What do you think of when you think of war? One of the World Wars? The next time your little brother or sister aggravates you? What a lot of us don’t think about is the war that we can’t physically see, hear, or touch; the war that is going on around us all the time. What I’m talking about is spiritual warfare. Most of us have heard about spiritual warfare at one time or another but a book that really opened my eyes to the extent of it is, "This Present Darkness," by Frank Peretti.

   Spiritual warfare is the constant battle between the angels of God and the fallen angels (demons) of Satan. I think Ephesians 6:11-12 explains this battle very well; "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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."

   Spiritual warfare affects all parts of our lives. The little voice in your head that says, "This is not wrong," when you know that it is, is a part of the battle to weaken our defense of protection. God has placed His angels around us to protect and to defend us. The devil, on the other hand, has sent his sulking broods of evil followers, the demons, into the world to entrap, ensnare, tear down, and devour the children of the One True and Living God. Don’t think that you are just oblivious to all this either, you can actually feel these battles, you just may not know exactly what it is. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) At times we may feel totally overwhelmed by feelings of depression, anger, and fear and we feel helpless about this and turn to the world’s way of "fixing" the bad feelings. "What can I do?" We ask; the answer is simple, yet profound, the answer is prayer. "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians tells us.

   Too often I fear we take the power of prayer for granted, we pray for a good day, thank the Lord for what we have and say amen. Prayer is so much deeper and more powerful. I have heard of numerous examples of the power of prayer. A friend of ours was working outside and saw a tornado form and head right for his house and prayed, "God, help me! I can’t move this tornado on my own, please turn it away from my house!" and the tornado turned. Unfortunately it turned towards his neighbors house, "God, if it isn’t to much to ask, don’t let it hit my neighbors!" And the tornado turned again. When Jesus tells us that if we have faith even as small as a mustard seed we can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). If the God we serve and believe in could create the world in which we live in six days (Genesis 1), if the God we love sees and cares if a sparrow falls (Luke 12:6-7), I know He cares and will answer our prayers. He is all-powerful and almighty; there is nothing that He can’t do! For with God, nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

   If you feel like the enemy is oppressing you and that something is wrong, lift up your need to God, and He will give you the strength and the mighty protection of His angels.

   He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings shall you trust: His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day; nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Because you have made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, your habitation; there shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he has known My Name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation. (Taken from Psalm 91)

   Do you believe in angels? I certainly do. I don’t believe they are the image of artistic rendering, but they are real. God mentions them over and over in the Bible. Most of the time they were seen, they were in human form. But angels weren’t seen only in Biblical times, they are seen in our age, too...

   I have a very special friend in Germany who related to me a story that she had heard of God using an angel to protect. A young girl was walking through the woods on her way home and she noticed a person down the trail walking toward her, as the person came closer she realized with terror that it was a criminal that had escaped from prison recently, a man convicted of murder. She knew running away would certainly mean death, but to continue walking could mean death, too. After lifting up a silent prayer she continued walking, she passed the man without incident and once home called the police. Later, when the man had been arrested, the police asked him why he didn’t harm the girl, his answer was profound, "I couldn’t with that big man walking next to her." Pretty awesome, huh!

   Do we pray only for the physical things we want and need? No, there is a whole other realm beyond what is physical, the realm of the spiritual. If you are in a situation where you feel a definite danger simply pray for protection! We need the angels that God has charged to protect us.

   But angels aren’t the only power of protection; there is something even greater that God has given us. The power of the name of Jesus Christ. God gave us the power to cast out demons and evil spirits with the power of the name of Jesus. The darkness cannot stand against that name, because they know His power. Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. (Philippians 2:9-10) Satan trembles at that name because Jesus defeated Satan at the cross. "And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through your name.’ And He said unto them, ‘I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.’" (Luke 10:17-18) Jesus paid for our sins, laying down His life in death so that we wouldn’t have to pay for them and so that we could live with Him forever! Do you realize what Satan lost that day? I don’t think any of us can fully realize that, it is a mystery so complex. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:17-21)

   Demons lurk around at all times just waiting for the times when your defenses go down, especially when your prayer life has dwindled; your communion with God. If you’ve ever studied history you have read about how castles and areas would be blockaded so that no food and supplies could get through, the people inside would began to starve and with starvation comes weakness, and when the people are weak, they cannot fight, they are easily destroyed. Our communication with God is our spiritual food; it is a necessity, just like food. When that is cut off, what happens? You become weak minded, weak willed and the enemy has a clear advantage. They start closing in, whispering things to your mind, telling you that the whole world is against you and that by believing in God you will be hated, so why do it, maybe God isn’t even real. This is one of the ultimate fields of battle. The battle to twist your perception of God and fill your mind and heart with doubts that take you further and further away from the truth. The questions pile higher and higher until all your faith has slipped through your fingers and fallen into the grimy pools of sin and darkness. Be sober, be vigilant [stay in prayer]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

   Do you begin to see the awesome power and need of prayer? I have to remind myself of this truth so often, because it is so easy to get caught up in the worries and cares of this world. After a long day, I may not want to take more than a few minutes to talk with God. How appalling! Isn’t that terrible? Would I treat my best friend very well if while I’m talking with them I fall asleep? They’d probably think, "Well, this friend really loves and cares about me! We are carrying on a conversation for a couple minutes and just getting into the good stuff when they fall asleep!" Maybe falling asleep isn’t your problem, maybe you let your mind wander and start thinking, "What have I got to do tomorrow?" or you contemplate the day’s events and before you know it you’ve turned off God? Maybe TV is your problem; do you watch more TV than you spend time with God? Just think how that makes Him feel. The Creator of the universe, I AM, Almighty God wants to spend time with you! He cares about you. He wants to bring you closer to Him, so close that when the world calls for attention you will say, "Not now, I’m talking with my Father!" instead of, "Not now God, I’m busy, in a minute." Come on! If God were standing outside knocking on your door would you say that? Here is something A.W. Tozer wrote that I would like to share, "God has not bowed to our nervous haste, nor embraced the methods of our machine age. The man who would know God must give time to Him." I am so thankful God has the patience to put up with me when I don’t communicate with Him. Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

   God desires us to draw closer to Him. He desires that we become strong in the faith, wielding our weapon of prayer as warriors do their sword so that we will be able to stand up in a crowd and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord and not be ashamed! As time grows closer to the coming of Jesus and the evil in this world builds, His desire is that you live as "more than conquerors" up to the time He calls you home to be with God for the rest of eternity. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. (Ephesians 6:18)