There is a spiritual realm that is invisible to us unless the Holy Spirit reveals it. There are powers and authorities in the spiritual realm that oppose our Lord, and that oppose those who belong to Him. The world-wide persecution of Christians that is now taking place is driven by evil operating in the spiritual realm, and our warfare is against these evil spiritual powers.
We cannot stand against these malevolent influences on our own – in our own strength. We must stand strong in the Lord and in His strength. Truth, God’s righteousness, the peace that Jesus gives us, the faith that our salvation is secure, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and prayer in the Spirit are our weapons and defenses.
In my life, I have noticed that I come under spiritual attack whenever I get closer to God … whenever I begin to really walk as Jesus walked ... whenever I feel most blessed in vital spiritual union with Christ. Things go wrong, and I get discouraged. I encounter opposition from others. I backslide and fall into old sins that I thought were long since put behind me. I watch the news, and the wicked seem to be winning out on every front. People tell me that they enjoy being on friendly terms with me, but they don’t want to talk about “religion.”
Our struggle is against the evil that is being motivated by forces in the unseen spiritual realm. Until we realize that evil is real, where it is coming from, and how to oppose evil in the Lord’s strength, we will have difficulty being effective in our opposition to evil. The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write:
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every
occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers
everywhere." (Ephesians 6:10-18 NLT) [1]
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