Theme · theological
Spiritual Warfare
The serpent in Eden inaugurates a cosmic conflict between God's purposes and the powers of darkness. The Old Testament glimpses this battle in the 'sons of God' in Genesis 6, the divine council in Job, and the angelic warfare in Daniel. Jesus's ministry is a frontal assault on Satan's kingdom — exorcisms, healings, and ultimately the cross, where 'he disarmed the rulers and authorities.' Paul tells believers their struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces, and equips them with the armor of God. Revelation narrates the war's final chapter: the dragon is defeated and cast into the lake of fire.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Cor 2:14 — But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- 1Cor 3:1 — And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
- 1Cor 4:9 — For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
- 1Cor 5:5 — To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
- 1John 4:1 — Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
- 1John 4:4 — Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
- 1John 4:6 — We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
- 1Kgs 22:22 — And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, an
- 1Pet 5:8 — Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
- 1Sam 17:45 — Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou
- 1Tim 1:18 — This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
- 1Tim 4:1 — Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
- 2Cor 2:11 — Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
- 2Cor 4:4 — In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
- 2Cor 6:7 — By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
- 2Cor 10:3 — For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
- 2Cor 10:4 — (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
- 2Cor 10:5 — Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
- 2Cor 12:7 — And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above mea
- 2Kgs 2:9 — And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy s
- 2Kgs 6:16 — And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
- 2Kgs 6:17 — And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of
- 2Kgs 7:6 — For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired agains
- 2Thess 2:9 — Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
- Acts 6:9 — Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
The Church Fathers on Spiritual Warfare
We are waging war against the fiercest of enemies. He is skilled in every deceit. We must therefore keep on the lookout, with all circumspection and care, that wherever they test our resistance they will find us protected and ready.… Against earthly foes the body must be strengthened with food and the mind aroused…
These were the ingenious arts of "spiritual wickednesses," wherewith we also, my brethren, may fairly expect to have "to wrestle," as necessary for faith, that the elect may be made manifest, (and) that the reprobate may be discovered.
From what ancient Scripture is Paul drawing when he speaks of "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places?" My conjecture is that it comes out of the narratives written in Israel about wars and particular combats, like those of David and Goliath, and about the battles of the children of Israel against…
Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye come frequently together in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and his "fiery darts" urging to sin fall back ineffectual. For your concord and harmonious faith prove his destruction, and the torment…
When the persecutors of the faithful, on the spiritual sabbath, on which the worshipers of Christ themselves withdraw from earthly desires to hear the word of God and to sing praise to the Lord, stirred up by envy strive to disturb them, and attempt to profane the sacrament of baptism by secular power, the mystical…
Therefore the Philistines fought, and Israel was slaughtered, etc. The adversaries of truth, whether men or their leaders, the unclean spirits, fought against the believers in Christ; by whom, either openly raging, or covertly persuading, or injecting examples of depravity, some were slaughtered either by denial or…