How to Win Spiritual Battles: 3 Steps
How to win spiritual battles. That reality concerns every Christian at some point in their journeys.
A nemesis, Satan by name, draws a spiritual battle line and dares you to step across. His specialty is to—take you out of the game. New believers ignore the enemy’s tactics while veteran warriors dress for battle 24/7 because Satan plays dirty.
Christians know spiritual kingdoms exist, hidden from view. For example, you have faith in Jesus and an eternal home in heaven—neither of which you can see. Without physical evidence, you sense an unseen enemy lingers close by ready to pounce. Jesus warned us about him.
This is where some people run into trouble—they don’t believe in spiritual warfare. Others know how to use an active battle plan.
For instance, you stand on spiritual ground for a child disclaiming God. Sometimes you storm hell with prayer to secure the salvation of loved ones. Likewise, your prayers protect a soldier battling in a foreign country.
Jobs are scarce and employment is a top priority on your prayer list. While you pray, fear and anxiety opponents step onto the battlefield. You stomp them with faith words.
Spiritual battles can ensue for months and years. The invisible attacker wages war against your mind and heart to slow down or stop spiritual growth. Battles can be intense or lighter scrimmages. Regardless of the intensity, evil opponents want to wear you down so you don’t succeed in life.
A soldier enlisted in the Lord’s army knows how to fight the spiritual battles of life.
How to Win Spiritual Battles: Step 1
Learn to recognize a spiritual battle and when to engage in combat.
Identify when Satan and his diabolical buddies are at war with you and you’re closer to victory. Satan stalks, sneaks up, and ambushes you as prey. He slithers toward you, as he did Eve, to catch you off guard. The reason? The devilish adversary hates Jesus, the one you love. You gave your heart to Jesus and not him.
After salvation, your supernatural opponent seeks someone to devour (I Peter 5:8) and will unless you stand against his schemes.
Engage in Spiritual Warfare When You See Thise Signs
- Temptation: The enemy bombards your mind with suggestive sins. “You’ve worked hard, keep your tithe.” “Watch that program everyone loves, the one that objectifies women.” “Take a break from Bible study, you’re getting too religious.”
- Sin overtakes a loved one or you: Satan connives and messes with your heart. Examples: Porn addiction runs rampant in the church along with adultery. You cave to financial stress and steal from your employer. Satan twists your thought life so money, people, religion, etc. become idols in place of God.
- Deception: Satan is a master liar. He turns your attention away from God’s Word by replacing truth with false doctrines disguised as light and righteousness. The “father of lies” injects unhealthy doses of bitterness, pride, and arrogance into your life through loved ones and friends.
- Accusations: The devil reminds you of past sins already forgiven by God. He brings guilt and condemnation to your heart and conscience by accusing you. “What do you plan to do about the lust in your heart?” “Do you remember when you slandered your neighbor?” “You think you can minister to others when you aren’t worthy enough to be in God’s presence?” “You trust God? He abandoned you.”
- Sickness: Jesus reveals Satan can be the author of illnesses in Luke 13:16. “Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” Be on the lookout for decisions you make about food, lifestyles, and wrong thinking that invites sickness into your body. Normally, they’re tactics from hell to bring death.
God positions Himself alongside you on the front lines of the battlefield. As you develop a campaign strategy, stay dressed and ready to face a determined challenger. Satan is hell-bent on delivering a fatal blow to every Christian. He wants you dead (not breathing) to stop God’s plan for your life.
How to Win Spiritual Battles: Step 2
Put on the armor to fight.
We’ll get to that soon but remember this. Satan sees the blood of Jesus every time he looks at you. He knows he’s defeated, but do you? If you do, boldness rises up inside you to kick his butt.
Now, the armor. You’re probably familiar with the pieces of armor listed in Ephesians 6:10-18. Even if you wear spiritual protection, you fight against spiritual forces of evil that look for cracks in your armor.
- Belt of truth – this is God’s Word and the first weapon of choice you store in your heart and mind. Satan disarms you when you don’t believe God’s Word. The belt of truth makes the other components battle-ready.
- Breastplate of righteousness – you receive righteousness and eternal life as a child of God. God sees you as righteous because Jesus carried your sins on the cross. Stay close to God to purify your heart and close the door to darkness.
- Feet shod with the gospel of peace – your “peace shoes” run swiftly to rescue those still in bondage due to disbelief in the Gospel message. Unless you stay peaceful, there’s a chink in your armor.
- Shield of faith – the shield protects the heart and mind, storehouses of God’s Word – the faith builder. Doubt weakens your shield.
- Helmet of salvation – Jesus hands the helmet to every believer when they accept Him as Lord and Savior. Salvation protects strongholds that begin in the mind (attitudes, worries, fear, guilt, idols)
- Sword of the spirit – speak the Word of God to disarm the enemy – you take the wind out of his sails when you openly discount lies with truth.
More Ways to Disarm Your Spiritual Opponents
When growing up, did your parents say, “Use your words?” Faithful words spoken on a daily basis put Satan on the run. You don’t get them through osmosis. You must read your Bible and listen to good preaching because “faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ (Romans 10:17, AMP).
Bathe any battle against evil forces with prayer, another spiritual weapon in your arsenal noted in Ephesians 6:18. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
Last, but not least . . .
How to Win Spiritual Battles: Step 3
Believe God is bigger than the battle.
Do you think David noticed Goliath’s stature as he slung the stones? Nope. He focused on how big God is. Don’t be deceived. God knows what goes on behind enemy lines. He gives believers a battle plan so they aren’t silenced by attacks.
Jehoshaphat defeats Moab and Ammon by seeking God. He and the people fasted, prayed, praised God, and waited for His counsel. A prophet delivers God’s message.
“He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
God tells the people to take their positions and stand still. They won’t even need to fight. King Jehoshaphat sends singers out first to praise God. Praises confused the enemy so they killed each other. God turned Judah’s dire circumstances into a Valley of Berakah which means blessing.
You and I place ourselves under God’s authority to outlast the enemy. We wait for God’s instructions because He is on our side. We recognize the enemy’s plans, wear the full armor, and put our trust in God, believing we never fight alone. Follow those steps and you’ll be victorious.