The Battle Between Flesh and Spirit: Who is the Real Enemy?
The Christian life is not a playground; it’s a battleground. We are in a spiritual war every day, and God has given us His armor so we can stand firm. If our real struggle is not against “flesh and blood” :
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. Ephesians 6:12
What about the enemies we can see; the people who oppose us, criticize us, mistreat us, or even hate us? Unfortunately, we all have experienced this. Jesus acknowledged we would have enemies and He told us to love them.
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Matthew 5:44
Visible Enemies vs. Invisible Enemies
Visible Enemies (People We See)
These may be coworkers, neighbors, or even family members who oppose us or mistreat us.
But the Bible teaches that they are not the real enemy. They may be used by, or influenced by, the spiritual forces of darkness — but they are still people made in God’s image.
Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:20–21
Invisible Enemies (Spiritual Forces)
These are Satan and his demons, lies, temptations, and spiritual attacks.
Paul says these are our true enemies because they are the root behind all evil and opposition.
These enemies are resisted with the armor of God - truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word, and prayer (Ephesians 6:13–18).
We should put on the full armor every day. Just as a soldier would never step into battle without armor, we shouldn’t step into life without spiritual protection. The “day of evil” can be any day temptation strikes, discouragement comes, or opposition rises.
How to Respond
To Visible Enemies → Love, forgive, and do good.
But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Luke 6:27
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Romans 12:17
To Spiritual Enemies → Resist, stand firm, fight with God’s armor.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.James 4:7
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers[a] all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. 1 Peter 5:9
It’s not either/or, it’s both. We resist the invisible enemy while showing Christ’s love to the visible ones.
Visible enemies exist but they are not the ultimate enemy. Behind human opposition lies a deeper spiritual battle.Jesus calls us to love our enemies, while Paul calls us to put on God’s armor. One command equips us for the visible fight, the other shows us how to respond to the invisible fight.
Lets Pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me that my real battle is not against people, but against the unseen powers of darkness. Help me to stand firm against the enemy’s attacks. When people oppose me, help me to love them, forgive them, and show them You. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
