"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses" (2 Corinthians 10:4). There are two great Kingdoms that exist in fierce opposition to each other. On one side is the Kingdom of God: its ruler is the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords; its subjects are those who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, who bow the knee to His Lordship, and who walk not according to the flesh but the Spirit. On the other side is the Kingdom of the devil: its ruler is Satan, the Prince of Darkness, that serpent of old who has been a liar and a murderer from the beginning; its subjects are those who walk according to the course of this world, who fulfill the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and who are by nature children of wrath. On both sides there are also angelic hosts: those for the Kingdom of God are the elect angels, mighty in strength, who obey God and are sent forth to minister on behalf of His subjects; those for the Kingdom of the devil are fallen angels, the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, ministers of darkness who, as their master, defy God and masquerade as angels of light.

The opposition between these two Kingdoms is called warfare. It is an unrelenting conflict of the most violent kind. It is a fight to the death, which has existed from the beginning and will continue until the great and final day. The outcome will determine the eternal destiny of every human being and the final state of the created order. Reconciliation is impossible, for neither of these two Kingdoms will ever surrender or request terms of peace. Every subject of each Kingdom, whether aware or unaware, is a combatant in this war, and every human being falls into one of these two camps. Some deceive themselves into thinking that neutrality is possible, but he who is not for King Jesus is against Him, and inspection reveals that such individuals fight for the devil.

However, in this war there are defectors. Some defect from the Kingdom of the devil. They come to see that their cause is lost and that their King is unworthy of their allegiance. Their eyes are opened to see that they have not been citizens but slaves, that the end of their kingdom is death, and that there is an offer of pardon from King Jesus. Then there are those who only wear the uniform of the Kingdom of God outwardly. But their profession of allegiance goes no deeper than the uniform, for when trials, persecutions, cares, and desires of this world come, they return to the enemy camp. They show that they held to a form of godliness but denied its power. All along, they had worn the enemy uniform beneath the exterior.

The warfare is spiritual. It is not fought by physical means nor do the combatants fight for physical territory. It is not a war over the things that are seen but the things that are not seen. Although its final outcome involves the body, its chief object is the soul. However, the combatants fail to hold these realities in proper view. Those subjects in the Kingdom of the devil care primarily for those things that are seen; they walk in their own ways in defiance of the King of Kings. Although they may sometimes speak of things eternal, their hope is fixed on this life. Even those subjects in the Kingdom of God sometimes lose sight of the nature of the war. They often fight the wrong battles and employ the wrong strategies. The deception of the enemy and their own lack of discipline sometimes lead them to fight against their own allies. Some of them even forget that they are in a war! They are subject to weakness and despondency, especially in the heat of battle. They mourn within themselves because their desire is to please the One who enlisted them, but they see another law within themselves that wages war against the soul. Therefore, these subjects must be continually admonished to fight the good fight of faith. They must be commanded to endure hardship as good soldiers of Christ, striving to love and help one another in the battle. And for their continual support and encouragement, the King Himself must ride in their midst. They must fight, but they have hope because He is their strength, their defender, and their salvation.

On both sides, there are fortresses. The fortress of the Kingdom of God is founded upon the rock, Jesus Christ. The edifice is comprised of living stones, which are the true subjects of the Kingdom. It is absolutely impenetrable to any weaponry in existence; nevertheless, the Kingdom of the devil seeks its destruction and levels against it every attack imaginable. The fortress of the Kingdom of the devil is comprised of speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. It is a stronghold of worldly beliefs and practice, with battlements set in opposition to Jesus Christ. It is an edifice of deception, and those who believe its lies are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

In this warfare, there are weapons. These weapons are not conventional, nor can they be. They are forged specially for the battle in which they are employed. The devil and his subjects primarily use the weapons of deception and enticement. They seek to establish false systems of beliefs and practice to keep men from the Kingdom of God. They seek to promote the pursuit of vanity, even offering the whole world so that men will lose their souls. These attacks are so formidable that men cannot resist them. Even Christ's subjects must beware of wandering near the enemy camp, lest they be spotted by the devil's archers and pierced through the heart. The subjects of the Kingdom of God use weapons that are forged for the destruction of fortresses. Their weapons cannot be of the flesh, for the flesh is powerless against evil. Their chief weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. It is the truth itself, divinely authored by the King of Kings, shining as a light in the midst of every false way. It is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of bones and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. This weapon is the only one known to conquer the hearts of those in the Kingdom of the devil; therefore, the subjects of the Kingdom of God must learn to use it at all times. Nevertheless, they also have supporting weapons, such as prayer, righteous living, and good works, which, when properly used, enhance the effectiveness their chief weapon.

The weapons are divinely powerful. They would be powerless apart from the King, but with His assistance, they are mighty. Christ's subjects, therefore, must not rely on manipulation or persuasive words of man's wisdom, but on the Spirit of God. They must never trust in earthly might or in the advancements of earthly weaponry. Their King may providentially use those for their physical preservation, but of themselves they cannot avail against the corruption of evil. Christ's subjects must also never trust in their own riches, might, or intellect, lest they be slain in their presumption. The power is not in them to defeat the enemy, and if they are wise, they will fight in reliance upon God, remembering that the enemy has killed many much greater than themselves.

But this conflict is not evenly matched. The kingdom of the devil is ruled by a created being; the Kingdom of God is ruled by the Creator Himself. In fact, King Jesus has already won the war by the blood of His cross. Any battles that the devil may appear to win are only for the sake of bringing greater glory to God in that final day. They only make Christ's subjects more desirous for His final Kingdom, and they magnify the judgment that He will one-day execute against His enemies. Therefore, you in the losing camp, flee while you have time! While there is breath in you, cry for mercy to the King of Kings! He will not execute you, but He will grant you a full pardon. There is hope for you, for His entire Kingdom is comprised of those who were once His enemies. He shed His blood and died to save some in the enemy camp! And if you will but surrender to His Lordship and receive His salvation, He will make you not a prisoner but a soldier. He will make you not a slave but an adopted child and a fellow heir in His Kingdom.