Paul describes living by faith as a struggle—not against people, but against powers that seek to turn people away from God. Here you will find 22 Bible verses about spiritual warfare: what it is, what we fight against, and who ultimately wins.
What spiritual warfare is about
The struggle is not against people.
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For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12
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For though we walk in the flesh, we war not after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
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Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, walking about like a roaring lion, seeketh whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8DevilSelf-control
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Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on eternal life, unto which thou art also called, and hast confessed before many witnesses.
1 Timothy 6:12Confession
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Be strong, endure as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:3Men
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Beloved, we desire your good, even as we write unto you, that ye fight the good fight of faith.
Jude 1:3
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For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; they are contrary one to another, that ye may not do the things that ye will.
Galatians 5:17Spirit
How to fight
Prayer, the Word, and trust are the weapons.
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Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7DevilTemptation
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Resist him, therefore, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being inflicted on your brethren in the world.
1 Peter 5:9Devil
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Therefore take up the shield of faith, that ye may quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:13Equipment
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And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17Equipment
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And pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching and wrestling together with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
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And he answered and said, Behold, the scripture saith, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4TemptationDependency
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And he said, Hear, O ye all that dwell in Judah, and ye that dwell at Jerusalem, and thou, King Jehoshaphat! Thus saith the Lord unto you, Fear not, neither be ye dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for ye neither fight nor will ye fight: but ye shall not fight, and neither shall ye be dismayed.
2 Chronicles 20:15Courage
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The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall be still.
Exodus 14:14Deliverer
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And he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord from Zerubbabel: It shall not be by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
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Blessed be the Lord, my rock, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fists to fight.
Psalm 144:1
The victory belongs to God
Christians fight from victory, not toward victory.
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Little child, ye are of God, and have overcome; and he that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.
1 John 4:4DevilOvercoming
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But the God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet in short order. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
Romans 16:20Devil
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And hath taken away the principalities and powers, and hath openly shamed them, and made them a triumph unto himself.
Colossians 2:15DevilOvercoming
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But in all these things we more than conquer by him that loved us.
Romans 8:37OvercomingPersecution
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He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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What is spiritual warfare?
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers” (Ephesians 6:12). With this sentence, Paul makes clear: the struggle of faith is not against other people. It is against everything that seeks to separate people from God—lies, temptations, discouragement, hatred. The Bible also refers to a personal power, the devil; find out more at Bible verses about the devil. What is important: the struggle is real, but it is not evenly matched. Christ has already won (Colossians 2:15).
The weapons of faith
Paul does not list swords and spears, but truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God (Ephesians 6:14-17)—and above all, prayer (Ephesians 6:18). Jesus himself rebuffs every temptation in the wilderness with a Bible verse (Matthew 4:1-11). Spiritual warfare is therefore less spectacular than it sounds: It takes place in prayer, in holding fast to God's promises, and in resisting when it matters. You can find the details of the armor at Bible verses about the armor of God, and about temptations at Bible verses about temptation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is spiritual warfare according to the Bible?
Spiritual warfare is the struggle of faith against powers that seek to turn people away from God (Ephesians 6:12). It is waged with prayer, the Word of God, and trust.
Where does it say “Resist the devil”?
In James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore unto God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Similarly in 1 Peter 5:9.
