In my previous post on this topic, I tried to summarize the key points I was after this way: Satan and his minions use as their primary tactic against Believers this weapon – the obscuring, distorting or obliterating the right knowledge of God – especially His character.

The strongholds Paul references are nothing more and nothing less than wrong concepts of the one true and living God. And this – is played out in the following: That there is some form of darkness in God.

This was the first attack in the Garden, and it remains primary. That God has ulterior and nefarious motives behind His dealings with us – that betray something other than His dealing with us in perfect love, power and wisdom.

Apart from this backdrop, what I fear has crept into modern, (especially) American Evangelicalism is a sort of Christianized superstition over and above a sound Biblical perspective.

While I am grateful for the work of those like Michael Heiser for instance, helping us understand that the ancient near east mindset included a rich understanding of the supernatural – a failing of his (and other’s) works is a failure to separate what is Jewish mythology and superstition from what would have been considered actual truth about these issues.

While Joe-average ancient Jew might have thought the mystical writings with endless lists of angelic and demonic spirits and their activities were factual representations – the New Testament writers do not respond accordingly. Peter, Paul, Jude, James and John aren’t giving us instructions on how to ferret out our local demons, enlist our guardian angel’s help or freeing “demonically oppressed” Believers. While Jude and Peter cite extra-Biblical literature with which their audiences might have been familiar in making certain points, those same letters are bereft of instructions on how to become “demon-slayers” (a current cottage industry in American Evangelicalism – especially of the NAR ilk) nor create branded “deliverance” ministries.

If one wants to enter into real spiritual warfare, and not the superstitious nonsense which is pervading many – one needs to look at Scripture’s actual teaching in this regard. Teaching mind you, not inferential speculation on narrative passages. Teaching like we find so excellently presented to us in places like Ephesians 6.

So let’s take a really brief walk through of Eph. 6:13-18 “Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.”

Spiritual Warfare 101 – We know the battle best, by examining the provision given.

1 – Note that the posture is defensive, not offensive. Christ has already won the ground, ours is but to defend it. “It is finished.” His redemptive cross-work is accomplished. We proclaim His already victory over the World, the flesh and the Devil.

2 – 1st and most primary provision: The belt of truth. Why? Because the chief tactic of the enemy is not impishly giving us flat tires, confronting snippy baristas, sending tornados or even possessing our neighbor’s kid – it is in obscuring, distorting or obliterating the right knowledge of God – especially His character.

Rightly understanding the revelation of God in the Scriptures and the person and work of Christ. We must know our God and His character as He has revealed Himself. And with that, the greater body of truth His Word reveals about us, the human condition, salvation, hope, the world to come – etc.

Truth. Not supposition. Not feelings. Not intellectual constructs. Not clever reasoning. Not superstition. Truth.

3 – 2nd: A heart guarded in righteousness. Both the pursuit of living out the righteousness we are called to (Heb. 12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord), and relying on the imputed righteousness of Christ for our right standing with God (Rom. 11:21-22 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.)

If we neither rely on Christ’s imputed righteousness alone, nor seek to be like Him in pursuing righteousness, we will be victims of the powers of darkness left and right – living in guilt, self-righteousness, and/or compromise.

4 – 3rd: Standing firmly on the Gospel and the Gospel alone. No hope except in Christ. No hope apart from Christ. All hope in Christ and Christ alone. When we sin and fall – The Gospel. When we rejoice – The Gospel. When we preach – The Gospel. When we worship – The Gospel. When we are weak and heavy laden – The Gospel. When near death’s door – The Gospel. In every trial and temptation – The Gospel.

5 – 4th: Faith. Believing what God has said is true, and ordering our lives accordingly. Believing the revelation of God in His Word and The Word Incarnate.

What is the only way to please God? Believe Him, and trust Him. For without faith, it is impossible to please Him. But faith is not nebulous, amorphous good thoughts – it is rooted in the truth we’ve already been directed to in the first place. Nothing, nothing protects us from the enemy’s weapons more or better – but this alone – faith. Believing God, and trusting Him. Funny how the truth thing keeps popping up, isn’t it?

Faith. Not cursing demons. Not rebuking satan. Not seeking out your local exorcist. Not buying a bigger Bible, affixing fish symbols to your car, wearing crosses or repeating magical prayers. Believing God’s Word soundly read and interpreted, and trusting the God revealed in it. Faith.

6 – 5th: The helmet. Thinking like a redeemed person. Considering what Christ has done for you and promised you. Keeping in mind whose you are and how you came to be His. Recalling His finished work on your behalf. Trusting in His promises to never leave or forsake you, to keep you, to dwell with you, to continually cleanse you from all your sin, to have imparted His Spirit to you, and to raise you up in the last day in His likeness.

Flood your mind over and over with Biblical truth so that you think like one who truly is – a child of the living God, delivered out of the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light – and secure in the Redeemer. Kept by the very power of God.

7 – 6th: The sword of the Spirit, God’s Word. Mmmmm. Here’s that pesky truth thing again.

Know the Word, know the Word, know the Word. Not just what is says, what it teaches, what it emphasizes, what it reveals. Not disconnected verses but the great strands of doctrine that are woven throughout its pages – and their ultimate focus, the revealing of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

We do not fling verses out into the ether like mystical bombs, we drink in the full revelation given to us and refuse to relent anything it teaches.

8 – 7th: Prayer. Looking to God in everything, because Christ has opened the way into His presence, and He so delights to be looked to, trusted, with everything which concerns us.

Note the emphasis here – we do not shout at, castigate, rebuke or verbally spar with the devil or his minions – we don’t talk to him/them at all! We address the God of the universe. We call upon the great Sovereign. Why mess with the pool boy when you can beseech the creator of the ocean?

And how do we pray in the Spirit? We simply pray in accordance with what we know to be His aims and purposes – especially in regard to one another – to conform us to the image of Christ in constantly revealing His work and character to us.

This is spiritual warfare Beloved – knowing, believing, declaring, standing in, obeying, appealing to and trusting the truth as it is in Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

This is how we resist the devil. And the Scripture says that in doing so, he will flee from us.