“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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 6:10-12

Life is war, and the world is a battlefield. In many ways this is true. The Book of Revelation was given to John as a prophecy about the future, as he was told to, “Write, therefore what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later” (Revelation 1:19). God sent his angel to show John the things that “must soon take place” (Revelation 22:6). While that is true, many theologians agree that the narrative in Revelation 12 is not a prediction of things to come, but a representation of things past. “There was war in heaven”, we are told. The devil and his angels fought against Michael and his angels and lost the battle. The enemy was consequently hurled down to the earth, and his angels with him. He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short and is actively engaged in war against God’s people.

Whereas human combatants may have a limited view of time, the old enemy knows his time is short and fury characterizes his attitude to this war.

You are born into a battlefield called Earth, into the agelong battle of light and darkness that predates you. Whereas human combatants may have a limited view of time, the old enemy knows his time is short and fury characterizes his attitude to this war.

The Stealthy Nature of the Conflict

In a conflict, opposing parties engage in battle to attain victory. In life’s battles however, you really do not have the luxury of choice – you are in a battle whether you choose to or not, especially when you decide to become a Christian. That decision in itself is an enlistment into the army. That you are not aware of the ongoing war in and around you and therefore not consciously involved is part of the enemy’s strategy. Not being involved is still being involved as you are likely already conquered.

A good war strategy often involves stealth – a secretive way of moving or proceeding that is intended to avoid detection. You may have heard of stealth bombers – military aircraft designed to operate without being detected by radars. The devil likes that tactic too, in which he moves undetected by those who are meant to oppose him. He operates but is not noticed either because his targets are ignorant of his schemes, do not care, or explain his actions away with overly simplistic or comfortable theology.

Stealth often involves diversionary tactics or smokescreens. Here, the enemy uses anything—human or material—to obscure, confuse, or mislead his opponents. They go fighting perceived enemies while the main enemy, the devil, insidiously causes havoc without detection or by the time he is detected, the damage has already been done.

They go fighting perceived enemies while the main enemy, the devil, insidiously causes havoc without detection or by the time he is detected, the damage has already been done.

One common way this shady and misleading tactic is deployed is to cause humans to focus on other humans as the enemy. You might be deceived into thinking that your comrade in arms is the enemy while the real enemy hides and causes damage. So, the husband and wife who are on the same team suddenly start seeing each other as the enemy. Come to think of it, it was love that brought you two together. Of all the billions of people in the world, you chose to commit to spending your life with this person as your spouse. At what point did this spouse become an enemy? You hurt each other, hate each other, fail to forgive each other, gossip against each other and even become physically violent with each other. The ‘each other’ commands of Scripture, meant to smoothen our relationships are turned on their heads. Couples go to court, hire lawyers and spend fortunes that could have given them a pleasant life fighting their team members. What about parents and rebellious children or children and neglectful parents? The Church of the living God, the pillar of truth, is not left out. Haven’t you heard of church factions who end up in the courts of this world? Whole denominations are founded on conflict; the split that created a new denomination was not a mutual agreement to expand the Kingdom’s frontiers but breakups that followed internal squabbles. How did members of the same battalion of the Lord’s army suddenly turn against each other? Should we talk about warring tribes, communities, and nation-states? Human history is bloody. As I write, there are ongoing wars in communities and different nations around the world. How did members of the same species of God’s creation turn against each other?

The Enemy Unveiled

In the closing verses of his letter to the Ephesian church, the Apostle Paul places his finger on the problem. It is also instructive that this comes immediately after the exhortations on family relationships. While we look at each other as the enemy and fight each other, he says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood”. ‘Come on Apostle, my spouse just hit me; my child just disobeyed me; my fellow church member just spoke bad about me’ you say. But Paul says, “That’s the smokescreen.” “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood”. Even though we are flesh and blood, dear Christian, our struggle is not against those who possess flesh and blood like we do. Who is the real enemy, who are we up against?

J.B PHILLIPS says: “It is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil.” The Living Bible describes them as “persons without bodies … mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world … huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.”

That hurtful action from your spouse or child or brother or sister that greatly offends you may have come from them, but behind it is the enemy.

That hurtful action from your spouse or child or brother or sister that greatly offends you may have come from them, but behind it is the enemy. That voice you hear in your mind’s ear that tells you not to allow yourself to be looked down on, to hit back either verbally or physically or both, is from persons without bodies; it is from huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. Make no mistake about it: that thought was sent into your mind from the headquarters of evil. The offensive element that came from your partner also emanated from the same place.

