A Call to Wake Up to Spiritual Reality

Have you ever paused to consider the world you wake up to each morning? Not just the physical world of work, family, and daily routines but the unseen world, the world the Bible describes as a battlefield between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. In his podcast, “The Place We Find Ourselves,” Adam Young puts it bluntly, “Like it or not, we find ourselves living in the midst of a world at war. That war is between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.” This isn’t poetic language or spiritual metaphor. This is the reality of the Christian life, and it’s one we ignore at our peril.

Do You Really Believe You’re at War?

Let me ask you. Do you truly believe you are at war? Not with other people, not with your circumstances, but with the spiritual forces of evil the Apostle Paul describes in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

If you do believe it, how does that belief shape your daily life? What are you doing each day to prepare for battle? Are you putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18), or are you living as if the war is someone else’s problem?

The Subtlety of the Enemy

Some of the greatest tricks the enemy has played is convincing us that he doesn’t exist or that spiritual warfare is just an occasional event rather than a daily reality. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world he doesn’t exist.” In our modern, Western culture, we’re often tempted to explain away evil as merely psychological or social. But the Bible is clear: There is a real, personal evil at work in the world and in our lives.

How Living for Self Hinders Our Ability to Fight Spiritual Darkness

If we are truly at war, as the Bible and history both attest, then how we live each day matters deeply. One of the greatest obstacles to victory in this spiritual battle is living for self. When our priorities revolve around our own comfort, desires, and ambitions, we become easy targets for the enemy.

Living for self dulls our spiritual senses. It makes us forget that there is a larger story unfolding, a cosmic conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. When we focus on ourselves, we lose sight of the reality that we are soldiers on a battlefield, not tourists on vacation. As Adam Young highlights, “The soldier of Jesus Christ must not expect to find ease in this world. It is a battlefield. His occupation is war.”

The enemy knows that a self-absorbed Christian is a distracted Christian. When we are preoccupied with our own needs and wants, we neglect the disciplines that keep us alert and ready: prayer, Scripture, fellowship, and obedience. We become less likely to recognize the enemy’s tactics and more likely to fall for his lies. As a result, our hearts become vulnerable to discouragement, temptation, and spiritual apathy.

Daily Choices: Signs of Awareness or Unawareness

Our daily choices reveal whether we are living with an awareness of this spiritual war or ignoring it. Consider these questions:

• Do I start my day in prayer, asking God for strength and protection, or do I rush into my agenda, assuming I’m in control?

• Do I regularly open God’s Word to renew my mind, or do I rely on my own wisdom to navigate life’s challenges?

• When tempted, do I recognize that I am being targeted by spiritual forces, or do I dismiss it as just “having a bad day”?

• Do I seek out Christian community and accountability, or do I try to handle struggles on my own?

• Am I quick to forgive and love others, or do I hold onto bitterness, forgetting that the real enemy is not flesh and blood?
  

Every choice we make, big or small, either strengthens our defenses or leaves us exposed. Choosing to serve others, to humble ourselves, to confess sin, and to seek God’s will over our own are acts of war against the kingdom of darkness. Conversely, choosing self-preservation, pride, or isolation gives the enemy a foothold.

A Counselor’s Perspective

As a pastoral counselor, I see firsthand how living for self and neglecting the reality of spiritual warfare leads to brokenness. Marriages unravel, addictions deepen, and anxiety grows, not just because of “bad habits,” but because we are not fighting the real battle. We try to fix surface problems without addressing the spiritual war raging beneath.

The issues I hear about daily are often the fruit of a life lived unaware of the enemy’s schemes. When we do not take the spiritual war seriously, we become passive, reactive, and spiritually weak. But when we wake up to the reality of the battle, we begin to fight with purpose, courage, and hope.

A Wake-Up Call

The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of evil. Jesus himself dealt directly with evil spirits and warned his followers to be alert and prepared. The New Testament mentions evil, Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare nearly 200 times, far more than it mentions grace. Why? Because God wants us to understand the seriousness of the battle.

So, I urge you: Wake up to the reality of spiritual warfare. Ask yourself honestly:

• Do I live as if I’m at war?

• How am I preparing myself and my family for the daily battle?

• Am I seeking God’s strength and protection, or am I trying to fight in my own power?
  

How to Prepare

• Stay in the Word: Let Scripture shape your understanding of reality.

• Pray daily: Ask God for protection, wisdom, and strength to resist the enemy’s schemes.

• Put on the armor of God: Ephesians 6:13-18 isn’t just a children’s lesson; it’s a survival guide. Put on your armor EVERY DAY!

• Seek accountability: Don’t fight alone. Find fellow believers who will stand with you, who will pray with you and who will pray for you. 

• Recognize the enemy: Not every struggle is “just life,” some are attacks meant to discourage, distract, or destroy. BE ON GUARD!
  

To be human is to be at war. To be a Christian is to be a warrior. Let’s not be naïve or complacent. Let’s recognize the battle, prepare ourselves, and stand firm in Christ, who has already won the ultimate victory, even as the war continues until His return.

Let me ask you again. Are you living like you’re at war? What will you do today to prepare for the battle?

Let’s choose to live for Christ, not for self, because only then are we truly equipped to stand against the darkness.

Conclusion: You Don’t Have to Fight Alone

Perhaps as you read this, you feel overwhelmed. Maybe you’re in a valley so deep that the idea of fighting a spiritual battle seems impossible. If that’s you, I want you to know you are not alone. The war is real but so is the help and hope found in Christ and also in the community of believers.

As a Pastoral Counselor, I hear from many who feel too weak, discouraged, or wounded to stand and fight. If you find yourself in that place today, please know it is not a sign of failure. The enemy wants you isolated and defeated, but God calls us to walk together, bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).

If you feel like you can’t fight right now, I would be honored to walk with you until you are able to stand strong in the Lord and fight on your own and with the help of your community. There is no shame in seeking help; in fact, it is one of the wisest and bravest things you can do. Together, we can learn to recognize the enemy’s schemes, to put on the full armor of God, and to move from surviving to thriving in the midst of this spiritual war.

Don’t let the darkness convince you that you are alone or powerless. Reach out. Let’s walk this journey together, trusting that Christ, our victorious King, is with us every step of the way.

Connect With Us at His New Creation Ministries

At His New Creation Ministries, we are available to walk with you as you navigate these spiritual realities. Whether you have questions about spiritual warfare, want to explore these topics in more depth, or simply need someone to talk to about your struggles, we’re here for you.

You can reach us at:

• Phone: 979-645-6277

• Email: [email protected]

No question is too small, no struggle is too great. The battle is real, but so is the hope we have in Christ. Let us stand with you as you learn to stand firm in Him.

In His Service,

Brianne Parker

Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor

President, His New Creation Ministries