SPIRITUAL WARFARE: 2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-4

I find it rather silly when people say that Christians should not be involved in political or cultural conversations. The Bible touches on every aspect of life—it’s rich in history & grounded in science. By not engaging in the world around us, we are not doing God’s work on earth because we allow the enemy to launch his assaults on God’s creation. In every situation, event, or policy we should be asking ourselves: What’s happening that we can’t see? What war is the darkness raging within an individual, a community, & the world? What type of ripple effect occurs when we let darkness obtain a foothold?

We don’t wage war in the same way as those who are not in Christ, & our weapons are not of the world. Many have been led to believe we have a vendetta against them, however, our only target are the spirits of darkness that blindfold & puppeteer the world by binding them to the inescapable desires to fulfill their pleasures. Fortunately, our God has already won the war. In the meantime, He has given us divine power & the full armor of God to demolish strongholds. We are called to...

• Put on the belt of truth, without it, we are susceptible to the schemes of the devil, the father of lies

• Put on the breastplate of [Christ’s] righteousness, which guards our hearts and innermost being from attacks

• Fit our feet with the gospel of peace, which allows us to advance into enemy territory with awareness of the devil’s traps through the essential knowledge of God’s grace & mercy

• Take up the shield of faith which is firm, infallible, & impenetrable

• Secure the helmet of salvation that preserves our minds from temptations & false doctrines

• Take up the sword of the Spirit (aka the Word of God, our one offensive tool) which delivers crushing blows to the enemy through the holy power of God

• Pray for spiritual restoration from God who we wholly rely on for strength and victory (Ephesians 6:14-17)
  

The armor of God enables us to capture philosophies, reasonings, & schemes that are driven by human pride & self-centeredness. When faced on the battlefield, all will fall captive to the obedience of God and His greatness in the end (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).