Some things are still etched in my mind, concerning the writing of The Bridge from OneDayBow. For instance, chapter 26. I had been working on it early one morning and was very shocked when I typed the words, “… Tim took an awful fall!” It wasn’t what I had expected, but the story took me there. I had to call my husband at work and tell him about it. He replied, “You’re not going to kill the little guy off, are you?” I answered that I didn’t know. And I didn’t.

As we come to chapter 28, it’s clear that Tim did survive, although there may have been times he wasn’t sure he wanted to. If you’ve ever had a long illness, or a difficult recovery from an injury or accident, you can relate to wondering if you’re ever going to be better. Dealing with physical problems is bad enough but wrestling with your thoughts and emotions make it worse. But sometimes it can be even more torturous.

You’ll probably be surprised to hear that I wrote a large portion of chapter 28 in the dark. True story. I had an incident in my life that led to post traumatic stress (at least that’s what the doctor called it) leading to a very long bout of depression and anxiety.  Even today I hesitate to give too many details, but the spiritual warfare was very real and at times overwhelming. The Lord never left me, but at times I wondered how I would survive.

I don’t want you to come away from this post fearful of an unseen enemy. But I do want you to realize that satan and his demons are real. A healthy fear of him should keep us alert and prayerful for ourselves and others. Nothing entered my life without God’s wise allowance, and His promise to never leave me nor forsake me stood firm. Which brings me to that evening out in our backyard.

I had grown weary in the battle, but writing was a helpful diversion as I leaned heavily on the truth of the Bible. And so I went to the backyard with notebook and pen in hand to write of a scene I was living.  “How do you know He is real?” was an assault against my faith that came long before the book began to be written, so I was writing from personal experience. After decades of believing in the God of the Bible, in my weakened state that piercing question came as a challenge to my faith and security.

Okay, enough about me, other than to say: Yes, spiritual warfare is real.

We’ve already explored in recent posts that Tim wasn’t doing anything wrong. The fact was that Tim had come a long way in doing right things. But in his debilitated condition, when faced with demands to prove the validity of his faith, it was hard for Tim to find words. At the very least, his weakness was undeniable. The argument that Tim’s faith would fail must have pierced him like a flaming arrow.

Deep inside, despite the battle of body and mind, Tim still believed the King and clung to the Truth like a life preserver. But, oh, how he longed for the Presence, protection, and peace of the King.  Just a little relief… Just a more hopeful moment… Just a little more strength to keep going, to keep believing.

So what did Tim do in his battle? Get out the big guns and start firing at an invisible enemy? Rebuke Natas with his barely audible voice? Run away? Tim didn’t have the strength to do any of those things, but he could still honestly and humbly pray:

“I know I’ve failed many times and often have done wrong.

Now I see how weak I am – I thought I was so strong!

I know that I don’t deserve the kindness You have shown,

And any good inside of me comes from You alone.

Tim kept crying out in hope the Son would come to save

From all the accusations. He wished he was more brave.

But there, aware of weakness, the Word at last broke through:

“Take up the shield of faith and salvation’s helmet too!”

It wasn’t that Tim didn’t know about battle – he’d been trained! He had the equipment the Son had provided, and he had learned how to use it. Tim knew a lot of things, but right then he needed the King’s mighty power to confidently stand in accordance with the Word of Truth. Tim’s prayers were heard, and gradually light began to come through. The Truth was setting Tim free!

Ephesians 6:10-18, from the New Testament of the Bible is a key resource in understanding spiritual warfare. Look deeply into the armor that is provided and prescribed for the battle that believers face and you will learn much about the enemy that we face. More important, you will learn much about our God:

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

If you’ve never looked into spiritual warfare, it can be kind of a scary prospect. But we need to remember that not every bad day is a sign that satan is hiding in our closet. Sometimes we face ordinary problems, and we can sure cause our own problems. The good thing about the armor that God provides is that it is sufficient for every battle and every bad day we face. And it all starts with believing in Jesus Christ and then purposing to know and walk in the truth of His Word.

One last thought. Something important that I learned in my time of intense battle: it isn’t all up to “me.”  We can trust in God’s promise that He will not fail nor forsake His child. And if He allows the battle, we can trust that He will bring good out of it. (Romans 8:28-30) He sure did for me. And next week we’ll begin to see the good that came out of Tim’s battle.