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James 4:7 Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Spiritual warfare is a reality that many Christians face but often struggle to understand fully. It’s a battle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). At the heart of this battle is our personal adversary: Satan (1 Peter 5:8). This blog post aims to demystify spiritual warfare, offering insights into the nature of our enemy, the battleground of our minds, and the victory we have in Christ.

Our Adversary: Satan

Satan’s ambition is clear: to ascend above all, imitating and opposing God at every turn (Isaiah 14:12-14). He is described as the unholy spirit, the opposite of the Holy Spirit, whose sole purpose is to draw people away from God and hinder the progress of the gospel. Through Scripture, we see a stark contrast between the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error, between life-giving and destruction, holiness and evil.

Satan’s tactics are cunning, aiming to deceive and lead astray. He operates by influencing thoughts and beliefs, snatching away truth, and replacing it with lies that appeal to our fleshly desires. His power lies in suggestion, exploiting human weaknesses to fulfill his malicious ends.

The Battleground: Our Minds

The primary battlefield in spiritual warfare is the mind (1 Peter 1:13). Satan’s strategies are designed to blind the minds of unbelievers and burden the consciences of believers. He introduces his own ideas and doubts, aiming to occupy us with physical and worldly concerns over spiritual growth and reliance on Jesus.

Understanding the nature of our enemy is crucial. Satan is a defeated foe, yet he remains a formidable one until we actively resist him in the name of Jesus. This resistance is not about physical strength but about spiritual discernment, recognizing and rejecting the lies we are told in favor of the truth found in Scripture.

Our Victory in Christ

Our victory over Satan and his schemes is secured through Jesus Christ. Christ’s work on the cross defeated not only Satan but also the world and the flesh. As believers, we share in this victory, empowered to live freed from the power of sin. However, this victory requires us to submit to God fully and resist the devil actively, promising that when we do, Satan will flee.

Living victoriously means daily choosing to surrender to God’s authority, as revealed in Scripture, and relying on His provisions for our sanctification and defense against Satan. It involves a conscious decision to reject self-effort and to embrace the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, allowing us to walk in newness of life and resist the devil’s attacks.

Daily Affirmation of Faith

To stand firm in our faith and the victory we have in Christ, a daily affirmation of faith can be a powerful practice. This involves recognizing God’s sovereignty and love, confessing our dependence on Him for dealing with sin and living a holy life, and actively receiving the Holy Spirit’s guidance and filling for every aspect of life and service.

Each day, we are called to surrender wholly to God, trusting in His sufficiency and appropriating His provisions for victory over sin, the world, and the devil. By doing so, we not only affirm our faith but also step into the rest and peace that God promises to those who live in obedience and reliance on Him.

This is an Affirmation that I have used for many years. I have found it helpful to pray through these truths in the first person, making these daily decisions of faith.

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MY DAILY AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

Today I deliberately choose to submit myself fully to God as He has made Himself known to me through the Holy Scriptures, which I honestly accept as the only inspired, infallible, authoritative standard for all life and practice. On this day, I will not judge God, His work, myself, or others on the basis of feelings or circumstances.

1. I recognize by faith that the triune God is worthy of all honor, praise, and worship as the creator, sustainer, and end of all things. I confess that God, as my Creator, made me for Himself. In this day, I, therefore, choose to live for Him (Rev 5:9,10; Is 43:1, 21; Rev 4:11).
2. I recognize by faith that God loved me and chose me in Jesus Christ before time began (Eph 1:1-7)
3. I recognize by faith that God has proven His love to me in sending His Son to die in my place, in whom every provision has already been made for past, present, and future needs through His representative work, that I have been quickened, raised, seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenlies, anointed with Holy Spirit (Ro 5:6-11; 8:28-39; Phil 1:6; 4:6-7,13,19; Eph 1:3; 2:5-6; Act 2:1-4,33).
4. I recognize by faith that God has accepted me since I have received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior (Jn 1:12; Eph 1:6); that He has forgiven me (Eph 1:7), adopted me into His family, assuming every responsibility for me (Jn 17:11, 17; Eph 1:5; Phil 1:6); given me eternal life (Jn 3:36; I Jn 5:6-13); applied the perfect righteousness of Christ to me so that I am now justified (Ro 5:1; 8:3-4; 10:4); made me complete in Christ (Col 2:10); and offers Himself to me as my daily sufficiency through prayer and the decisions of faith (I Co 1:30; Col 1:30; Col 1:27; Gal 2:20; Jn 14:13-14; Mt 21:22; Ro 6:1-19; Heb 4:1-3,11).
5. I recognize by faith that the Holy Spirit has baptized me to the Body of Christ (1 Co 12:13); Sealed me (Eph 1:13,14); anointed me for life and service (Ac 1:8; Jn 7:37-39); seeks to lead me into a deeper walk with Jesus Christ (Jn 14:16-18; 15:26-27; 16:13-15; Ro 8:11-16); and to fill my life with Himself (Eph 5:18).
6. I recognize by faith that only God can deal with sin and only God can produce Holiness of life. I confess that my part was only to receive Him and that He dealt with my sin and saved me. Now I confess that in order to live a holy life, I can only surrender to His will and receive Him as my sanctification, trusting Him to do whatever may be necessary in my life, without and within, so I may be enabled to live today in purity, freedom, rest and power for His glory (Jn 1:12; I Co 1:30; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 2:20; Heb 4:9; 1 Jn 5:4; Jude 24).
7. Having confessed that God is worthy of all praise, that the Scriptures are the only authoritative standard, that only God can deal with sin and produce holiness of life, I again recognize my total dependence upon Him and submission to Him. I accept the truth that praying in faith is absolutely necessary for the realization of the will and grace of God in my daily life (1 Jn 5:14-15; Ja 2:6; 4:2-3; 5:16-18; Phil 4:6,7; Heb 4:1-13; 11:6, 24-28).
8. Recognizing that faith is a total response to God by which the daily provisions the Lord has Himself provided are appropriated, I, therefore, make the following decisions of faith:

