The Battle Against Spiritual Hosts of Wickedness in Our Thought Life

Paul exhorts us in Eph. 6:10-11: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” And why does Paul exhort us to do this? “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” V. 12.

Where is this battlefield where the battle against spiritual hosts of wickedness takes place? In our thoughts! Our thought life should be turned toward that which is above and not toward that which is of the earth. Col. 3:2. Christ came to set us free: Free from having our thoughts bound to everything here on the earth, free from everything that is so low. Now we can always have our thoughts above, in heaven with Jesus and the Father: Good, pure, loving, humble, patient, forgiving, prayerful thoughts with thanksgiving! With such thoughts, life becomes heaven on earth! And this is our calling!

It is just for this reason that Paul exhorts us as he does. A constant battle is required against these spiritual hosts of wickedness that try to force their way into our thought life. And if any of these spiritual hosts of wickedness have become entrenched in our thoughts, then we need to have it like David in Psalm 18 and take our enemies by storm in a spirit of faith! Pursue them and crush them and do not stop until there is rest and quietness in our thought life.

Every foreign spirit, i.e., every thought that does not agree with God’s word and with the Spirit in the word, must be counter-attacked with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Such spirit powers must be taken captive and driven out completely until we experience silence and rest in our inner man. We have to give ourselves completely to the word which can divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and judge the hidden thoughts and intentions of the heart. Just think that it is possible to defeat every single thought that accuses both us and others, every single thought that judges others, and every single arrogant and impure thought. And not just that! It is also possible to give these spiritual forces that lie behind such thoughts such a thorough whipping with the word of God that they choose to keep themselves far away from us in the future! Then there is heavenly peace in our inner man. That is the power that lies in the word of God and in the Spirit of God.

This is something we can do by faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit! The grace that is available in Jesus Christ is so great that it makes such a thought life completely achievable for the humble of heart. And where sin abounded—i.e., where the spiritual forces of wickedness have perhaps had power and had dominion in our thought life for many years, precisely there, the grace to save us abounds much more! Blessed is each one who believes in this grace, and who in faith and humility and obedience takes up the battle and endures until the day of liberation arrives! Such people are transformed by the renewing of their minds by the word of God, and the spiritual forces of wickedness have no power in their thought life.