Scripture makes it clear that we are in the midst of a battle. Everyday and on many fronts we face opposition and assault. We have a real enemy and the stakes are high. Peter tells us:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).
It is important in the battle that we learn to recognize the enemy and his schemes against us, and learn to lay hold of the provisions that God has given us to stand and fight. Near the end of Ephesians, Paul speaks to the reality of spiritual warfare. He identifies the enemy and reminds us of all God has given us in Christ to stand against him:
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 (Ephesians 6:10-12).
This issue of The Founder Journal focuses on unpacking these verses from Ephesians 6 and readying God’s people for the daily, unrelenting spiritual battles we will face as we seek to live for Christ in a fallen world.
The first two articles are an Introduction and Chapter One: “Be Strong in the Lord” from a forthcoming book by Rob Ventura and Brian Borgman entitled: Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective (scheduled for publication by Reformation Heritage Books, 2014). The last two articles, “The Fight of Your Life” and “Know Your Enemy: Evil Rulers in a Holy War,” are from a study on Spiritual Warfare by Tom Ascol.
