As I’ve written here before, when people don’t believe in demons, they start to demonize people. When people don’t realize that there are “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” they start to wrestle “against flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12). We might even call that carnal wrestling “spiritual warfare.” But it isn’t.

Real spiritual warfare isn’t against “them,” but against us. Real spiritual warfare happens when we repent of sin; when we depend on grace; when, having done all else, we stand.

The “flaming arrows” of the devil usually aren’t attacks from our cultural or political or religious opponents. Rather, they typically appeal to exactly what we want or think, saying simply, “All this I will give you” (Matt. 4:9).