If you’re like most Christian teens, you hear the term “spiritual warfare” and immediately zone out. Sure, you enjoy a good angels-and-demons battle just as much as any other Ted Dekker or Frank Peretti fan. But on the nonfiction side of things, you tend to associate spiritual warfare with heavy discussions between theological experts—people who also use terms like “preternatural forces,” “ontological existence,” and “demonology” in the same conversation.
Um, yeah. I think I’ll let the angels handle the demons while I go about my merry way.
That’s how I used to think. Then I read a YA fiction novel about teenage aliens that opened my eyes to the right-in-your-backyard nature of spiritual warfare—and no, it wasn’t even religious fiction.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
An Unlikely Scenario?
In I Am Number Four, John is a “good” alien who looks like the average teenage boy: jeans, hooded sweatshirts, a backpack full of books, a crush on the pretty former cheerleader. But his life is far from normal. Never mind the “legacies” he developed halfway through high school (telekinesis and fire resistance, anyone?). John has spent his entire earthly life so far being hunted by a more sinister group of aliens—the Mogs, whose top goals include killing all of John’s type and taking over the world.
Nice guys, huh?
Imagine going about your life, all the while looking over your shoulder, knowing the evil ones lurk nearby, waiting to eliminate you and every last one of your kind.
Hokey as it may sound (and I mean no offense if you like that sort of thing), the thought of evil aliens infiltrating the earth, intent on your demise, is sort of unnerving when you think about it. Imagine going about your life—school, sports practice, music lessons, homework—all the while looking over your shoulder the whole time, knowing the evil ones lurk nearby, waiting to eliminate you and every last one of your kind.
Doesn’t that cozy thought make you glad aliens are only found in fiction?
Or are they?
What if I told you this scenario was true?
Real-Life Intergalactic War
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
Hebrews 11:13
According to Hebrews 11:13, Christians are but strangers on earth. Aliens. This planet serves as your temporary home until your heavenly home opens its gates to you.
But you’re not safe to simply chill while you’re here because in every corner lurks an enemy—weapons drawn, traps set—intent on your demise. He hides in plain sight and sometimes appears as an ally. He preys on the weak and strong alike. And there’s no place on earth where you can escape his reach.
Suddenly the thought of intergalactic war isn’t so alien, right?
Spiritual Warfare: Not So Out-of-This-World
You are at war right now—a war that at times might be easy to ignore. That’s exactly what Satan and his demons want you to do. They want you to feel safe, to put down your weapons, kick up your feet and relax . . .
Meanwhile, they creep closer, waiting for the opportune moment to pounce. And these villains make the fictitious Mogs look like mere bullies. Because even if you possessed superpowers like telekinesis, fire resistance, magical healing, or anti-gravity capabilities, they would be useless against this kind of enemy.
So what do you have to fight with?
You have a legacy, the greatest legacy ever: Jesus.
Gear Up For War With the Armor God!
Jesus opens the door to a power you can’t find anywhere else in the universe. If you wish to be prepared for the next demonic encounter, you must “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world.” (Ephesians 6)
What is this armor of God? God doesn’t leave it as a riddle. The rest of this section in Ephesians neatly lays out exactly what you need:
In every corner lurks an enemy intent on your demise. He hides in plain sight. He preys on the weak and strong alike. And there’s no place on earth where you can escape his reach.
- Belt = truth
- Breastplate = righteousness (provided by Jesus)
- Foot protection = readiness
- Shield = faith (works against Satan’s flaming arrows)
- Helmet = salvation (through Christ)
- Sword = God’s word, a.k.a. The Bible
And, of course, you need a way to communicate with your commander. No, I’m not talking about snagging a pair of high-tech walkie-talkies. I’ve got something even better, something that won’t cut out during a solar storm or satellite malfunction.
I’m talking about prayer.
But How Do I Use My Armor?
John, our friend from the above story, was given a chest of tools to use in battle—tools that remained useless until he learned how to use them. You’ve also been given a set of tools, none of which will work if you don’t know how to use them.
So learn how to use them! Hop on over to Armor of God 101, where I explain each piece of gear and its use in greater detail. Consider it a crash course in spiritual warfare for Christian teens.
And never forget you are at war. May the best alien win!
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
Trusting in Jesus as our Savior, we can stand strong against all the devil’s scheme’s. Yes, put on the full armor of God and pray! God Blessings, Lauren. ??♥️✝️?
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