When we started going camping many years ago I was woefully ill equipped for what I was facing. I remember one time using my shoe as a hammer to try driving a stake into the ground. A nearby camper came to my aid, bringing me a hammer to use instead. It worked much better than my shoe! There is nothing wrong with bringing shoes when one goes camping – walking on the stony ground would be hard without them. They have their own important role to play. But so do hammers. A shoe can’t replace a hammer and a hammer can’t replace a shoe! Each are important to fill their role and do what they are supposed to do.
The same is true in living a victorious Christian life. God gives us various tools to use at the right time: prayer, repentance, Bible promises, fasting, worship, Christian fellowship, and others. Spiritual warfare is one of these tools. It isn’t a cure-all for everything but is essential when dealing with Satan and his demons. Just like each piece of camping equipment has its purpose and function, so spiritual warfare is an important tool in our Christian living. It’s not our only tool but it is crucial when needed.
Today some Christians don’t understand or use spiritual warfare even when under spiritual attack. As a result they are defeated because they try using another resource for Christian living instead. But there are others who go to the opposite extreme and try to use spiritual warfare for everything. They see a demon behind every tree and attribute every problem and challenge to Satan. Using spiritual warfare against obstacles that aren’t demonic doesn’t work. Trying to overcome the attacks of Satan without an understanding of spiritual warfare won’t work any better than using my shoe as a hammer.
Spiritual warfare is an important tool, one every believer should learn to use with skill and precision. But it is only one of many resources God provides. Study and learn spiritual warfare, but don’t neglect the other Christian disciplines in doing so. Develop a strong prayer life, confess and repent as soon as you sin, study and apply God’s promises, fast when God leads you to do so, spend time in worship and praise, connect with other Christians and faithfully trust and serve God in every way you can. Know when to use spiritual warfare and also when not to use it.
2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Are better able to use your spiritual warfare tools than you were a year ago? Are you getting stronger and more victorious in fighting your battles? Where are you weakest and defeated most often?
Are you growing in all your spiritual disciplines: prayer, Bible knowledge, serving others, worship, holy living, learning God’s will and faithfulness? If not, where are you weakest and need the most work? What can you do about it?
Jerry Schmoyer
Christian Training Organization