The enemy has been defeated. Christ reigns victoriously. So why then are we commanded in Scripture to be equipped for spiritual battles?
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:10-13, NLT)
The truth of the matter is that the Devil is real and so are demons. They are not biblical metaphors for evil. They are living, sentient beings that exist in an other-worldly dimension. They have been around for eons, understand human nature, and are highly trained spiritual assassins.
Now, by no means should the believer live in a paranoid state or constantly worry about being overcome by demonic powers. But the Scripture clearly teaches that we are to be engaged in spiritual warfare.
But since Christ has already won the victory, how does spiritual warfare look for the believer? Mind you, demonic beings affect believers differently than they do unbelievers.
So here is the simplest definition of spiritual warfare that I can give to you as it applies to the believer: the fight to believe God’s truths over the enemies lies.
Think about what armor we are given - the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit, the belt of truth. By faith, we guard ourselves against lies. The sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, destroys deception. The belt of truth keeps us prepared to resist deception.
At least for the believer, spiritual warfare is primarily about avoiding deception. By getting you to believe lies, the enemy can affect your thinking. By affecting your thinking, the enemy can affect your emotions. By affecting your emotions, the enemy can affect your actions.
In no way can the enemy own the believer, but the believer can embrace lies that limit faith. There’s much to know about spiritual warfare, but this is the primary way to win: know the Word of God (the sword of the Spirit) and believe that Word by faith (shield of faith).
For the believer, knowing and believing the truth is the way to win. For when you know the truth, you are free.