Spiritual Warfare
The belief that there's an unseen conflict between God's kingdom and evil spiritual forces that touches everyday life, and that Christians are in it — fought with prayer, scripture, and faithfulness.
What they actually mean
“"The invisible fight between good and evil — and I'm on the field whether I like it or not."”
Heard in the wild
“We covered the whole trip in prayer — we knew there'd be spiritual warfare.”
“Marriage is spiritual warfare. The enemy wants to divide us.”
The Lighter Side
The "armor of God" in Ephesians 6 has a belt, a breastplate, a shield, a helmet, and a sword. Vacation Bible School has made every one of them out of cardboard.
The longer version
What it means
Spiritual warfare is the Christian belief that behind visible life there's an invisible struggle: God and His purposes on one side, the devil and evil spiritual forces on the other, with human beings caught up in it. Temptation, discouragement, conflict, deception, and opposition to good work are all understood, at least sometimes, as having a spiritual source. Christians "fight" this war not with force but with prayer, scripture, obedience, community, and what Paul calls "the armor of God" — truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Word.
In practice, "spiritual warfare" describes both a worldview (life is a battlefield) and a set of practices (praying against the enemy, resisting temptation, "covering" people and events in prayer).
Why people say it
Because the Bible talks this way — Paul says plainly that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" — and because it matches experience. Christians who use the language find that it explains why good things meet resistance, why temptation feels personal, and why prayer matters. It also makes them take their own choices seriously: if there's a war, sin isn't trivial.
How to respond
If someone tells you a situation is spiritual warfare, they're saying it's serious and they're praying about it. You don't have to share the worldview to take the seriousness seriously. Ask what's actually going on. If the language escalates — everything is demons, every setback is an attack — you're allowed to redirect gently to the concrete: "What's happening day to day?"
If you hear it in different churches
Evangelical, Pentecostal, and charismatic churches use the vocabulary most. Catholics and Orthodox believe the same things — the devil is real, temptation is resisted, prayer matters — and express them through the liturgy, the saints, confession, and ascetic practice rather than warfare language. Reformed and Lutheran churches speak of the "world, the flesh, and the devil" and the Christian's lifelong struggle. Mainline Protestants use the language least.
Where does “Spiritual Warfare” come from?
Ephesians 6:10–18, the "armor of God" passage, is the foundational text, along with 2 Corinthians 10:3–5, 1 Peter 5:8–9, and Jesus' own temptation in the wilderness. Early Christians saw baptism as enlisting in Christ's army, and monks described the desert as a battlefield with demons. The modern spiritual warfare movement is a product of the 1970s–90s: Pentecostal and charismatic teaching on deliverance, C. Peter Wagner's "strategic-level" warfare against "territorial spirits," and above all Frank Peretti's 1986 novel This Present Darkness, which sold millions and gave a generation of evangelicals a vivid mental picture of angels and demons fighting over a small town.
Good to know
The concept ranges from mild ("temptation is real and I pray about it") to intense ("demons over cities"). Most evangelicals sit near the mild end. The language can sound alarming to outsiders — "warfare," "attack," "the enemy" — but for most Christians it's a sober way of saying life has a spiritual dimension and they intend to take it seriously.
You might also hear
The Enemy
Spiritual Warfare & SupernaturalThe devil — a personal spiritual adversary Christians believe opposes God, works against people (especially believers), and strives to hinder God's work of bringing humanity into right relationship with Him.
“"The devil. Satan. Lucifer. The ultimate evil adversary, opposed to God in every way."”
Stronghold
Spiritual Warfare & SupernaturalA persistent sin, fear, lie, or destructive pattern that has become spiritually entrenched — hard to break because it's dug in.
“"The thing I keep doing (or believing) that I can't seem to shake."”
Deliverance
Spiritual Warfare & SupernaturalFreeing a person from demonic influence or spiritual bondage through prayer — taken very literally in some traditions and understood more broadly in others.
“"Praying to get someone free from something evil that has a grip on them."”
Prayer Warrior
Prayer & DevotionSomeone known for praying often, seriously, and persistently on behalf of others — the person you call when you need prayer that means business.
“"The person who really, actually prays for people. A lot."”
Common questions
Do Christians think they're literally fighting demons?+
Most would say yes in principle — the conflict is real — but that the fighting is prayer, scripture, and living faithfully, not anything physical or dramatic.
What's the "armor of God"?+
Paul's image in Ephesians 6: truth as a belt, righteousness as a breastplate, readiness as shoes, faith as a shield, salvation as a helmet, and God's Word as a sword. It's a picture of how to stand firm.
Is everything bad spiritual warfare?+
No. Thoughtful Christians say bad things also come from human choices, a broken world, and chance. Spiritual warfare is one lens, not the only one.
Further reading
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.