Growing up in the ’90s, I remember attending spiritual warfare and “deliverance meetings.” They were attractive and terrifying. Attractive, because I saw things I had never seen before, like demon possession; and terrifying, because of the intense emotions and loud demonstrations of preachers. These encounters often made me question if I was under Satan’s power or possessed by a demon, especially when I was conscious of my sins.
Errors in Opposite Directions
The tendency to over-spiritualise or over-naturalise spiritual warfare, the devil, and demon possession is common. Over-spiritualising means seeing demons and spiritual warfare in every problem, challenge, or sin. We over-spiritualise when we believe every flat tyre or missed bus is the result of direct demonic interference, attribute every personal failure or sickness to demonic attack, or view minor disagreements as spiritual battles orchestrated by evil forces.
This can lead to fear and paranoia, causing people to see the enemy’s hand in every situation. It can prevent people from taking practical steps to solve problems, such as seeking medical help or resolving conflicts through communication. It can also lead to neglecting personal responsibility, by blaming everything on external spiritual forces.
The Bible teaches that we are in a spiritual battle.
However, over-naturalising dismisses the spiritual dimension entirely. We over-naturalise when we label every struggle as a psychological or environmental issue, believing that moral failures result from one’s upbringing or poor decision-making. We completely reduce all forms of depression or anxiety to physical issues, without considering any personal history or spiritual influences.
Over-naturalising can cause people to miss the subtle ways the enemy might influence our thoughts and actions. It can lead to inadequate responses to spiritual attacks, relying only on natural remedies and ignoring the need for prayer, Scripture, and support from people. As the wisdom of God warns us, “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself?” (Eccl. 7:16).
Spiritual Struggles in Urban Life
Apart from two years in a boarding school in the beautiful Nilgiris hill, I have always lived in cities. Along with the nature of my work in both non-ministry and ministry roles, the ethos and spirit of cities demand much time and energy.
The work of the enemy instils fear, discouragement, and anxiety about the future.
I have frequently experienced “warfare” when seeking to find God in the chaos of the city. Peaceful spaces are hard to find. Carving out undivided time to honour rhythms of Bible reading, prayer, and family moments feels like a battle.
In a podcast episode entitled “Walking in the Spirit,” Timothy Keller asks, “Do you want some fight? Promise today that for the next 30 days, you will spend 30 minutes praying and reading your Bible. Go ahead. There will be a lot of fight. Everything in your body, everything in your schedule, the devil will come after you and question whether what you are doing is important.”
Recognising the Enemy’s Schemes
In the urban environment, where the hustle and bustle can easily distract us from spiritual realities, it is crucial to find a balanced perspective. The Bible teaches that we are in a spiritual battle. However, God’s Word also provides concrete ways to recognise and resist the enemy’s tactics, so we are not ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11).
1. Satan distorts the truth
Satan employs various misinformation and disinformation strategies to deceive, manipulate, mislead, and divide the world. He distorts the truth and keeps people in bondage to ignorance (John 8:44, Acts 5:3, 2 Cor 4:4, 11:14, Rev. 12:9).
2. Satan aims to weaken unity
Manipulation involves encouraging gossip and misunderstandings within churches to weaken unity and trust. His misleading tactics include promoting material prosperity and distorting the true essence of the Christian faith. As a result, pride, envy, and disagreements over minor doctrinal issues can lead to fractures in ministries and cause divisions among believers (2 Cor. 11:3-4).
Spiritual warfare requires reliance on God’s power, not human strength.
3. Satan tempts us to despair
Temptation lures believers into sinful behaviours to cope with despair that distances them from God. He invites us to turn away from God in isolation, instead of turning to him in prayer and relying on support from community. Additionally, Satan blinds people to God’s truth, fosters bitterness, and leads individuals to doubt God’s goodness, as he has done from the beginning (Gen. 3:1-4, Matt. 24:4-5, 2 Tim. 2:26).
4. Satan wants to rob us of grace
Legalism and hypocrisy arise from rigid adherence to religious rituals without genuine love and grace, promoting judgmental attitudes rather than compassion (Gal. 1:8, Col. 2:8, 1 Tim. 4:1).
5. Satan wants us to lose hope
The work of the enemy instils fear, discouragement, and anxiety about the future. It perverts the grace of God and turns believers from trusting God’s provision and plan (1 Pet. 5:8, 2 Pet. 2:1-3, 3:17, Jude 4).
Resisting the Tactics of the Enemy
In 2 Corinthians 10, the apostle Paul teaches that spiritual warfare requires reliance on God’s power, not human strength (2 Cor. 10:3-5). God’s power for us is the grace of God to us in Christ. Its work in us leads us to rhythms of prayer, Scripture, and eager dependence on the Holy Spirit’s guidance (1 Cor. 15:10).
God’s power for us is the grace of God to us in Christ.
As followers of Christ, growing in grace and standing firm in the faith helps us recognise false teachings and overcome deceptive philosophies, fortifying our faith against spiritual attacks (2 Pet. 3:18, Eph. 6:11).
In daily life, especially in urban environments, the enemy deceives us to think we can find rest and joy without God’s power. He manipulates us by encouraging practices that indulge in self-destructive habits. He misleads us to seek life and strength in substitutes for Christ. We desperately need the Holy Spirit to help us discern our motives, attitudes, and actions (Heb. 4:12).
Maturing in Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare is an attack on our spiritual health. It seeks to lead a community astray from the knowledge of God so it experience conflicts that divide people and strain relationships. It can also lead to a lack of love and spiritual depth, promoting selfishness, and materialism over unity and selfless service.
Pursuing spiritual discernment involves a holistic approach that acknowledges the spiritual and natural dimensions. Every difficulty is not spiritual warfare, but we must recognise that spiritual influences can impact any circumstance.
As the writer of Hebrews helpfully points out, “Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:14).
Effective resistance to spiritual opposition combines spiritual practices—such as prayer, studying Scripture, and engaging in fellowship—with practical actions like seeking assistance and taking personal responsibility.
We must address spiritual warfare with clarity and biblical wisdom, helping believers resist the enemy’s tactics by relying on the gospel. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
