Today we conclude our series with a message I’ve titled “Darkness Defeated.” We have all experienced or witnessed acts of evil at some point.

Maybe it was:

• An act of animal cruelty,
• The mental, emotional, or physical abuse perpetrated by a stranger or someone close,
• A violent crime or the devastating act of abortion.

Evil can show up in many forms.

Hollywood has portrayed evil, the devil or demons, as an unmatched force to be feared, but that’s not what the Bible teaches.

The Bible has given us an effective and unrivaled means of confronting and defeating the darkness. The Bible refers to as spiritual warfare, and we fight from a position of victory.

“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” Colossians 2:15

The devil and all his cohorts have been disarmed, defanged, and defeated at the cross!

Ephesians 6:12 and 2 Corinthians 10:1-4 provide clarity and understanding of this unseen but very real spiritual realm. The spiritual realm works parallel to ours, identified in our text as the heavenly places.

The first important lesson we learn from Ephesians 6 is; Our battle is not against flesh and blood.

Our battle is not against our neighbor, co-worker, spouse, or person who has the opposite political opinion than us. We may see them as our enemies, but there is a disruptive force at work behind those conflicts, and that’s the real battle.

There are four key phrases from the scriptures above that help us understand and address spiritual warfare.

First is the word “ruler,” which means a supernatural power having some particular role in controlling the destiny and activities of human beings. These evil spirits will manipulate human thoughts, will, and emotions to get them to participate in their evil agenda.

The second keyword is the phrase translated cosmic powers, and the original Greek word means worldwide. Evil is not constrained to a single geographical area. Wherever you see sin, death, destruction, and immorality running uncontrolled, you can be sure of their presence.

So what are we able to do against their worldwide terror and manipulation campaign? As humans, are we powerless against them? Absolutely NOT!

Ephesians 6 and 2 Corinthians 10 also show us God’s strategy to push back against these dark spiritual forces and remove them.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 10:4

These spiritual weapons have divine power to DESTROY strongholds.

The third keyword is “stronghold.” This is a fortress or fortification built to disrupt or control an area. A stronghold can sometimes be a foothold we permit where the enemy sets up camp around us to steal our joy and peace.

A foothold can be a:

• Secret sin we keep around.
• Negative thoughts or attitudes we hold onto.
• Generational beliefs that limit our possibilities by suppressing or eliminating our God-given potential and purpose.

Our fourth keyword comes from 2 Corinthians and is the word “destroy.” This means demolition, destruction, to reduce to rubble.

Our weapons won’t simply strike a blow or temporarily disable the enemy’s fortification. Instead, they will reduce it to rubble. But even though the enemy has already lost, and God’s power is unmatched, you must, by faith, exercise these weapons.

So what are these weapons?

“praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Ephesians 6:18

Prayer is a spiritual weapon that has divine power. Only by prayer can we demolish and reduce to rubble those fortifications that oppose God, His people, and His purposes.

You don’t have to be a spiritual giant to pray powerful prayers. Prayer that demolishes strongholds is not a matter of praying loudly or articulately or only when praying for extended periods.

Powerful prayer is a prayer prayed in faith.

To have faith is to stand on and put your trust in God’s Word. Jesus didn’t say you need a mountain of faith to do the impossible. Instead, He said, you need faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain.

Keep in mind some strongholds require;

• Intercessory prayer (others praying for you)
• Praying together (others praying alongside you)
• Petitioning prayer (unceasing prayer)
• Fasting and prayer (sacrificial prayer)

Are there strongholds in your life, family, work, city, state, or country that need to be demolished? Are you fighting with others in the natural and not addressing the matter in the spiritual?

Pray!