Avoiding Friendly Fire

Battle Ready: Avoiding Friendly Fire in Spiritual Warfare

When we think about spiritual warfare and the armor of God in Ephesians 6, we often jump straight to the famous passage about putting on the full armor. But what if spiritual warfare actually begins much earlier in the chapter - in our relationships?

Where Spiritual Warfare Really Begins

Spiritual warfare doesn't start with putting on armor. It begins in Ephesians 5 with the relationships closest to us - husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees. These relationships form the foundation of our spiritual readiness.

Peter tells us that if we don't take care of our closest relationships, our prayers will be hindered. When we get to the part about praying with all perseverance and supplication, we need to understand that without right relationships, we won't walk in power.

What Is Friendly Fire and How Do We Avoid It?

Friendly fire is when we become our own worst enemy - shooting ourselves in the foot before we even get into the real battle. We need to be battle ready while avoiding this self-inflicted damage.

Children: Learning Obedience and Humility

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." We're all children of God, so this applies to every one of us. As children, we learn three crucial attitudes:

• Obedience - submitting to rightful authority

• Humility - walking humbly with our God

• Learning - maintaining a teachable spirit

The more we learn about God, the more we realize how much we don't know. We need to avoid becoming so dead set in our ways that we can't learn and grow.

Fathers: Using Authority Responsibly

"And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." This applies to anyone with authority or leadership responsibility.

Having power doesn't mean it's about your will - it's still about God's will. We have divinely given responsibility to use authority righteously, leading others to understand who God is. When we misuse our authority, we become accountable and shoot ourselves in the foot.

Servants: Working as Unto the Lord

"Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh... as to Christ." Our service to others is a reflection of our worship to God. You cannot separate the two.

Even with imperfect bosses (and none of us are perfect), we're called to serve as unto the Lord. What we do in our service for others reflects how we serve God. There's a law of reciprocity - whatever good we do, we will receive the same from the Lord.

How Do We Become Battle Ready?

Stand Strong in the Lord's Power

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might." After getting our relationships right, we can access God's power. But this isn't automatic - we must choose to stand in His strength rather than our own.

When we lack wisdom, James tells us to ask God, who gives liberally without reproach. But we must ask in faith, not doubting, after we've aligned our will with the Father's will.

Understand the Real Enemy

"We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers." The battle feels like it's against people, but it's not. There's an unseen spiritual battle happening whether we know it or not.

When we're in conflict, we need to step back and examine what we're really fighting for. Are we trying to exert our will over someone else's? Is it pride? Or is it a matter of divine principle where we've drawn the line in the right place?

What Does It Mean to Put On the Armor?

Be Prepared for the Evil Day

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day." There will be days when we get hit unexpectedly - crisis in faith, relationships, or circumstances. The enemy knows our buttons and will push them.

When everything is going well, beware of complacency. That's when we can lose our first love and become vulnerable to attack.

Stand Steady and Ready

When the fight comes, we need to be steady and ready. The enemy wants to knock us off balance so we can't fight back effectively. He'll use past hurts to trigger reactions and make us more vulnerable.

But when we're grounded in truth, walking in righteousness and peace, we remain steady. We can take incoming fire with the shield of faith and return fire with the sword of the Spirit - God's Word.

How Do We Fight Back Effectively?

Know God's Word

If you don't know God's Word, how can you fight with it? When you're going through something specific:

• If you're worried, study Isaiah 26:3 and Philippians 4

• If you lack hope, find verses on hope

• Dig deep into Scripture rather than just opening randomly

God wants you to study to show yourself approved, not be spoon-fed your whole life.

Pray in the Spirit

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." This means being led by the Spirit, praying according to God's will rather than just for our comfort.

Paul, writing from prison, didn't pray for release. He prayed for boldness to fulfill his calling even in chains. That's walking in the Spirit - having spiritual understanding of what God is doing in our circumstances.

Life Application

This week, examine your closest relationships and identify where you might be causing "friendly fire." Are you walking in humility and obedience? Are you using any authority you have to serve God's purposes rather than your own? Are you serving others as unto the Lord?

When conflict arises, step back and ask: What am I really fighting for? Is this about my will or God's will? Am I fighting the real enemy or just butting heads with another person?

Questions for Reflection:

• Is there someone you're currently at odds with, and how might your attitude toward them be affecting your spiritual readiness?

• In what areas of your life are you trying to operate in your own strength rather than God's power?

• What "buttons" does the enemy regularly push in your life, and how can you prepare for those attacks through God's Word and prayer?

• Are you walking in right relationship with those closest to you, or do you need to address some friendly fire in your own life?