In starting this blog, I always had in mind a two-fold vision of spiritual warfare. I firmly believe that we can not neglect either aspect of spiritual warfare, lest we lower our guard and invite Evil into our lives.
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We must never forget that spiritual warfare includes putting on the “armor of God” to defeat the spiritual forces in this world that are trying to take our souls away from God (principally the devil and his minions) as well as waging war against slavery to sin in our life and rooting out sinful habits that act as doorways for Evil.
These two aspects of spiritual warfare might appear to be the same thing, but they require different tactics to defeat. In fact, the Church usually puts forth three distinct enemies of the soul (though interrelated): the world, flesh and the devil.
Here is what the Council of Trent has to say,
“Nevertheless, let those who think themselves to stand, take heed lest they fall, and, with fear and trembling work out their salvation, in labours, in watchings, in almsdeeds, in prayers and oblations, in fastings and chastity: for, knowing that they are born again unto a hope of glory, but not as yet unto glory, they ought to fear for the combat which yet remains with the flesh, with the world, with the devil, wherein they cannot be victorious, unless they be with God’s grace, obedient to the Apostle, who says; We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; for if you live according to the flesh, you shall die; but if by the spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.” (emphasis added)
This concept of three enemies are often related to the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:15-17. Saint Paul also makes this distinction in Ephesians 2:1-3
“Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of this air, of the spirit that now worketh on the children of unbelief: In which also we all conversed in time past, in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath.” (emphasis added)
For the purposes of this blog, I focus on waging a spiritual battle both by being aware of the devil’s many tactics as well as developing a strong life of prayer and virtue.
I believe that we must not simply focus our entire energy on fighting against the spiritual foes that surround us, but that we must also look inside at our own sinful habits and seek practical ways to use our free will to serve God instead of sin.
We can get so caught up in this spiritual battle that we think that evil is always outside of us, when in fact, because of the Fall of our first parents, we must also battle our sinful flesh and defeat the strongholds of sin in our lives.
A great visualization of this battle against sin can be found in this illustration found in the medieval document Summa Vitiorum or “Treatise on the Vices” by William Peraldus.
A Christian solider is seen wielding the “armor of God” in order to defeat the “seven deadly sins” and their kin (69 other monsters that depict minor vices). The seven doves pictured represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Keeping all of this in mind, the articles on this blog will fluctuate between recognizing the exterior battle against the devil as well as the interior struggle we have with sin. I will continue to touch on various topics that help us become more human and reclaim the dignity that God gave us in the beginning.
For Christ came into the world to lead us back to God and to bring us to our Eternal Home. In order to follow Him, we must “pick up our own crosses” and divorce ourselves from a life of sin in addition to renouncing Satan.