Spiritual warfare is something we all experience – and it happens more often than we think. The battle can involve the world, the flesh, and even the devil himself (see Ephesians 2:1-3). But the struggle doesn’t always happen out in the mysterious spiritual realm, somewhere far away and hard to see. In fact, when it comes to battling with the world, spiritual warfare is more ordinary than you might have realized.
What Is “The World”?
When we talk about “the world” in the context of warfare, we’re not talking about the earth or even the people who inhabit it. The world, aka “the world system,” is an organized system in opposition and rebellion against God. Ephesians 2:1 warns about “the course of this world.” Think of the world system as a current that carries you away from God’s will.
From the time Adam and Eve first sinned, the world has been working against God’s purposes for humanity. Satan himself is behind the world system, as Paul points out:
2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
Most people are oblivious to the spiritual side of this world and the dangers therein. If you want to win at spiritual warfare, you need to be aware of the perilous pull of the world in all of its varied forms.
Footholds and Strongholds
The world establishes a foothold by putting ideas in your head that go against God’s Word. Over time, the more you buy into those ideas, the world establishes a stronghold – a place from which the enemy can set up a defensive position. Paul warns us to guard against this:
Colossians 2:8 (NLT) Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
Worldly thinking dominates secular institutions and even infiltrates the church. Here are a few examples of bad ideas that are introduced to us through the world:
- A bad idea from social media: Your value is directly proportional to your number of likes or followers.
- A bad idea from commercialism: You can only be happy if you buy this product we’re selling right now. (See 1 John 2:16)
- A bad idea from news & politics: Unborn children do not have a right to life.
- A bad idea from false religions: Follow our rules to earn yourself a place in heaven.
- A bad idea from progressivism in the church: The Bible is old-fashioned and talks too much about sin.
- A bad idea from relativism: Everyone gets to choose what’s right in their own eyes.
This list is just scratching the surface, but you get the idea. There are countless examples of bad ideas planted in our heads from the world around us. And here’s the point: this isn’t just high-sounding nonsense from everyday life, it’s actually spiritual warfare! James gave this warning:
James 4:4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
Christians need to be on their guard about the footholds and strongholds of the world system.
Winning the War
The Bible teaches that the battle against the world is already won in Christ (Colossians 2:14-15). But how do we appropriate the victory for our lives? How do we tap into the victory when the world comes at us with guns blazing? We win the war with the world by exercising spiritual discernment in our everyday lives. Paul said it this way:
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Reading the Bible renews our minds, giving a foothold to Jesus on a daily basis. Over time we are transformed and a stronghold develops – a safe place from which we can test and discern God’s will. Even in the church, Paul said to listen with discernment:
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NLT) …test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.
Go back and read that passage in its entirety. You’ll see that Paul is talking about listening to prophecies in the church. If healthy discernment is necessary among the people of God, how much more do we need it in our daily lives out in the world?
If you’re a Christian, you need to be prepared to fight a battle with the world system. The struggle is real, but the victory can be yours through the finished work of Christ, who has authority over all things.
