Spiritual Warfare

Introduction

“It dawned on me while meditating on war one day that every human – a three-dimensional being living in the physical, psychological and spiritual realms—was born a war baby.”
—C.N. Tokatloglou

What did longtime friend to OCF and Bible teacher, “Mr. Tok,” mean by that statement? The Bible is a narrative of the ancient struggle against good and evil, between sin and righteousness, between darkness and light. Scripture tells us there IS a devil—Satan—who leads a well-organized army of fallen angels that are demons who are opposed to God and His kingdom. We are not excused from this battle. As Christians, even if we do not think we are at war with evil, Satan has initiated a war against us. Satan’s attacks aren’t always direct, often coming through other human beings—even including believers, close friends, and even family. So what are we to do about it? How are we to engage the enemy, and of what ultimate outcome may we be confident?

Scripture references

Study the following biblical references and consider how they address the questions listed below. If using this outline with a Small Group, consider assigning different Scriptures to different individuals and relating them to one or more of the questions. Then scroll down the page to review our recommended resources for the topic of Spiritual Warfare and consider how the various articles or podcasts provide further insights relating to this topic. Also consider other resources you have been exposed to and might recommend to others. We value your feedback

Ephesians 6:10-20; Genesis 3:1-24, and 4:1-15; Matthew 4:1-10; 1 John 5:19; James 4:4; 2 Corinthians 4:4 and 10:3-5; I Peter 5:6-9; Ephesians 1:19-21; Hebrews 10:14; Colossians 1:1-11

Questions

1. Are all believers involved in spiritual warfare? Can’t we just “lay low” and avoid it?
2. What can we learn about Satan’s goals and methods from his attacks in Genesis, on Jesus in the wilderness, and on Peter’s description of Satan as a “roaring lion”? How does he attack today?
3. What are the ways that you see spiritual warfare occurring or taking place around you?
4. What defensive and offense weapons can we use to fight against Satan and his angels?
5. Have you had occasions when you felt attacked by close friends and fellow believers? What was your response?
6. As members of the military we understand “readiness.” Compare how we prepare ourselves for physical warfare with how we prepare ourselves for spiritual warfare. In what ways are they similar and different?