What Spiritual Warfare Means According to the Bible

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Plus, how to join the fight & defeat the Enemy

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Spiritual Warfare Meaning

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What the Bible Says

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Signs of Spiritual Warfare

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How to Fight

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Example Prayer

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What Jesus Says

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Final Takeaways

Spiritual warfare is an important concept in Christianity that refers to the eternal conflict between the forces of good – God – and the forces of evil – Satan. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about spiritual warfare, including its purpose, its origins in the Bible, signs you're being spiritually accosted by the Devil, how to be victorious against the enemies he sends to defeat you, and a special prayer to get you through your toughest battles.

What does spiritual warfare mean?

Spiritual warfare refers to the battle between God and Satan and their followers. According to Christian theology, the forces of evil intervene in human affairs to sow chaos and doubt. Christians should use prayer, faith in Jesus Christ, and the armor of God to defeat the enemies Satan sends to corrupt or destroy them.

Section 1 of 7:

What is the Biblical meaning of spiritual warfare?

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Spiritual warfare is the battle between the forces of good and evil. In this conflict, God's enemy, Satan, attempts to corrupt or destroy humans by intervening in their affairs in the physical realm to drive a wedge of sin between them and God. The Bible offers instructions for fighting against Satan's machinations: by following God's word, believing in Jesus Christ, and praying.^{[1]
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- Satan's efforts to get between Christians and God include sending physical temptations, promoting discord between family members and friends, and planting doubt about God's faithfulness.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 7:

What the Bible Says About Spiritual Warfare

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The concept of spiritual warfare comes from Bible scriptures. Some of the verses explicitly describe wrestling against "spiritual forces of evil" and resisting the Devil. Others describe how Christians should fight back by putting on "the whole armor of God," using "divine power to destroy strongholds" (i.e., Satan's forces), and submitting themselves to God's will.
- The following Bible verses address the idea of spiritual warfare directly.
  - "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
  - "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:11
  - "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4
  - "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
  - "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

Section 3 of 7:

Signs You May be Experiencing Spiritual Warfare

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Increased temptations If you've been experiencing a sudden and noticeable increase in unhealthy temptations – like overeating, an obsession with money, or the impulse to watch porn – that may be a sign that Satan and his demons are targeting you specifically. The Devil knows which vices are your biggest weaknesses, and he'll often strike there to persuade you to sin on purpose.^{[3]
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Emotional turmoil Feeling an overwhelming yet unexplainable sense of anxiety, stress, fear, or even anger? Your emotional turmoil may be a signal that the forces of evil are attacking your soul. God instructs His followers many times throughout the Bible to be at peace with one another and in their hearts, so Satan attacks your peace by turning your emotions against you (and God).^{[4]
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Roadblocks in your spiritual growth Have you been attempting to grow in your faith through studying the Bible, regular church attendance, or charitable works, but something always seems to get in your way? Obstacles to spiritual growth are tools of the Devil, used to try to discourage you from deepening your relationship with God.^{[5]
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Feelings of doubt Doubt is one of the most effective weapons in Satan's arsenal. With all the evil and strife in the world – not to mention the personal difficulties each Christian faces day to day – our faith is constantly being tested. In such vulnerable moments, Satan plants seeds of doubt in our hearts about God's promises to protect and care for his followers. In some extreme cases, the doubt is so strong and overwhelming that some believers stop following the Word of God completely.^{[6]
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Conflicts with others Satan doesn't just object to Christians' relationship with God. He also despises the love and faithfulness shared in human relationships, such as friendships, romantic partnerships, and familial bonds. Anytime a conflict comes up between you and someone you love which threatens to destroy your relationship or compromise your faith, it's likely that the Devil is stirring up trouble to pull you apart.^{[7]
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How to Fight Spiritual Warfare

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Pray to God for strength, guidance, and mercy. Prayer is one of the best ways to combat temptation, emotional turmoil, doubt, and all the other ways the Devil tries to attack you. Appeal to God and ask Him to help you be a better Christian and guide you through the trials you're facing. Ask for His mercy, too, for the times you fail to win your spiritual battles, knowing that you can always get up and try again the next day.^{[8]
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Affirm your faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the antidote to Satan's evil. Who better to cleave to than the man who rebuffed the Devil for 40 days in the desert, sacrificed himself to cleanse humanity of sin, and rose back to life after death? Read scriptures that remind you of Jesus's love to affirm your faith and strengthen your resolve in your current spiritual war.^{[9]
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- These Bible verses demonstrate Jesus's power over Satan and fortify us to keep up the good fight against evil.
  - "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil." John 3:8
  - "The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10
  - "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32
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Dress yourself in the armor of God. In Ephesians 6:10-17., God tells Christians to fit themselves with the "belt of truth," the "breastplate of righteousness," the "readiness that comes from the gospel of peace," "the shield of faith," "the helmet of salvation," and "the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." These virtues make up a Christian's spiritual armor. With them, they can "stand against the devil's schemes."
- Here is the full passage about the armor of God.
  - "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:13-17
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Avoid obvious temptations and emotional triggers. As you become more aware that the temptations and emotions swirling around you are tools of the Devil, take steps to distance yourself from potential triggers and areas of weakness. For example, if you're experiencing a strong temptation to overeat and be gluttonous, avoid buying unnecessary snack items at the store or going out to eat. You can also ask a trusted loved one to help hold you accountable and resist your vices.
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Practice love and forgiveness toward your fellow humans. If Satan tries to get to you by disrupting your relationships or putting you in the middle of tense situations with other people, fight back by being loving and forgiving toward your fellow man. That means being understanding and patient not just with your family and close friends, but with strangers on the street, as well.
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Achieve victory in spiritual warfare by remaining a faithful believer. In the physical world, Satan has free reign, so humans will never be truly free of his schemes and temptations while we're still living on Earth. But the way we win spiritual warfare is to continuously resist his attempts to corrupt us and remain steadfast, faithful believers in God. In Heaven, we'll receive our true reward: eternal life.^{[10]
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Section 5 of 7:

Prayers for Helping You in Spiritual Warfare

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Say these prayers when fighting Satan is a real challenge. "Dear Heavenly Father, I need your help right now. I'm going through something and the Devil is really getting me down with his attacks. I don't feel strong enough to fight back. Please lend me Your strength, Your Grace, and Your wisdom to help me out of this mess I'm in and lead me back to Your light. In Jesus's name. Amen." "St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle. Be thou, our protector against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God Rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do, Thou O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, cast into Hell, Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

Section 6 of 7:

What Jesus Christ Say About Spiritual Warfare

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One of the reasons Jesus is referred to as the Son of God is he never sinned. He successfully fought against Satan's every attempt to make him renounce his faith, even during his self-imposed exile in the desert. He even defeated Satan's trump card – death by crucifixion – by rising from his tomb 3 days later.^{[11]
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Section 7 of 7:

Final Takeaways

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To be victorious, they simply have to pray, heed God's word, follow Jesus Christ, and don the armor of God (i.e., cultivate the virtues of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation). Furthermore, know that God is infinitely merciful and doesn't expect us to win every fight. Take comfort in the words of King David, "The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down" (Psalm 145:14).