USA (MNN) — Spiritual warfare runs deeper than many expect, and Christians can’t afford to ignore it — they must be prepared.
What begins the morning routine for every Christian? Putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:14-19). Dean Vander Mey of Set Free says believers need to remember that the spiritual battle is real and ongoing.
“There’s an invisible war that’s taking place currently,” Vander Mey explains, “and until Jesus Christ returns, let’s put on the armor.”
Every war has an adversary, an army, and a primary weapon. For the enemy of souls the battlefield is the human mind. If the mind is captive, a person can be hindered from pursuing their God-given calling.
Photo courtesy of Mike Bird via Pexels
Pointing to Scripture, Vander Mey says the Bible doesn’t treat this danger lightly. “1 Peter 5:8 — what does that say? Be sober. Be vigilant. Your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Written for Christians,” he explains.
Today, globally more than a billion people live with mental health conditions — about one in seven globally and one in five in the United States. Many believers feel unprepared to respond, largely because they lack training. Vander Mey says they often have little understanding of spiritual warfare or of their identity in Christ.
“This is very important that we have a biblical worldview to even understand what’s happening to us,” he adds. People may look for answers to their pain in addiction, sinking even deeper, yet the path to healing lies with their Creator.
For many, he adds, the weak point in their armor is unrepented sin. He points to King David as a striking example. “King David — the apple of God’s eye — suffered immensely spiritually, emotionally, and physically because he hid sin that is a spiritual warfare issue,” Vander Mey says.
He adds that Scripture gives a vivid picture of what hidden sin can do to a person, describing its crushing impact on both the heart and the body in Psalm 38.
Recently, Set Free had a conference to address these challenges and help believers evaluate their spiritual readiness. The message is simple: check your armor and be ready for battle!
Pray for one’s own mind, family, church, community, country, and the world. Ask the Lord to lead as the true Commander in this unseen war.
Header photo courtesy of Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash.
