We are at war! We are involved in a deadly one-on-one combat with a merciless enemy who is driven by an all, consuming, burning hatred of God, His saints and all that is pure and holy.

Paul told the Corinthians:

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood — contending only with physical opponents-but against the despotisms, against the powers, against (the master spirits who are) the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. (Ephesians 6:12, TAB)

Paul compared our conflict with the enemy to wrestling. Wrestling is close combat which involves two enemies, each exerting their whole force and strength against the other. In the natural world during a wrestling match, each opponent enters the arena. The clang of the bell sounds at the beginning of the match. The wrestler's grab hold of one another, each striving to get the best advantage over his opponent. They struggle. They fight. They choke. They throw one another to the floor. Round after round they wrestle until one is declared the winner.

The moment you were born into the Kingdom of God you entered the arena of spiritual warfare and the wrestling match began. Unlike wrestler's in the natural world who can see their opponent face to face and feel his flesh as they wrestle, you are wrestling with spiritual forces that you cannot see, touch, or feel with your natural senses.

Paul told the Ephesians, “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood.” Every born-again child of God is involved in an intense struggle with Satan and his forces of darkness. This is a very simple, basic truth concerning spiritual warfare that I have been preaching and teaching for more than twenty years, yet the majority of Christians still have failed to grasp hold of it.

There are Christians today who are not even aware that a war is going on! They are unable to detect the works and strategies of Satan; they are failing to pick up the powerful weapons God has given them to fight the enemy; and, as a result, they are living in defeat.

You and I are involved in an unseen war that is raging all around us. Satan and the forces of darkness are not figments of our imaginations, they are real! In this ongoing battle we are fighting, Satan has developed strategies to discourage, tempt, deceive and defeat us. The major goal of his strategies are to rob us of our inheritance as children of God and destroy our spirit, soul, and body in hell. Behind all of his strategies, all of his temptations, all of his deceptions, this is his one all consuming desire.

I am not wrestling with flesh and blood. I am wrestling against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness. I will prevail, for I am supernaturally equipped by the power of God.