From all outward appearance, you do wrestle against flesh and blood, contrary to what the Apostle Paul says. You wrestle against competitors in the marketplace, your friends and neighbors who treat you different from how they want to be treated, and against yourself. Paul himself said, "The good that I would I do not, but the evil that I would not, that I do." [Romans 7:19] But when you look below the surface, you find that you do wrestle against "principalities and powers."
It is very easy to loose sight of the fact that every issue we face in our lives has a spiritual component. Now not everyone is capable of hearing this (when we are walking in deliberate sin, we hate hearing God's Word OR we may simply not be willing to consider the spiritual issues). Not all Christians are able to communicate this "gently and in love" (we have to be careful to present the Word the way Jesus did with His followers - not the way He did with His detractors).
The enemy wants you to be miserable!!! He wants you struggling, depressed, angry, rebellious and ineffective. He attacks you directly, by circumstances and by the words and actions of others. He will attack your marriage, your family, your relationships, your integrity and your emotions. He will never, ever, EVER give up.
When we remember this, we have a far better chance of walking through the trials in our lives and coming out the other side stronger. When we are in the Word, in fellowship and in prayer it is much, much easier to remember this.
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Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
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But to this we are also reminded that though the enemy never gives up, neither does our GOD! He is a God who will not let us down, a God who against all opposition still has the victory. It is abiding in Him which keeps us strong. "Apart from Him we can do nothing." John 15v5b and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4v13. He is a God who desires to not only see us through the valley, but allows trials to happen so that he can refine us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That we may be transformed into an ever increasing likeness of Him. Praise be to God who saves us from the evil one and from this fallen world to restore us to himself!
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