Waging War God’s Way
Fighting the Spiritual Battle: Holiness, Prayer, and Hospitality
In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the noise—the endless debates, the distractions, and the pressure to conform. But as followers of Christ, we’re called to something different. We’re called to fight, but not with the weapons the world uses. Instead, we’re called to engage in spiritual warfare through the pursuit of holiness, prayer, and hospitality.
The Power of Community
At the core of our faith is the need for genuine community. That’s why we emphasize life groups and small gatherings. These aren’t just social clubs—they’re acts of spiritual warfare. They’re designed to deepen your knowledge of who God is and stir up devotion among one another. We need brothers and sisters who will stand by us, challenge us, and keep us accountable.
I’ve personally experienced the power of this type of community. I’ve set up groups of men who know me deeply, and I’ve given them permission to call me out if they see any inconsistency between what I preach and how I live. This level of accountability isn’t easy, but it’s essential. It’s what I call having a "king’s table"—just like David had Nathan to call him out, Joab to fight alongside him, and Jonathan to love him. When David had all three, Israel prospered. When one was missing, he fell into sin.
Who are you inviting into your life to guard you, to watch over you? We all have blind spots, and without inviting others in, we risk wandering away from the truth. We need community to fight this battle together.
The Pursuit of Holiness
The first weapon in our spiritual fight is a serious pursuit of holiness. Holiness means hating sin and loving righteousness. But let’s be clear—we’re not called to be experts in other people’s sins. We’re called to confront our own sin, the things we’ve allowed to take root in our lives.
Many of us are weighed down by secret sins we’ve carried for years—sins that have shackled us and kept us out of the fight. Whether it’s addiction, hidden shame, or guilt from the past, these sins are like a ticking time bomb, waiting to destroy what we love. But here’s the truth: if you want to engage in the fight, you need to act violently toward your sin. Confess it. Drag it into the light. Darkness loses its power in the light.
Holiness isn’t something reserved for a spiritual elite. It’s not a mysterious state that only a few can reach. Holiness is a harvest, and every day, we’re planting seeds that will eventually bear fruit. What seeds are you planting in your life today?
Prayer and Worship: The Forgotten Weapons
The second weapon in our fight is prayer and worship. Too often, we underestimate the power of these spiritual disciplines. In today’s culture, it’s easy to think that prayer alone isn’t enough, that we need to “do something.” But prayer isn’t passive—it’s an act of war.
Look at Nehemiah. He spent 40 days in prayer and fasting before taking action. When the time came, he was ready, with a plan in place. That’s how we’re called to operate: prayer first, action second. We need to be people who pray with purpose, who fast with intention, and who worship by fixing our attention on God.
One of the most underrated weapons we have in this spiritual battle is prayer. As C. Peter Wagner once said, “God is powerful enough to win any battle, but He has designed things so that the release of His power is often contingent upon the decisions and actions of His people.” Prayer is not just a ritual; it’s a weapon that moves the hand of God.
Don’t worry about having the right words or sounding eloquent. Jesus reminds us that simple, heartfelt prayers are powerful in God’s economy. Even a prayer as basic as “Help me” can move mountains.
The Call to Hospitality
Finally, we are called to practice hospitality. Now, this isn’t about entertaining guests or showing off your home. True biblical hospitality is about welcoming the stranger, and even the enemy, into your life. It’s not about impressing others—it’s about serving them.
Jesus teaches us that if we only love those who love us, we’re no different from the world. Hospitality means taking a risk, placing others before ourselves, and stepping out of our comfort zone to welcome those who are different from us.
In a world that’s becoming increasingly closed off and suspicious of strangers, hospitality pushes back against the fear that dominates our culture. It’s about making space for others—especially those who don’t look, think, or act like us. It’s about showing them the love of God that we’ve experienced.
Fighting the Right Battle
So, how do we make war against the spiritual forces at work in the world? Not by using the world’s weapons. We don’t fight with violence, shaming, mocking, or belittling others. When we do that, we become like the very thing we’re fighting. Instead, our call is to faithful endurance.
This endurance looks like a life of confession and repentance, filled with worship, prayer, and hospitality. It’s not about a quick burst of adrenaline or a one-time emotional high. It’s about weaving these practices into the fabric of our daily lives.
We were made for this moment. As believers, we are called to be a light in a world that’s growing darker. But to do that, we need to take up the weapons God has given us—holiness, prayer, and hospitality—and fight the right way.
The battle is real, but we don’t fight alone. Let’s commit to standing together, confessing our sins, praying with power, and welcoming others into our lives as we seek to live out the Gospel.
