What Is Spiritual Warfare?

There is another interesting passage about the spiritual realm found in 2 KINGS. It tells us how Elisha’s servant awoke to a very scary scene.

2 KINGS 6:15-17

‘Elisha's servant got up early, and went out. He saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, "Oh, Master, what can we do?"

“Elisha said, "Don't be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the one that fights against us."

“Then Elisha prayed, "LORD, open my servant's eyes, and let him see." The LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.’

The servant saw the physical while Elisha saw the spiritual. If you can picture that, it will help you understand the basics of spiritual warfare. It is mean, dangerous, and evil; and it occurs in the unseen realm, the heavenly realm. It doesn’t so much involve your physical body, but does involve your eternal soul.

We tend to think it isn’t real since we cannot see it, but we must see it from another perspective. If you put a blindfold on and walk down the middle of a highway during rush hour, you cannot see the cars, but that does not mean they aren’t there. And the very moment one hits you, you will become an instant believer in those things you cannot see.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 reaffirms that information.

‘The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. This Good News shines in the greatness of Christ. Christ is as God is.’

I have been talking about a spiritual war. What would you say is the fastest way to lose any war? Wouldn’t it be going into battle without taking any of your weapons along with you? Or, not having any weapons and also not having any knowledge of who your enemy is or what they are going to do to you.

If you understand nothing else about what I am talking about today, know that the devil wants to kill you.

1 PETER 5:8 reaffirms that, too.

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

As humans, our first instinct is to fight the one who is fighting us. We want to show them who they are messing with, don’t we? But good common sense says to know about your enemy before coming up against them.

We have all seen preachers and others who try to boss Satan around by ordering him to leave, or demanding he take his hands of somebody, etc. And while we do have the ability, in Jesus’ power, to stand our ground, we have no right to start ordering Satan around, like we are more powerful than he is.

In JUDE, verse 10, it tells us that men disrespect and abuse those things they know nothing about. And then it says it will be those things that destroy man.

In verse 9, it shows where one of the most powerful angels in Heaven, Michael, was approached by Satan and told to hand over Moses’ body to Satan. What do we see happening? Michael does not release Moses’ body, but he also does not get arrogant with Satan. He says God will deal with Satan. That is how much respect and knowledge Michael had of Satan.