A Study of Spiritual Warfare

Week 1: Understanding Spiritual Warfare

Welcome to Week 1 of learning about spiritual warfare!

I’m so excited that you’re beginning this study! As I prepared this first week study, my prayer life has increased because of spiritual warfare in my own life. I have used this study guide to help me personally and have begun hearing from my circle of friends and family, they too are deep in the trenches of fighting spiritual warfare. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That was the message received from the Holy Spirit as I pondered these things in my heart. It is critically important to know from the beginning, that our reliance on God through the Holy Spirit is our best and only answer of how to know what is going on and how to best fight this battle. So let us begin!

This week, we will start by understanding what spiritual warfare really means and how it impacts our daily lives. This study is set up with learning, practical application and reflection sections. As you read through these sections, remember, this is a journey—a process of learning to recognize the unseen battles we face, and the tools God has given us to stand firm.

Key Scriptures:

Let’s start with God’s Word. These scriptures are foundational to understanding what spiritual warfare is and how we’re supposed to fight it. Take a moment to read through these passages, and then reflect on how they apply to your life.

1. Ephesians 6:10-12 (ESV):

   “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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.”

   • Reflection: Reflect on your daily challenges—could they have spiritual roots? How does understanding that your struggles are not merely physical but spiritual change how you face them?

2. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV):

   “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

   • Reflection: Think about the ways in which you’ve been relying on physical solutions to handle spiritual problems. What would change if you used the spiritual weapons God has given you?

3. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV):

   “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

   • Reflection: How can you stay spiritually alert and resist the enemy’s attacks in your daily life? Are there areas where you’ve grown spiritually complacent?

Recognizing Spiritual Warfare:

Now that you’ve reflected on the key scriptures, let’s explore what spiritual warfare truly looks like. Many people view spiritual warfare as something abstract or distant, but it’s very real and impacts our daily lives. As Tony Evans explains in Victory in Spiritual Warfare, spiritual warfare involves unseen forces influencing the visible world. Evans teaches that our struggles often have spiritual roots, and unless we recognize this reality, we will fight them with ineffective human tools (Evans, p. 16-18).

One key takeaway from Evans is that if you don’t address the spiritual root of your challenges, you will constantly revert to surface-level solutions. Reflect on the challenges you face today, and ask God to help you discern whether there is a spiritual component. Understanding this can change how you approach life's difficulties.

The Power of Prayer in Battle:

Once you recognize the reality of spiritual warfare, the most effective weapon at your disposal is prayer and God's Word. Prayer and reading the Bible allows you to engage directly with God, inviting His power into your circumstances. E.M. Bounds emphasizes the significance of prayer by noting that God shapes the world by prayer. The more prayer there is in the world, the better the world will be. Through prayer, we align ourselves with God's strength and wisdom, which are essential for navigating spiritual battles.

This week, focus on deepening your prayer life. Spend time asking God for discernment in identifying spiritual attacks and for the strength to stand firm in His power. Prayer is not just a reaction to the battle but an essential part of engaging in the spiritual fight.

• Challenge: Set aside time each day to pray for insight into the spiritual challenges in your life and for God's strength to stand firm against them. Pray specifically for discernment to see the spiritual forces at work and for God’s guidance in resisting them.

Practical Steps for This Week:

Now that you’ve gained some insight into spiritual warfare and the role of prayer, let’s talk about some practical ways to live this out in your daily life. These steps will help you stay grounded in truth and better equipped to face spiritual battles.

1. Daily Armor Check:

   • Begin each day by praying through Ephesians 6:10-18. As you pray, imagine yourself putting on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Ask God to protect you and strengthen you for the battles you’ll face.

2. Identify Your Battlefield:

   • Reflect on areas where you’ve experienced persistent struggles or opposition. Write them down in a journal and pray over them, asking God to reveal any spiritual roots and guide you in how to fight these battles spiritually.

3. Memorize Key Scriptures:

   • Pick one or two key Scriptures from this week (e.g., Ephesians 6:10-12 or 2 Corinthians 10:3-5) and commit them to memory. Use these Scriptures in prayer throughout the week when you feel the enemy attacking you.

Sample Prayer:

Prayer can sometimes feel daunting, especially when we’re talking about spiritual warfare. But you don’t have to have all the right words. The most important thing is to be honest with God and to stand in His truth. Here’s a sample prayer to get you started:

“Father, I come to You today acknowledging that the struggles I face may have spiritual roots. I ask for Your discernment and wisdom to see beyond the physical challenges and to recognize the spiritual battles. Help me to put on Your armor daily so that I can stand firm against the schemes of the enemy. Strengthen my faith, protect me with Your truth, and equip me to wield Your Word as my weapon. I trust in Your power to overcome the enemy, and I stand in the victory You have already won. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Testimony: Jesus’ Temptation in the Wilderness

To illustrate the power of spiritual warfare, let’s look at Jesus’ experience in the wilderness. This story gives us a powerful example of how Jesus used the Word of God to combat the enemy’s lies and temptations.

