Prayer in Spiritual Warfare
There are some topics within Christianity that seem to be avoided because there is greater uncertainty about how to deal with them. Spiritual warfare could certainly be categorized as one of these topics. Anything that has to do with the spiritual realm automatically seems “unnatural” and strange. Thus, discussion of spiritual warfare is avoided by many.
However, the truth of the matter is that we cannot afford to ignore this vital piece of the Christian life. The good news is that even though spiritual warfare is not often discussed or taught on, there is another, very familiar topic that is closely tied to spiritual warfare: prayer. Prayer is our key link into the spiritual battle raging around us, largely unseen - a key link that we all need, for though spiritual warfare is quite mysterious, we are all called to engage in the battle.
In Western culture especially, we tend to ignore the fact that there are spiritual forces constantly at work. We often live our lives unaware that the spiritual realm even exists, but it is every bit as real as the physical world that we can observe. Some of these forces work for our good and some are working to cause us harm.
Not Against Flesh and Blood
Ephesians 6 has a great deal to say about our spiritual battle, and verses 11-12 in particular are very helpful. Paul writes in these verses, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” These verses make it very clear that the spiritual realm is real and cannot be ignored - especially when we see direct evidence of its impact on our lives. Spiritual warfare is not a back-burner issue for us, but something that we should be ever aware of and constantly engaged in.
God occasionally pulls back the curtain to allow us insight into the spiritual realm, and these instances are great reminders of the reality of the spiritual forces at work. Daniel 10 gives us just such a glimpse into this world. Daniel seeks God for understanding, and after 21 full, long days of earnestly seeking God with fasting and prayer, Daniel receives a vision. The one who delivers the vision explains that he was sent to Daniel from the very first day Daniel began praying, but he was delayed by a demonic entity who is called “the prince of the kingdom of Persia,” until Michael, a powerful angel, came to his aid (for more on this particular passage, check out this resource: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/angels-and-prayer). If we have the eyes to see it, this brief account shows us that there is a very real battle raging in the spiritual realm that has real implications for us and real impact in the physical realm.
This is not the only instance that God allows us a glimpse into the unseen spiritual reality of the world. The prophet Elisha also had a similar encounter in 1 Kings 6. On this occasion, Elisha asked God to open the eyes of the servant that was with him, so that he could see the spiritual forces at work around them. God granted Elisha’s request, and the servant was able to see an army of angels with chariots of fire, ready to protect Elisha from the physical army that was coming against him. The angelic armies fought for Elisha and saved him. Once again, we see that there is a spiritual realm that is real and active - a realm that we often regularly ignore.
What About Us?
Knowing the reality and power of the spiritual realm, the question becomes: What can I do about it? How do I engage in spiritual warfare against demonic forces and powers? If there really are demonic entities that are seeking to cause me and those around me harm, how do I combat them?
Obviously, we cannot pick up a sword and hack demons to pieces, or karate chop demonic powers into submission, exciting as that may sound. However, we do have a way to fight, and this is precisely where prayer comes in. Prayer is how we, who cannot see the spiritual realm, can battle against the evil powers and authorities that exist in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:11-18).
We cannot ignore this responsibility, because the spiritual realm has real implications for the physical realm. Not every problem in our physical world can be attributed to the direct result of demonic influence, but we tend to not even consider the possibility of demonic interference.
The Western church struggles with this issue of spiritual warfare far more than churches in the far east or in Africa, for example. People in those parts of the world are very aware and conscious of the spiritual forces in play at any given moment, but we in the West are different. We live our lives only considering and looking at the physical world, even though we are spiritual beings. We must break ourselves of this tendency. We must seize the opportunity that God has given us to partner with him through prayer as he pushes back the darkness.
God has given us a way to be involved in a battle that we cannot see. If you are a Christian, you have a part to play in this battle whether you like it or not. There is no bench to sit on or foxhole to hide in. So spend some time in prayer asking God to push back the darkness and dispel it with his light. Ask for protection from the evil which we cannot see. Ask for discernment so that you can fight well, and so that you might live life with eyes opened to the reality of spiritual warfare.
