Many evangelicals believe and teach that in order to be effective in the battle against Satan and his followers, we need to learn to cast out demons and/or order them to leave a certain territory in the name of Jesus Christ. We saw that the Bible does not teach anything about territorial warfare and that the examples of exorcism in the Bible were closely connected to the ministry of Christ and His apostles in order to authenticate them as messengers from God. When the Bible instructs God's people about spiritual warfare it does not tell them to cast out demons or to order them around, but rather to resist temptations and to cultivate holiness and faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. In this article we will consider some of the instruction that the Bible gives concerning the spiritual warfare of God's people.

Notice where the focus is in two passages which speak directly about the struggle with Satan, James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:8-9. James 4:7 tells us, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." This verse indicates that the devil is real and that we have dealings with him, but it does not tell us to speak to him or bind him or anything along those lines. It tells us rather to resist him. When he tempts us to sin, we are to resist the temptation. That may not be as dramatic as binding him and casting him out, but that is what the Bible tells us to do.

1 Peter 5:8-9 gives similar instruction. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith." Again notice that the devil is real and that he is trying to devour us. We must realize this and know that the devil does try to harm us, but we are instructed to be sober and vigilant. We are to be alert to the devil and his temptations and we are to resist him by being stedfast in the faith.

Ephesians 6 is perhaps the most comprehensive passage on this matter of spiritual warfare and we will look at it briefly. Verses 10-13 of Ephesians 6 give us a general perspective on this matter of spiritual warfare.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principali­ties, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in that evil day, and having done all to stand.

This verse makes it clear that there is this struggle going on and that we are engaged in this struggle if we are indeed people of God. The way in which we are to engage in this struggle is not by binding Satan and casting him out, but rather by putting on the whole armour of God. Let us consider the different pieces of armour very briefly.

First, Paul tells us that we are to stand, having our "loins girt about with truth." The idea of having our loins girt is that of watchfulness and readiness. A soldier with his loins girt is one who is watchful and ready for battle. Truth here refers probably to truthfulness or sincerity. What Paul is telling us is to be ready and alert in the fight against Satan by being sincere in our Christian lives. To lack sincerity in spiritual life is to be unprepared to stand against Satan's evil schemes.

Next, Paul mentions the "breastplate of righteousness." Righteousness here refers both to the righteousness of Christ which is imputed to believers, but also righteous living by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are protected from Satan's wiles when we are depending on the righteousness of Christ and when by His power we are pursuing righteousness in our lives. If we are trusting in Christ's righteousness and seeking to live righteously then we are resisting and withstanding the devil.

The third piece of armour that Paul mentions is "Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." The purpose of good footgear for a soldier was to help him to stand firm in the battle and Paul is saying that the gospel of peace can help us to stand firm in our wrestling with Satan. The idea here is that to stand firm against the devil we must embrace the gospel of peace. It is only when we are right with God for Christ's sake and united to Christ by faith that we can withstand the devil. In spiritual warfare we must embrace the gospel and find our strength in the salvation pro­claimed in the gospel.

In verse 16 Paul mentions the "shield of faith" whereby believers are "able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked." The fiery darts are temptations of any kind and the way to quench these fiery darts is to have faith in the Word of God. In one way or another when Satan tempts us, he questions the Word of God. He tells us that this or that wicked behaviour will give great pleasure when the Word of God teaches that wickedness is not the way of pleasure but the way of death. Here Paul is calling us to resist the temptations of Satan by rejecting his lies and trusting in what God teaches in His Word.

The fifth piece of armour is the "helmet of salvation." The idea here is that the thought of the salvation that is in Christ, can help us to withstand the attacks of Satan. By means of this salvation we are delivered from the power of sin and we receive the Holy Spirit. God has given His people all they need to resist Satan. There is also the idea that in the end all of God's people will be completely delivered from the influences of the devil. By thinking about salvation the believer is enabled to stand firm against the devil.

The final piece of armour is the "sword of the Spirit" which is the Word of God. This is what Jesus used against Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. In order to fight against Satan as he tries to get us to turn away from God, we must know the Word of God and be able to use it when we are under tempta­tion. God gives His people power in the battle through a knowledge of His Word.

Paul also mentions prayer. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." Prayer in the Spirit and also for the Spirit is a necessary part of spiritual warfare. We do not order demons around, but we pray to God to ask Him to strengthen us and deliver us from the temptations of Satan.

One thing that is clear from this quick review of the armour of God is that God is not calling us to talk to demons or to bind them. He is calling us to strive for holiness in our lives in dependence upon Him. We are to be sincere and we are to seek righteousness in our lives. We are to live out of the gospel. We are to trust in the Word of God. We are to remember the glory of our salvation and we are to know and use the Word of God, all the while praying. These are the ways in which God commands us to fight the fight of faith.

In all this let us remember how evil Satan is. When he tempts us, he is not after our good, but he is after our destruction. He wants to cause pain and misery. God, on the other hand, promotes our good. Let us never forget that in the battle against Satan. The fight is often hard. We are weak and it is so tempting to give in. Satan's way is the way of death, but God's way is the way of life.

We must remember that Satan is a defeated foe. Jesus has defeated him and we who are people of God fight in the power of God. As Paul puts it in Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and the power of his might." Clearly, the Bible teaches that those who are in the Lord have the power to fight against and to overcome the powers of darkness.

Let me ask you in closing, are you engaged in this battle? Or are you still in Satan's camp? It may be interesting for us to think about what is going on in the church today in this area of spiritual warfare, but what is most important for us personally is whether we are engaged in that battle. Are we fighting against sin in the power of Christ and of His Spirit? That is the most important question for us. Who are we resisting? Are we resisting the devil or are we resisting God? Please take some time and think about this before the face of God. Remember that the way of God is the way of life and the way of Satan is the way of death.