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4. How Do We Stand? Fighting the Real Spiritual Battle


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Theme: How?

This teaching is based on Ephesians 6:12-13 and helps us understand how believers stand against spiritual opposition. The battle is real, but Scripture teaches us that our battle is not primarily against people. It is a spiritual battle, and therefore we must stand with spiritual weapons: truth, righteousness, faith, prayer, the Word of God, obedience, forgiveness, and discernment.

The important question is: How do we fight? Not every battle is fought with words, arguments, anger, human strength, or personal effort. According to Scripture, our real battle is spiritual, and therefore our victory must also come through spiritual means.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12, NKJV

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:13, NKJV

1. How Do We Understand the Battle?

To fight correctly, we must first understand the nature of the battle. If we misunderstand the battle, we may fight the wrong enemy, use the wrong weapons, and become distracted from our true calling in Christ.

Under the old covenant, Israel was a nation with an earthly land, earthly laws, earthly borders, and earthly battles. But Jesus came to bring us into the kingdom of God, a kingdom that is not of this world. This means that believers must not fight spiritual battles in fleshly ways.

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight…'”
John 18:36, NKJV

Because our kingdom is not of this world, we must be careful not to quarrel and fight with human beings as though they are the real enemy. Satan often tries to sidetrack believers by drawing them into arguments, offences, complaints, bitterness, and disputes over earthly matters.

One of the chief ways the enemy weakens believers is by getting them to fight with relatives, neighbours, brothers and sisters in Christ, or people in the workplace. The issue may seem important at the time, but if it pulls us out of love, faith, prayer, humility, and obedience, then the enemy has succeeded in shifting our focus.

Paul begins by correcting our focus:

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood…”
Ephesians 6:12, NKJV

This does not mean people cannot hurt us, oppose us, betray us, or act wrongly. It means that people are not the ultimate enemy. Behind much of the conflict, confusion, accusation, division, and deception in this world, there is a spiritual battle taking place.

2. How Do We Fight a Spiritual Battle?

We do not fight spiritual battles with fleshly weapons such as manipulation, revenge, gossip, shouting, pride, control, hatred, or anger.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”
2 Corinthians 10:4, NKJV

Our weapons are spiritual: truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, the Word of God, prayer, forgiveness, humility, obedience, and worship. The Christian does not win by becoming harder, colder, more suspicious, or more aggressive. We win by becoming more submitted to Christ.

The question is not only, “What is attacking me?” The deeper question is: “How do I stand in Christ while I am under pressure?”

3. How Do We Stand?

Paul repeats the idea of standing because the goal of the enemy is to move us. He wants to move us away from faith, truth, prayer, love, obedience, fellowship, purity, and our identity in Christ.

To stand means we refuse to surrender ground that Christ has already won. We stand because Jesus has already overcome.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Romans 8:37, NKJV

Standing is not passive. It is not doing nothing. On the contrary, it is a strong spiritual position.

To stand means:

4. How Do We Take Up the Whole Armour of God?

Paul says, “take up the whole armor of God.” This means we must not choose only the parts of the Christian life that are easy or comfortable. A believer cannot stand well if truth is missing. A believer cannot stand well if righteousness is ignored. A believer cannot stand well if faith is weak. A believer cannot stand well if the Word is neglected. A believer cannot stand well if prayer is absent.

God has not left us defenceless. He has provided everything we need to withstand the evil day. The armour of God is the life of Christ applied practically to the believer. We take it up by deliberately choosing God’s way before the battle, during the battle, and after the battle.

5. How Do We Discern the Real Enemy?

Because our battle is not against flesh and blood, we need discernment. Sometimes the enemy works through accusation, fear, temptation, offence, discouragement, confusion, false teaching, pride, or unforgiveness.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
1 Peter 5:8, NKJV

To be sober means we are spiritually awake. To be vigilant means we are watchful. We should not become demon-focused, fearful, or suspicious of everything. That is not spiritual maturity. But we also should not be naive. There is a real enemy, and he works best where believers are careless.

6. How Do We Respond in the Evil Day?

The evil day is the day of pressure, temptation, accusation, fear, conflict, disappointment, or spiritual heaviness. It is the day when everything in us wants to give up, react, or compromise.

The evil day does not always announce itself. It may begin with a small offence, a fearful thought that we do not take captive, a harsh word, a private temptation, or a discouraging report. That is why we must be ready before the battle intensifies.

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Matthew 6:13, NKJV

We respond in the evil day by running to God, not away from Him. We pray. We confess the truth. We submit to God. We resist the devil. We forgive quickly. We refuse fear. We stay in fellowship. We hold on to the Word.

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7, NKJV

First, submit to God. Then, resist the devil. Many people try to resist the devil while still holding on to pride, sin, bitterness, or self-will. But true resistance begins with full surrender to God.

7. How Do We Avoid Fighting People?

This is one of the most practical lessons in Ephesians 6. When we forget that the battle is spiritual, we begin to see people as the enemy. Then our words become weapons, our hearts become hard, and our relationships become battlefields.

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you…”
Matthew 5:44, NKJV

This does not mean we allow abuse, tolerate evil practices, or ignore truth and sound doctrine. It means we refuse to become like the darkness we are resisting.

The enemy wants us to react in the flesh. God calls us to respond in the Spirit.

8. How Do We Keep Standing After the Battle?

Paul says, “and having done all, to stand.” There are times when we have prayed, obeyed, forgiven, resisted, waited, and trusted – and then we must simply keep standing.

Standing after the battle is sometimes harder than standing during the battle. After pressure, we may feel tired, disappointed, or emotionally drained. That is when we must not drop our guard.

Spiritual victory does not mean we are immune to emotional weakness. We still need rest, fellowship, prayer, encouragement, and the strengthening of the Body of Christ. That is why  church fellowship are important. We do not stand alone.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2, NKJV

9. Practical Ways to Apply This Teaching

Ask yourself honestly:

Practical Steps

Begin Each Day With Surrender

Pray simply: “Lord, I submit my thoughts, words, emotions, and decisions to You today.”

Recognise Spiritual Pressure Early

Do not wait until fear, anger, offence, or temptation has taken over. Be sober and vigilant.

Refuse to Make People the Enemy

Deal with issues where needed, but guard your heart.

Speak the Truth of Scripture

The enemy works through lies, but truth is a weapon.

Stay Connected to Believers

Isolation makes battles harder. God often strengthens us through fellowship, prayer, encouragement, and accountability.

Pray Before Reacting

A delayed reaction can prevent a fleshly response.

Stand Your Ground in Christ

Do not surrender what Jesus has already won.

Conclusion: Having Done All, Stand

God is the One to whom we must give account. His Word exposes the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and nothing is hidden from His sight.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12, NKJV

All our circumstances, including the way other people treat us, can be used by our loving Father to shape us into the likeness of His Son. Therefore, we must guard our hearts against complaint, bitterness, and offence, and make room for praise, trust, and obedience.

The battle is real, but so is the victory.

“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
Exodus 14:14, NKJV

So when the question is “How?”, the answer is:

And having done all, stand.

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