. Read Clinton Arnold’s book, Three Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare (Zondervan). It’s the best summary available on this topic.

5. Remember Who is the greatest! “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).