Wickedness

For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,
but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world,
and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

It is sometimes hard to remember where our real fight is. We encounter so many situations where other people fail us, disappoint us, and even work against us. It is so easy to see them as the source of wickedness. But this wickedness, these evil purposes and desires, have a spiritual source. Jesus spoke of wickedness to describe the Pharisees when they asked questions so that they might trap and accuse him (Matt 22:15).

In the new Church of the Body, we have tools to deal with evil. We are told not to fight the devil, but that if we resist, he will flee (James 4:7). Knowing when and how to resist requires knowledge – knowledge of God’s Word. We are to be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt 10:16). Most importantly, we have the armor God gave us, but we must make the choice to don and implement it.

The armor is of several parts: truth, righteousness, peace, faith (believing), salvation, the Word of God, prayer and vigilance. Of these, the first ones: truth, righteousness, peace, faith (believing) and salvation are for our defense. Our only offensive weapon is the Word of God. And it is by prayer and vigilance that we perceive our enemy and know the right time to use these tools.