In Matthew 4:1-11, we see a powerful example of how Jesus faced spiritual warfare. After fasting for 40 days and nights, Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Each temptation Satan presented was a direct attack on Jesus’ identity and purpose, but Jesus responded with Scripture every time.

Jesus said to Satan, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). He used the truth of God’s Word as His weapon, refusing to give in to the lies and temptations Satan offered.

This story reminds us of two critical lessons:

1. Spiritual warfare often comes when we are at our weakest, but God’s Word is our strongest defense.

2. The enemy’s lies are always countered by the truth of Scripture.

Like Jesus, we must be prepared to resist the enemy by standing on the truth of God’s Word. How often do you turn to Scripture when faced with spiritual battles? This week, practice using God’s Word as your primary weapon against the enemy’s lies.

Personalized Reflection & Journaling Prompts:

Before we wrap up, take a moment to reflect on these prompts. Writing down your thoughts and experiences can help you process what you’re learning and make it easier to apply these truths to your daily life.

1. Where am I experiencing spiritual opposition?

   • Write down areas in your life where you’ve felt ongoing resistance, whether it’s in your relationships, work, health, or emotions. Could these struggles have spiritual roots? How can you start approaching them as spiritual battles?

2. How can I strengthen my spiritual awareness?

   • Reflect on how alert you’ve been to the enemy’s tactics in your life. Are there areas where you’ve grown spiritually complacent? Write down ways you can become more spiritually watchful this week, whether through prayer, Scripture reading, or accountability.

3. How can I use God’s Word in my battles?

   • Jesus used Scripture to counter every temptation and lie the enemy threw at Him. How well do you know the Word of God? Are there Scriptures you need to memorize or study more deeply to be better equipped for spiritual warfare?

Additional Insights:

Spiritual warfare is real, and the enemy is constantly seeking ways to attack us. But God has given us everything we need to stand firm. As Tony Evans explains, “Our battles originate in the spiritual realm--the heavenly places--so the only way to fight them is with weapons that work in that realm” (Evans, p. 16).

It’s important to recognize that we’re not fighting from a position of weakness, but from the strength and victory that God provides. Through prayer and the Word of God, we have access to the ultimate power that disarms the enemy and gives us victory.

Final Thought:

This week, focus on recognizing the spiritual battles that may be happening in your life. The struggles you face are often deeper than they seem, but God has already equipped you with the tools you need to stand firm. As Tony Evans says, “You are not fighting for victory but from a place of victory” (Evans, p. 17). Stand strong, knowing that God has already secured the victory.

Bonus Reading:

• Victory in Spiritual Warfare by Tony Evans

• The Necessity of Prayer by E.M. Bounds

Want to Go Deeper?

If you’re ready to dive even deeper into this week’s topic, here are a few more practical steps you can take. These will help you engage more intentionally with the spiritual battles in your life and equip you to walk in victory.

1. Set a Daily Prayer Routine:

   • Start each day with intentional prayer, asking God to strengthen you for the battles ahead. Use this time to put on the armor of God, praying through Ephesians 6:10-18, and ask God for wisdom to discern any spiritual attacks throughout the day.

2. Identify Strongholds in Your Life:

   • Are there areas where you feel consistently stuck—whether in habits, relationships, or emotional struggles? These might be spiritual strongholds. Write them down and use 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 to pray over these areas, asking God to break the strongholds and give you freedom.

3. Memorize and Use Scripture as a Weapon:

   • Choose one or two Scriptures that address the spiritual challenges you’re facing (e.g., Ephesians 6:10-12, James 4:7). Write them down, memorize them, and speak them out loud whenever you sense spiritual opposition. God’s Word is a powerful weapon.

4. Fasting for Breakthrough:

   • Consider fasting for a day or even a meal this week to focus on prayer and discernment. Fasting helps clear away distractions and sharpen your spiritual senses, making you more attuned to what God is revealing and how the enemy might be attacking.

5. Join a Discipleship Group:

   • Spiritual warfare is not meant to be fought alone. Find a trusted friend or small group that can pray with you, encourage you, and help you stay spiritually alert. Share your struggles and victories, and pray for one another regularly.

   • One of our partners, D-Life, trains churches and pastors how to have a lifestyle of discipleship (learning and multiplying). Learn more at https://www.livethedlife.com/#/.

   • Another partner of ICN is Follower Of One, and they have wonderful resources for equipping yourself in the marketplace. Learn more at https://followerofone.org/.

What spiritual battles are you facing this week? How can you be more intentional in recognizing and fighting these battles? Let me know how I can support you as you continue your journey in battling spiritual warfare. ICN has a praise report and prayer request form you can fill out that allows our ministry to pray directly for your needs. Learn more at https://theicnetwork.org/prayer. Join us next week as we continue our study on spiritual warfare.