Spiritual Warfare: The World, the Flesh, the Devil, and the Glory of God

By Magdalene - www.battleinchrist.com

Why the World, Flesh, and Devil in Spiritual Warfare?

When did the world, the flesh, and the devil become our enemies?

Spiritual Warfare and the "World" The moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and receives God's Holy Spirit, that person is instantly and literally translated from the kingdom of darkness of this world into the kingdom of God's light by God's Holy Spirit of truth. The Apostle Paul describes this process as the "mystery" revealed, which is "Christ in you" the hope of glory. Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Col 1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: God rescued us from the power and bondage of the world, the flesh, the devil, and supernaturally empowered us with the light of His truth, love, and Holy Spirit. The power of darkness is anything that blinds a person to the reality of sin, the true love of God, and the victory we have in Christ. It is the power of darkness that blinds a person to his or her need for salvation and from receiving God's free gift of Holy Spirit. God draws humanity from enmity towards Him to an illumination of truth that leads to salvation in Christ by the cross, preaching of His Word, and the conviction of His Holy Spirit. The world represents people, religions, governments, or worldly systems that oppose Christ. The world that rejects the truth of Christ is under the control or deception of the god of this world, which is the devil. Scripture states, 1 John 5:19 "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one." 2Co 4:4 in whom the god [devil] of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to preach for the following reason, Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. The world is a battleground between truth and error or light and darkness and therefore is a place in which we engage in spiritual warfare. 1Jo 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.