When You’re in the Heat of a Spiritual Battle

Do you know what it’s like to struggle through the heat of a spiritual battle? Often, we sense we’re in a spiritual battle during a series of adverse events. We may recognize warfare as soon as the first one fires off. Sometimes, though, we may not recognize enemy attack until we are almost undone. When we finally reach this point, we might feel unprepared or unable to fight off the attack.

Maybe you’ve been there. Or perhaps you’re there right now!

But there’s good news for you, and there’s good news for me.

God has given us everything we need to stand firm against our enemy—no matter when we recognize we’re in the heat of battle.

When you're in the heat of a spiritual battle, know that God has given us everything we need to stand firm against our enemy.

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Today, I have the honor of welcoming my dear friend, Dianne Thornton to share about her personal experience and what it means to fight a spiritual battle.

Winning the Fight Against Your Spiritual Battle

By Dianne Thornton

At one time I was not a fan of Bible studies or devotionals centered on the armor of God. I grew up with parents who taught me to love God’s Word. “Praying on the armor” was (and still is) a regular part of my mom’s prayer life. But somehow it didn’t hold meaning for me. To me, praying through a litany of verses was just “one more thing” to do in my quiet time. I know. I shouldn’t feel that way, right? But it overwhelmed me. Any time I saw articles associated with this in my social media feed, I felt frustration and guilt. That’s exactly where the enemy wanted me. Immobile and ineffective.

Eventually the Lord prompted me to take my own look at Ephesians 6:10-20 and not worry about what anyone else wrote, but to read it for what He wanted to show me. So I did.

God revealed truth that gave me great freedom and hope!

I learned that putting on the armor of God isn’t so much about a prayer (although prayer is an essential weapon in the believer’s arsenal) as it is about who we are in Christ. Yes, we have a role in this. But God is the One who molds us into Christ’s image. Standing firm in Christ is how we fight our enemy.

Because of that time in God’s Word, I wrote the Bible study STANDING FIRM IN CHRIST: Biblical Principles for Fighting Spiritual Battles (affiliate link). My kids were in high school when I started writing it, and I didn’t finish it until four years later. For a while, the enemy heaped guilt on me about this!

But God’s timing is perfect.

Health scares, political unrest, and a myriad of other issues have people looking for hope and rescue. Satan capitalizes on our fear and unrest. This Bible study is one answer for how we can fight him effectively.

The Apostle Paul probably authored the book of Ephesians from a Roman prison with Roman guards nearby. He uses the metaphor of Roman armor to describe God’s armor and how we, as believers, use it to fight our enemy. Paul begins by explaining that we have God’s limitless power available to us.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.“
Ephesians 6:10 NIV

In the Greek, we learn that Paul uses three different words to describe this power. To start with, we are to “be strong,” or to strengthen our relationship with the Lord. We do this through spiritual disciplines such as praying, reading and studying our Bibles, and engaging in community with other believers. When we’ve done our part, God steps in with His power—power that is proven and stronger than anything else.

With God’s limitless power backing us up, the battle need not overwhelm us, for everything we need is in Christ Jesus. #StandingFirmBibleStudy Click To Tweet

We don’t battle alone, and we don’t battle unprepared. Working through the 8-week study, we learn that every piece of the armor is anchored in the person and character of Jesus Christ. With God’s limitless power backing us up, the battle need not overwhelm us, for everything we need is in Christ Jesus.

When we stand firm in who we are in Christ, we can stand firm against our enemy and experience victory.

How about you?

Are you in the midst of a spiritual battle (or have been in the past)? How do you see Christ fighting your battles for you? What helps you withstand?

About Dianne Thornton

Dianne Thornton is passionate for women to grow deeper in their relationship with God–the Source of Life, Love, and Truth. When you fall in love with God’s Word, you experience the full, over-the-top abundant life He wants you to have. It’s not an easy life, but one that is rich in meaning and fully satisfying. Dianne is the author of the 8-week Bible study STANDING FIRM IN CHRIST: Biblical Principles for Fighting Spiritual Battles. Dianne and her husband Tim reside in Pearland, Texas, and have three young adult children: Max, Rachel, and Abby. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baylor University. When she has time, she enjoys long bike rides, working in her yard, and reading under the pergola she and her family built together. Occasionally, she escapes to the beach to watch morning sunrises and collect seashells.