• For this day (Heb 3:6, 13, 15; 4:7), I make the decision of faith to surrender wholly to the authority of God as He has revealed Himself in the scripture, to obey Him. I confess my sin, face the sinful reality of old nature, and deliberately choose to walk in the light, in step with Christ, throughout the hours of this day (Ro 6:16-20; Phil 2:12,13; I Jn 1:7,9).
• For this day, I make the decision of faith to surrender wholly to the authority of God as revealed in the scripture to believe that since I confessed my sin, He has forgiven and cleansed me (1 Jn 1:9). I accept at full value His Word of promise to be sufficiency and rest, and will conduct my accordingly (Ex 33:1; 1 Co 1:30; 2 Co 9:8; Phil 4:19).
• For this day, I make the decision of faith to recognize that God has made every provision so that I may fulfill His will and calling (1 Th 5:24).
• For this day, I make the decision of faith deliberately to receive from God that provision that He has made for me.  I renounce all self-effort to live the Christian life and to perform God’s service; renounce all drawing back from the work of the Holy Spirit within and the call of God without; and renounce all non-biblical motives, goals, and activities which serve my sinful pride.
  1. I now sincerely receive Jesus Christ as my sanctification, particularly as my cleansing for the old nature, and ask the Holy Spirit to apply to me the work of Christ accomplished for me in the crucifixion. In cooperation with and dependence upon Him, I obey the Command to “put off the old man” (Ro 6:1-14; 1 Co 1:30; Gal 6:14; Eph 4:22).
  2. I now sincerely receive Jesus Christ as my sanctification, particularly as my enablement moment by moment to live above sin, and ask the Holy Spirit to apply to me the work of the resurrection so that I may walk in newness of life. I confess that only God can deal with sin, and only  God can produce Holiness and the fruit of the Spirit life. In cooperation with and dependence upon Him, I obey the command to “put on the man” (Ro 6:1-4; Eph 4:24).
  3. I now sincerely receive Jesus Christ as my deliverance from Satan and take my position with Him in the heavenlies, asking the Holy Spirit to apply to me the work of ascension. In His Name, I submit myself to God and stand against all of Satan’s influence and subtlety. In cooperation with and dependence upon God, I obey the command to “resist the devil” (Eph 1:20-23; 2:5; 4:27; 6:10:18; Col 1:13; Heb 2:14,15; Ja 4:7; I Pe 3:22; 5:8-9).
  4. I now sincerely receive the Holy Spirit as my anointing for every aspect of life and service for today. I fully open my life to  Him to fill me afresh in obedience to the command to be filled with the “Holy Spirit” (Eph 5:18; Jn 7:37-39; 14:16-17; 15:26-27; 16:7-15; Ac 1:8).

Having made this confession and these decisions of faith, I now receive God’s promised rest for this day (Heb 4:1-13). Therefore, I relax in the trust of faith, knowing that in the moment of temptation, trial, or need, the Lord Himself will be there as my strength and sufficiency (I Co 10:13).

(Dr. Victor  Matthews; Professor of Theology; Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College and Seminary)

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Conclusion

Understanding and engaging in spiritual warfare is essential for every Christian seeking to live a life that honors God and advances His kingdom. By recognizing our enemy, understanding the battleground, and embracing our victory in Christ, we can navigate the challenges of life with faith and confidence. Let us daily submit to God, resist the devil, and walk in the victory that is ours in Christ Jesus.