The Battle We Cannot See: Reflections on Spiritual Warfare
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” — Ephesians 6:12
Recently, I spent more than two hours talking with a friend who shared his testimony with me.
He opened up about some of the darkest seasons of his life—both before becoming a Christian and after placing his faith in Christ. He spoke about battles that most people never hear about. Times when he struggled under heavy spiritual oppression. Moments when he believed God whispered to him. He described seeing darkness in ways that are difficult to explain and witnessing God’s presence in ways that forever changed his life.
What struck me even more than those extraordinary experiences was how God continually pursued him.
Every time he found himself sinking into darkness, God pulled him back.
Every time life took a turn for the worse, God was there.
His testimony wasn’t ultimately about darkness—it was about God’s faithfulness.
Today, that same man spends his time encouraging others, sharing Scripture, praying with people, and pointing them toward Christ. Hearing how God transformed his life reminded me that no one is ever too far gone for God’s grace.
Listening to him also caused me to reflect on my own life.
Compared to many people’s stories, my life has been remarkably peaceful. I’ve experienced heartbreak, disappointment, anxiety, and seasons of uncertainty, but I have also been spared from so much that I may never fully understand.
Sometimes we’re so focused on asking God to remove the hardships we can see that we forget to thank Him for all the dangers He has quietly protected us from.
How many temptations has He helped us overcome without us even realizing it?
How many poor decisions has He redirected?
How many prayers has He answered in ways we’ll never know this side of heaven?
The more I grow in my faith, the more I realize that God’s protection isn’t always obvious.
Sometimes it’s the very things that never happened.
Spiritual Warfare Is Real
Before becoming a Christian, I probably would have dismissed conversations about spiritual warfare.
I would have explained everything away as coincidence, psychology, or simply the imagination. If someone shared a story about spiritual attacks or God’s supernatural intervention, I would have been skeptical and looked for a purely natural explanation.
Today, I believe something different—not because of one person’s testimony, but because Scripture consistently teaches that there is an unseen spiritual reality.
From the very beginning of the Bible, we see a spiritual battle unfolding. The serpent deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan tested Job. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Throughout His ministry, Jesus confronted demonic forces, healed the oppressed, and demonstrated His authority over the powers of darkness. The apostles likewise warned believers to remain alert because the enemy seeks to deceive, tempt, and discourage those who follow Christ.
As I continue reading Scripture, I’m realizing that spiritual warfare isn’t a fringe topic reserved for a few passages or extraordinary stories. It’s woven throughout the Bible. It’s part of the reality of living in a fallen world where good and evil are in conflict.
That doesn’t mean Christians should become fearful or obsessed with demons. In fact, the Bible spends far more time pointing us to Christ than it does telling us to study the enemy. Satan is real, but he is neither equal to God nor beyond God’s authority. He is a defeated enemy whose greatest weapons are deception and temptation.
Understanding that spiritual warfare is real doesn’t leave me feeling anxious.
It leaves me feeling more dependent on God.
The more I understand that there is a spiritual battle taking place, the more I realize why staying rooted in Scripture, praying consistently, and walking closely with Christ are not optional parts of the Christian life—they are essential.
Spiritual Warfare Is Often More Ordinary Than We Think
When many people hear the words spiritual warfare, they immediately picture dramatic supernatural events.
But as I’ve continued reading Scripture, I’ve realized that spiritual warfare is often much quieter than that.
It can look like the subtle lies we begin to believe.
It can look like discouragement that whispers we’re not good enough.
It can look like fear that keeps us from obeying God.
It can look like pride convincing us we don’t need Him.
It can look like bitterness that refuses to forgive.
It can look like distractions that slowly crowd God out of our daily lives.
The enemy doesn’t always need to destroy our faith overnight.
Sometimes all he needs to do is distract us enough that we gradually drift away from God.
Jesus called Satan “the father of lies” (John 8:44).
His greatest weapon has always been deception.
If he can convince us that God’s Word isn’t trustworthy…
that sin will satisfy us…
that our identity is found somewhere other than Christ…
or that we’re beyond God’s forgiveness…
he doesn’t need to force us away from God.
We’ll walk away ourselves.
How Do We Win Spiritual Warfare?
One thing I kept thinking about after hearing my friend’s testimony was this:
He didn’t overcome because he was stronger than the darkness.
He overcame because God was stronger.
That is an important distinction.
As Christians, we are never called to fight spiritual battles in our own strength.
Paul begins the Armor of God passage with these words:
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” — Ephesians 6:10
Notice Paul doesn’t simply say, “Be strong.”
He says, “Be strong in the Lord.”
Victory begins by recognizing that the battle belongs to God.
Know God’s Word
One of the greatest examples of spiritual warfare is Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4).
Satan tempted Him repeatedly.
Jesus never argued.
He never relied on emotions.
He never tried to outsmart Satan.
Instead, every response began the same way:
“It is written…”
Jesus answered every lie with God’s truth.
