While some in the Church are defining the future as a time of progressive peace, the reality is, that we are engaged in a spiritual battle. Not being prepared for war will have us walk into the future unprepared to engage in what is taking place. We will live in that spiritual conflict until the Prince of Peace finally rules all creation. 

Spiritual warfare is a realization we must understand and come to grips with, or we will fall victim to failed theologies and mindsets that will invite us to compromise the truth. John wrote about this war and what was causing it to take place. “The dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus” (vs. 17). The weapons that hell uses are aimed at our faithfulness to obey the commandments of God. Our obedience is what is making hell increasingly angry as his end approaches.

While this battle has a future application, it is also taking place today. Paul addressed this war in II Corinthians 10 where he said, “We don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God” (vs. 4-5). This battle crosses covenants and time. We have always been at war with the devil and his fallen angels, and no misguided theologian and their arguments can dismiss this reality.

When the devil lost his battle of rebellion in Heaven, he was “thrown down to earth with all his angels” (Revelation 12:9). The devil was described as “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (vs. 10). His accusations are his weapons. His weaponry will be directed at those who obey the commandments of God in Scripture and maintain a testimony of faithfulness to the Lord.

In this conflict there will be a victory over the devil and his fallen angels for those who “Have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. They did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die” (vs. 11).