Who are we Fighting

Each one of us are in the middle of a battlefield. We watch the news and see all kind of stories of evil in our communities. There are battles going on all around us. We hear every week of how many murders are taking place in our cities. There are reports of human trafficking that go right through the small town where I live. Families are under attack in our communities. Our Christian faith and our Christian values are mocked by the world as being foolishness. It is very disappointing to see our country and faith being attacked. It made me ask the question who are we fighting?

As I turn to scripture, the Bible gives a glimpse of who our enemy is. Paul tells us in Ephesians who our fight is against.

Ephesians 6:12

12 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.

Wow, the real battlefield is within each one of us. If you are like me and I bet you are, then you have a battle going on within you each day. I know I do; I struggle with sin daily. I know what I should do and I don’t do it. This is a battle daily. Satan has a powerful army whose goal is to defeat the believers of Christ. Paul touched on this in Ephesians and then in Romans, he talks about how effective the enemy is.

Romans 7:15-20

15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So, how do we fight this battle against principalities. Well, we can’t do it on our own, we need God’s armor. Paul tells us in Ephesians how to arm ourselves for the spiritual battle each of us face.

Ephesians 6:13-18

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

When we put on the armor of God then we are drawing closer to God. We do this then we can claim victory.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

We as Christians can win this battle within each one of us. In return we can influence our families, our small influence of people around us. Not everyone is going to get on board. Our neighborhoods, towns, cities and country are at stake.

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Message in Chinese

《我们在与谁争战？》

我们每一个人都身处战场之中。我们观看新闻，看到社区里各种各样的邪恶事件。争战就在我们周围不断发生。每周我们都会听到城市中发生了多少起谋杀案。还有关于人口贩卖的报道，甚至就发生在我所居住的小镇附近。家庭正在我们的社区中遭受攻击。我们的基督信仰和基督徒的价值观被世人嘲笑为愚昧。看到我们的国家和信仰受到攻击，令人十分沮丧。这也让我提出一个问题：我们究竟在与谁争战？

当我回到圣经中，圣经向我们揭示了敌人是谁。保罗在《以弗所书》中告诉我们，我们的争战对象是谁。

以弗所书 6:1212 因我们并不是与属血气的争战，乃是与那些执政的、掌权的、管辖这幽暗世界的，以及天空属灵气的恶魔争战。

哇，真正的战场其实在我们每一个人的内心里。如果你和我一样——我相信你也是——那么你每天心里都在进行一场争战。我知道我自己就是这样；我每天都在与罪挣扎。我知道该做什么，却不去做。这是一场每日的争战。撒但有一支强大的军队，目标就是击败基督的信徒。保罗在《以弗所书》中提到这一点，随后在《罗马书》中，他又谈到敌人是多么有效地在作工。

罗马书 7:15–2015 因为我所做的，我自己不明白；我所愿意的，我并不去做；我所恨恶的，我倒去做。16 若我所做的是我所不愿意的，我就承认律法是善的。17 既是这样，就不是我做的，乃是住在我里面的罪做的。18 我也知道，在我里头，就是我肉体之中，没有良善；因为立志为善由得我，只是行出来由不得我。19 故此，我所愿意的善，我反不做；我所不愿意的恶，我倒去做。20 若我去做所不愿意做的，就不是我做的，乃是住在我里面的罪做的。

那么，我们该如何与这些执政掌权者争战呢？我们无法靠自己去完成，我们需要神的全副军装。保罗在《以弗所书》中告诉我们，如何装备自己，来面对我们每一个人所要经历的属灵争战。

以弗所书 6:13–1813 所以，要拿起神所赐的全副军装，好在磨难的日子抵挡仇敌，并且成就了一切，还能站立得住。14 所以要站稳了，用真理当作带子束腰，用公义当作护心镜遮胸，15 又用平安的福音当作预备走路的鞋穿在脚上。16 此外，又拿着信德当作藤牌，可以灭尽那恶者一切的火箭。17 并戴上救恩的头盔，拿着圣灵的宝剑，就是神的道。

Who are we fighting