Eyes to See Like Jesus

Jesus displayed this consciousness and lived above the wiles of the enemy. We must trust him for grace to do likewise. When Jesus was talking about fulfilling God’s purpose for his coming to earth, namely his death, Peter, I guess feeling quite sure and good with himself, took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus didn’t mistake the source, he turned to Peter but addressed the stealthy enemy: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:21-23). In predicting his death, he looked beyond Judas and the human powers of the day that sought to kill him. He addressed the puppeteer behind these puppets. He said, “I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (John 14: 30).

When you deal with rebellion, maybe as a leader in an organization or as a parent, remember that there is an enemy behind it. Go ahead and use your carrot-and-stick approach; do not spare the rod and spoil the child. But remember that Ephesians 2:2 says there is a “ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” All disobedience is spiritual – it is instigated by the ruler of the kingdom of the air. It is he who works in those who are disobedient. Just as God “works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13), so the spirit of the power of the air works disobedience in the hearts of people. So, while you enforce discipline, never forget that your actual wrestling is not against human beings but against wicked, unseen spiritual forces. That they can’t be seen helps their war strategy, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t acquaint ourselves with the wisdom of Scripture to recognize the unseen at work.

When Daniel prayed, the delivery of his granted request was delayed. When the angel finally appeared, he told Daniel what was behind the delay in him receiving what he had asked. The angel said, “Since the first day … your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the Prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days” (Daniel 10:12-13). I have heard that when we pray, God gives one of three responses: he grants it, gives you a better option, or asks you to wait. Nice theology. I’m not quarrelling with that but in the context of these meditations, we surely need to consider the fact that why the answer to a prayer may not have arrived is because of the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. That was the only reason the angel gave to Daniel. The person sitting on your contract documents or promotion that has not been approved may be a human, but could they be under the influence of a demonic prince?

On a certain Sabbath, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue and a woman was there who had been crippled for 18 years. She was bent over and could not straighten up. I imagine that physiotherapy may have been trialled on her. But the Bible says the cause of her ailment was a spirit. It was the spirit that Jesus addressed when he declared to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity” (Luke 13:10-13). Medical Science may have tried, but only a recognition that her illness was the work of spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies, and addressing them, brought her liberty.

The demoniacs that Jesus delivered would make good patients for today’s blossoming mental health industry. Psychiatry is helpful, but like Jesus, we must have an eye that sees the root of the problem where it exists, namely that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.

Life is spiritual; the things that we see manifesting in the physical are first of all spiritual realities. One of the limitations that we have as humans is eyes that have limits to what they can see.

What we must do in light of the foregoing is to be spiritually conscious. Life is spiritual; the things that we see manifesting in the physical are first of all spiritual realities. One of the limitations that we have as humans is eyes that have limits to what they can see. But Scripture has provided us with insights into the unseen and the impact that it has on the physical world. If we will not be victims, we must live and conduct our affairs in this light.

Dealing With the Enemy Without Flesh and Blood

This segment could fill an entire book, but we can summarize it using the wisdom from Ephesians 6. The Apostle says, “Therefore”. That means, ‘For this reason’ (the reason that we do not wrestle against enemies with flesh and blood but unseen spiritual forces of wickedness from the very headquarters of evil) “put on the full armour of God.” He goes on to mention the parts of this armour: truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the word of God and prayer.

In all situations never rule out the sly and subtle hand of the enemy at work. Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Be alert. Use the word. Know truths and promises that you can hold to. The truth you know brings freedom. Approach the battle from the standpoint of Christ’s victory. When the archangel Michael was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, he didn’t speak anyhow. He said to the enemy, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 1:9). As simple as it sounds, it worked. David countered Goliath’s verbal threats that caused fear in Israel with words of his own. Arm yourself with scriptures to use in countering the unseen enemy’s war on your mind. When he speaks to you to act in a certain way, counter him with the ‘It is written’ of Scripture, like Jesus did. In his temptation, Jesus said, “Away from me, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10) and the enemy left him. When he spoke through Peter’s mouth to deter him from the cross, the Lord said, “Get behind me, Satan!” Be sure that like Christ, the prince of this world is coming, but he has no hold on you because you are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

Beloved, don’t be ignorant of who the battle is against. They may be unseen but they are real. Fight on with God’s armour. See you when the victory crowns are handed out.