A supernatural life: God’s call and spiritual warfare

God knows our human nature, but he calls us to live a supernatural life, and for that he gives us the Holy Spirit. He does not ask us to do the impossible in our own strength: he gives us his own life. And he does so also because we have an enemy who is not flesh and blood. Satan is a spiritual being, with hosts and powers, and believers need to be ready to face him with God’s weapons:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:10-13 (KJV)

This article explains what it means to live a supernatural life, why God gives us his Spirit, who the enemy is and how he works, what the armour of God is and how to stand firm without falling into error. There is a prayer at the end.

God knows our nature

God is not surprised by our weakness. “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). Jesus himself lived our human nature: he was hungry, tired and sorrowful, and “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). That is why he has compassion on us. He himself said in Gethsemane: “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

But understanding our weakness is not the same as settling for it. God does not call us to a merely “good” or “decent” life that anyone could achieve with discipline. He calls us to something only he can produce.

The call to a supernatural life

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 (KJV)

“Partakers of the divine nature.” This is one of the most astonishing phrases in the Bible. It does not mean that we become gods, but that God puts his life in us. Jesus explained it to Nicodemus: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). The Christian has been born again; they have a life that comes from above.

A supernatural life is one that cannot be explained by human abilities: loving someone who has hurt you, forgiving the unforgivable, having peace in the storm, overcoming a habit that ruled you, serving without seeking recognition, praying for the sick and seeing them healed, speaking of Christ with a boldness you did not have. Paul says that God “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20). Read How to be born again according to the Bible.

That is why he gives us the Holy Spirit

God does not command us to live like this and then leave us alone. Jesus promised: “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth… he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17). And Paul adds that this Spirit is the very power that raised Jesus: “if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you… he… shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11).

That is why the Christian life is not lived by gritting our teeth, but by walking in the Spirit: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (5:25). The treasure is in earthen vessels, “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). Read We do not live after the flesh and The Holy Spirit today.

Our enemy is supernatural

The Bible is clear: there is a spiritual battle. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). Paul calls Satan “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

Scripture describes how he works:

He lies. Jesus called him “a liar, and the father of it” and “a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44).
He destroys. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10).
He deceives. “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
He prowls. “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
He has schemes. Paul says: “we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Daniel 10 even gives a glimpse of a struggle in the unseen realm: a messenger from God was withstood by “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” for twenty-one days while Daniel prayed (Daniel 10:12-13). Prayer has effects in a world we do not see.

But Christ has already won

The most important thing about spiritual warfare is that it is not a fight between equals. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). On the cross, Christ “spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). The prince of this world “is judged” (John 16:11).

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
1 John 4:4 (KJV)

We do not fight in order to win the victory, but from the victory of Christ. “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20), and nothing, “nor principalities, nor powers”, shall be able to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

Ready for battle: the armour of God

Paul describes the armour with which believers stand firm (Ephesians 6:14-18):

The belt of truth: living in God’s truth and free of our own lies.
The breastplate of righteousness: the righteousness of Christ that covers us and an upright life that gives the enemy no foothold.
Feet shod with the gospel of peace: being ready to proclaim Christ.
The shield of faith: “wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked”.
The helmet of salvation: the assurance of belonging to God, which guards the mind.
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: the weapon Jesus used in the wilderness.
Prayer in the Spirit: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto”.

When Jesus, “being full of the Holy Ghost”, was tempted in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-2), he did not argue with the devil in his own words. He answered with Scripture: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV)

Many battles are fought in our thoughts. “Strong holds” are deep-rooted lies: “you are worthless”, “God will not forgive you”, “you will never change”. They are pulled down by bringing every thought into obedience to Christ. Read How to resist Satan’s attacks with the Bible.

How to face the enemy

Submit to God and resist. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The order matters: first submit, then resist.
Be sober and watchful. “Be sober, be vigilant” (1 Peter 5:8). Do not open doors: the occult, nursed hatred, tolerated sin.
Use the authority of Jesus, not your own. Jesus said: “I give unto you power… over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). But that authority flows from relationship with him. The sons of Sceva used the name of Jesus as a formula and were overcome: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” (Acts 19:15).
Pray and fast. About a certain deliverance, Jesus said: “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).
Fill yourself with the Word. You cannot wield a sword you do not know.
Do not fight alone. The armour in Ephesians was written to a church. Pray with others and let others pray for you.

Two errors to avoid

With regard to the devil, we can fall into two opposite errors, as the writer C. S. Lewis warned: disbelieving in his existence, or taking an excessive and unhealthy interest in him. Both serve him.

The first error makes believers naive: they do not watch, do not pray and do not understand why certain battles are so hard. The second makes them fearful or superstitious: they see demons everywhere, blame the devil for their own choices and forget that Christ has already won. The Bible asks us to be alert, but with our eyes fixed on Jesus, not on the enemy.

A word of responsibility: not all suffering is demonic. Depression, anxiety and other disorders are real health problems that need medical and psychological care alongside prayer. Any ministry of deliverance must be carried out with humility, within an accountable church, without violence, without charging money and without humiliating anyone.

The supernatural is also everyday

The supernatural life is not measured only by spectacular miracles. The fruit of the Spirit is supernatural too: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). A mother who loves patiently, a man who turns from violence, a young woman who keeps herself pure, an old man who forgives: all of this is the work of the Spirit and a defeat for the enemy. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Frequently asked questions

What is a supernatural life according to the Bible? A life that cannot be explained by human strength, but by the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer: a transformed character, love, holiness, boldness to witness and God at work in answer to prayer (2 Peter 1:3-4; Ephesians 3:20).

What does “we wrestle not against flesh and blood” mean? That behind many conflicts there is a spiritual dimension. Our real enemies are not people, but spiritual “principalities” and “powers” (Ephesians 6:12). So we do not fight people with hatred, but with prayer and truth.

What are the pieces of the armour of God? The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and prayer in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14-18).

Can the devil harm a Christian? He can tempt, accuse and attack them, but he cannot separate them from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

How do we resist the devil? By first submitting to God, resisting steadfast in the faith with the Word, watching in prayer and turning away from whatever opens doors to him (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9).

Prayer

Holy Father, you know my clay: you know what I am made of and you are not scandalised by my weakness. But you do not want to leave me there. Thank you for calling me to a life that comes from you. Come, Holy Spirit, and do in me what I cannot do: love through me, forgive through me, overcome through me. Make me a partaker of your nature and deliver me from living a merely human faith. Lord Jesus, you defeated the enemy in the wilderness and on the cross; I place myself under your victory. Today I put on your armour: I fasten the belt of truth, I am covered by your righteousness, I take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of your Word. I submit to you and I resist the devil in your name. Pull down in my mind every lie that rises up against you. Guard my home, my family and my church from every work of darkness. Let me not live in fear, but with my eyes fixed on you, because greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. In the name of Jesus. Amen.