That reminds me that one of the most powerful weapons we have is knowing Scripture.
The better we know God’s Word, the easier it becomes to recognize the enemy’s lies.
Put On the Armor of God
Paul tells believers to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13–18).
At first, I thought of it as something symbolic or even mystical—it’s a spiritual battle, so naturally we have spiritual armor. But after spending some time studying and researching it, I see it differently.
The armor of God isn’t something we put on only when life gets difficult. It’s a daily way of living. It’s choosing truth over deception, righteousness over compromise, peace over fear, faith over doubt, salvation as our identity, God’s Word as our guide, and prayer as our constant connection with Him. Putting on the whole armor of God is less about preparing for an occasional battle and more about faithfully walking with Christ every single day.
- The belt of truth reminds us to anchor ourselves in God’s truth instead of believing lies.
- The breastplate of righteousness calls us to pursue holiness and integrity.
- The shoes of the gospel of peace keep us steady even when life feels unstable.
- The shield of faith protects us against doubt, fear, and accusation.
- The helmet of salvation reminds us that our identity is secure in Christ.
- The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the offensive weapon that exposes deception.
- And surrounding all of it is prayer, our constant dependence on God.
None of these are extraordinary.
They’re ordinary habits that make us spiritually resilient.
Repent Quickly
Another lesson I’m learning is that spiritual warfare isn’t only about resisting attacks from the outside.
Sometimes the greatest battle is against the desires within us.
“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” — Galatians 5:16
Sin doesn’t separate believers from God’s love, but it does affect our fellowship with Him and weakens our spiritual discernment.
That’s why repentance is so important.
Repentance isn’t simply feeling guilty.
It’s turning back toward God.
Every time we confess our sins and surrender them to Him, we’re choosing His way over our own.
Prayer Is Our Greatest Weapon
One of the biggest changes in my own life over the past few months has been prayer.
Prayer has become the first thing I do when I wake up each morning. Before I check my phone, before I think about work, or before the busyness of the day begins, I spend time with God.
I’ve come to realize that prayer isn’t simply a routine—it’s an act of surrender.
It’s my way of acknowledging that I cannot navigate this day in my own strength. Whatever lies ahead—whether it’s temptation, discouragement, uncertainty, or unexpected challenges—I want to begin by placing it all into God’s hands.
Jesus Himself modeled this. Throughout the Gospels, He regularly withdrew to spend time alone with the Father, even amid demanding ministry.
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” — Luke 5:16
If the Son of God made prayer a priority, how much more should I?
Prayer isn’t about informing God of what He already knows. It’s about aligning my heart with His, inviting Him to shape my thoughts, strengthen my faith, and prepare me for whatever the day may bring.
When Paul concludes his teaching on the Armor of God, he doesn’t simply tell believers to put on the armor and move on. He ends with these words:
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying…” — Ephesians 6:18
That isn’t an accident.
Prayer isn’t separate from spiritual warfare—it is one of the primary ways we stand firm. Every morning is an opportunity to submit ourselves to God before we face the world. The battle may be real, but I don’t have to enter it alone.
Each new day now begins with a simple reminder:
God goes before me..
Keep Your Eyes on Christ
Perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve taken away is this:
The goal of spiritual warfare isn’t becoming fascinated with darkness.
It’s becoming more devoted to Jesus.
The enemy would love for us to become fearful.
He would love for us to obsess over every unusual experience.
But Scripture continually redirects our eyes back to Christ.
The more we know Him, the less convincing the enemy’s lies become.
The more we abide in Him, the more the fruit of the Spirit begins to shape our lives.
The more we fill our minds with His truth, the less room there is for deception.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” — James 4:7
I’ve always found the order of that verse interesting.
It doesn’t begin with resisting the devil.
It begins with submitting to God.
I have to give my friend Alice credit for pointing this out to me. She reminded me that people often quote only the second half of the verse: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” She wanted to make sure I understood the verse in its entirety so I wouldn’t misquote, misunderstand, or misuse it.
Submitting to God comes first because, in our own strength, we don’t have the power to stand against the devil. Our strength comes from God alone. As we submit ourselves to Him, He gives us the strength to stand firm. Only then are we able to resist the devil, and as Scripture promises, he will flee.
That’s where victory starts.
Not in our own strength.
Not in trying harder.
Not in becoming experts on darkness.
But in daily surrender to Christ.
My friend’s testimony didn’t leave me fearful of spiritual warfare.
It left me grateful.
Grateful that God pursues people even in their darkest moments.
Grateful that His grace reaches farther than we ever could.
Grateful that He has protected me in countless ways I’ll probably never fully understand.
And grateful that no matter how real the battle may be, the outcome has already been decided.
“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” — Colossians 2:15
As believers, we don’t fight for victory.
We fight from the victory that Christ has already won.
That doesn’t mean the battle isn’t real. It means we never enter it alone.
The One who conquered sin, death, and the powers of darkness walks with us every step of the way.
