Onward Christian Soldiers: Spiritual War Battle Strategies
- Jack Selcher
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
Life during World War 2 in the United States was not business as usual. Sacrifices were made. Priorities were adjusted. The all-consuming goal was to win the war.
Ephesians 6:12 describes a spiritual war. The stakes are the eternal destiny of every human being on earth.
Sacrifices must be made, and priorities adjusted. “No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer” (2 Timothy 2:4 NIV).
The pastor is not a hired gun to fight this spiritual war, while laypersons fight each other for power in the church. Every Christian is a soldier. Let us stop divisive shooting at one another and fight together against the enemy.
Paul met twelve men in Ephesus who professed to follow Christ. But they had not received the Holy Spirit. They were more devoted to John the Baptist than to Jesus.
Through Paul’s preaching, they focused on Jesus. After they received the Holy Spirit, they praised and bore witness to Jesus. That is what Christian soldiers do.
In the spiritual war, we need power and a careful aim. Paul aimed to reproduce himself spiritually by preaching Christ where He was not known (Romans 15:20). That involved first passing through Macedonia and Achaia and then going to Jerusalem and Rome (Romans 15:21).
Acts 19:8-10 summarizes Paul’s ministry in Ephesus. For three months, he preached to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
After opposition against him mounted, he went directly to the Gentiles. Notice the results. “…All the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Luke 19:10 NIV).
Who told them? Paul’s converts in Ephesus did. Paul’s strategy was to make disciple-makers (2 Timothy 2:2). He didn’t try to reach everyone himself.
The real fruit of a peach tree is another peach-bearing tree. We reproduce ourselves spiritually by making disciple-makers.
Then, others will continue our ministry after our last breath on earth. The gospel baton must keep passing from generation to generation. You can leave a spiritual legacy.
That is the highest priority. Is it your highest priority? What competes with it in your life?
To make disciples, we must overcome the resistance to action that keeps us uninvolved as spectators. We must launch out in faith that is greater than our fear.
When we do, we will see those who formerly loved darkness become lovers of light. They will help others do the same. There is no greater miracle!
Attention! Friendly fire is a perpetual problem. The Enemy often uses professing Christians to fire his bullets, which causes pain, division, and strife.
There is no excuse for lovelessness, bitterness, a lack of forgiveness, disunity, or gossip. Beware of becoming an unwitting soldier in the Enemy’s army.
A battle rages in your community. The goal is to win the war. Attention! Forward, March! What is your takeaway?
See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.
God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 6,671 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 15,636 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.
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