Fight the Right Fight

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 

 Ephesians 6: 10-12

I wonder if one reason for the relative ineffectiveness of the church in changing the culture is that it is fighting the wrong fight. I believe that for decades now the church has occupied itself with wrestling “flesh and blood” instead of wrestling “spiritual forces”. It seems that today’s church is more focused on political influence and victory rather than spiritual victory. The end result of wrestling flesh and blood results in votes and political offices. Wrestling spiritual forces results in saved souls and transformed lives. When the church wrestles flesh and blood, it does so in the power of flesh and blood. In this case he spiritual forces of darkness win because flesh and blood strength is no match for the strength of spiritual forces. When the church wrestles spiritual forces being “strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might people’s lives are changed, whole cultures are impacted and the Kingdom of God grows on earth.

If we really desire to see our culture changed to be more God- honoring our only hope is to makes sure that we are fighting the right fight. Maybe this is what the apostle Paul is referring to as “the good fight” that he exhorts Timothy to fight (1Tim. 6:2) and that he claims to have fought himself. (2Tim. 4:7)

Let’s make sure we are fighting the right fight, the good fight.