Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Recognizing Our Enemies

 Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

RECOGNIZE THE ENEMIES OF YOUR SOUL

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 746
Principalities: beginnings, origins

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1849

Powers: authorities, influences, operating in a designated jurisdiction, dominion, moral authority

 Rulers of Darkness: 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2888

Ruler: world-ruler asserting independence from God; ruler of this world, that is, of the world as asserting its independence of God; used of the angelic or demonic powers controlling the sublunary world.

From Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4655: 

 Darkness: the principal  (beginning/origin) of sin with its certain (it has the power of rendering men bold to commit crimes [Luke 22:53]

ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery [Acts 26:18, John 3:19]

the shadow of a looming presence, a spiritual reality (good or bad) relating to God's light or spiritual darkness, densest darkness, spiritual death [Isaiah 1:9-10 (cf) Romans  Matthew 4:16, Luke 1;79]

results: persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway [Ephesians 5:8]

From Strong's #4152

Spiritual: the realm of the spirit, whether divine or against God, belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God 

From Strong's #4189

Wickedness: pain-ridden evil, malice, iniquities, depravity [Luke 11:39, Romans 1:24-32]

From Strong's #2032

High Places: celestial, sphere of spiritual activities, heavenly

 

These are the born again believer's enemies. But we should not fear this fight. Fear will only cause us to lose our faith in our Lord God. 

Recognizing the fact that we cannot win this battle on our own we turn to God for wisdom on how to fight. Since we do not wrestle against people, we do not need ordinary weapons which people use against each other. We need spiritual weapons and we need to know how to use them.