Standing Firm in Battle
Fighting Spiritual Battles and Standing Firm
What if a ninja went tearing up the center aisle of your church and hammered down on your pastor with his sword? Pretty shocking, wouldn’t you agree?
This scene played out at our first church one Sunday morning. You see, my late husband, Don, and I led a Christian martial arts ministry while he studied in seminary. When he finished, his first church, where we served, was too far for us to continue teaching classes back in Findlay, Ohio. So some of our students would come to Saturday classes at our new church. One of our commuter students, a black belt in our Christian-founded system, agreed to play Satan in Don’s spiritual warfare skit message.
On the Sunday morning for this message, Don wore his white karate uniform as he preached on Ephesians 6:10-20. A handful of us, wearing black uniforms and black hoods, played lesser demons poking, prodding, and annoying him with sais, escrima sticks, and tonfas. He would pull out his sword, do a bit of battle with us, and we would scream and run away. He battled a couple with a bit more gusto but still easily defeated. No Satan yet. Don began to worry, Where’s Jeff?.
Suddenly, the sanctuary’s double doors burst open, and a black ninja in silver duct-taped tabbi boots ran wailing with all his might up the aisle, brandishing a wooden single-edged sword. “Hai-ai-ai!” He screamed and went airborne at the second pew from the platform, hammering down on my husband, who now had a double-edged broadsword and a wooden shield with “FAITH” painted on the front to protect himself. After blades clashed during a few blows, the wooden sword Satan wielded split in two—splintered! The Truth in God’s Word defeated the Enemy. By now, the congregation stood wide-eyed as Don, now panting, led them in the closing prayer.
What’s the Deal?
Little did we know then that our ministry in small, rural churches would be plagued by toxic leadership and conflict. Don and our family had a bull’s eye painted on our spiritual backs in two churches. The church between those two was a small remnant left in the aftermath of similar spiritual warfare. We weren’t prepared for those battles. Seminaries fail to train pastors and missionaries to lead effectively in such situations. But we learned later how God fought for us and that we were already suited for battle. We were just battle weary.
It seems many Christians aren’t prepared for spiritual battles. They blame the people in front of them rather than the spirits behind those faces. Some dream of going into ministry without being called to it. Yet others are called, but they are unprepared for the onslaught as we thought we were. My hope is to help you discover the power God has given us as warriors in Christ to defeat the Enemy whose goal is your undoing and the death of your ministry.
Dig In
Read: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Secondary passage: Ephesians 6:10-20
Focus Verses: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:10, 12-13 ESV
Decisions, Decisions
The apostle Paul knew full well the battles of Christian ministry and churches. He encountered the Enemy through a metal worker for the Temple of Diana, demon-possessed people, law-abiding Jews, and Roman leaders. He saw Satan rear his ugly head through misguided people in the early church. So, he addresses believers in Corinth and Ephesus, knowing their struggles and wanting them to have victory in Christ. In Ephesians, Paul is in jail for the last time, fully aware he will die soon. All the while, in chains, he continues to minister to his fledgling churches. He asked for the Corinthian church to pray for him while in chains.
His words apply to us today. We encounter Satan’s attacks in so many ways. His jabs start with small things like getting a flat tire on the way to church and running late. He escalates it with arguments in our families and workplaces that cause resentment, conflict, and division. Sometimes, we encounter the Enemy through discouragement and depression with no identifiable cause. He will go on to attack your health, take away your financial security, and do whatever it takes to render you ineffective for God’s Kingdom. Don’t let him deal the death blow to your faith and the ministry He’s entrusted to you.
Do It!
If you are in ministry or are considering any form of ministry, these passages are vital to survive Satan’s onslaught. One important thing a pastor shared with Don and me is that if you aren’t called to ministry, don’t do it! If you are, then do it! There are blessings in our obedience to God’s call, but Satan will do everything to stop us at the same time. Are you called? Let me preface ministry: even handing out bulletins, handling church finances, greeting, working in the sound booth, cleaning the church, posting Bible verses on social media, and sharing your faith in any way is ministry. The battles escalate if you teach a Bible study or lead a fellowship group. It’s not just becoming a pastor or missionary. Believe me, their battles are unlike any other. If so, then be ready for Satan to come hammering down on you with lies, conflict, division, and other problems—and still stand firm in your faith.
Pray Up!
When Satan strikes you to your knees—Pray. Since you are down there anyway, you are in the best posture to ask God to take charge of these battles for you. Ask others to pray for you and with you. Pray for these people Satan and his henchmen are working through, too. We don’t do life and ministry alone.
Suit Up!
You can’t fight a spiritual battle against Satan and his legion without the proper gear. Your salvation, faith, righteousness, and God’s Truth protect you against the onslaught you face. Your weapons are the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and, believe it or not, the Shield of Faith, which can be both defensive and offensive. You can protect yourself and use them as weapons to attack the enemy. I often tell Satan when I’m in battle with him, “I’ve been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ, and my name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life! But your end is sure—the Lake of Fire, which is the Second Death. Now leave.” Don’t go into battle spiritually “naked” and unarmed.
Stand Up!
After you have done everything—Stand. Stand firm. Stand, stand, stand! The Ephesians 6 passage repeats this word over and over. Why? Because with God fighting your battles and relying on the Armor and Sword issued to you on the day of your salvation, every single piece, you will not be down on the ground with Satan ready to deal the final, deadly blow. You can stand confident that your name is written in the Book of Life while Satan, his demons, and all who follow them, their end will be in the Lake of Fire, the second death (Revelation 20:1-15). You may be wounded, but you will not be defeated with God on your side.
Action Plan:
- Ask God what He wants you to do for is Kingdom.
- Write it down and learn more about this ministry call.
- What kind of opposition, conflict, and difficulties might you face doing this ministry?
- Give it to God every day.
- Stay focused on God’s Word.
- When someone says something against you that’s not true, remember it’s the Enemy’s lies. If those accusations are true, then confess it and repent.
- When you feel deep discouragement, disappointment, or depression that seems to have no cause, pray because the Enemy might be trying to go for the death blow against you.
- Praise God no matter what. He has your back.
Now, Stand.
Prayer
Lord, I love you and will do anything you want me to do for you. Please protect me, my family, and my ministry. You have already won the battle for my soul, and I know you can win these battles for me. Let me shine your light wherever you send me. Let your Word never go out void, without effect. Thank you for all that you do and will do. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
Check out this blog post “Is There a Thin Veil Between the Living and the Dead?“