Persecution as Spiritual Warfare

What do you think of when you hear the term spiritual warfare? Christians of some denominational traditions use it to describe exorcisms, or prayers for deliverance from “generational sins,” or of unseen battles as angelic and demonic forces struggle for influence over people and societies. Christians of other traditions rarely use the term at all, or they may use it primarily to describe inner struggles with sin and temptation.

I won’t attempt to resolve those differences here. Instead, I’d like to draw attention to another aspect of our spiritual warfare that the Scriptures repeatedly reference, and that we often fail to notice when they discuss it. I’d like to discuss the role that persecution plays in our spiritual struggle.

Persecution as Spiritual Warfare in the Scriptures

Consider how we read 1 Peter 5:8, which tells us that “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” This passage is often quoted by Christians seeking to “bind” demonic powers oppressing people or societies. It’s also often quoted by well-meaning pastors trying to strengthen members of their flocks against temptation. But it was originally intended to encourage to Christians to stand fast during persecution. After all, Peter says in the following verse, “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world,” (1 Pet. 5:9) and he is clear at multiple points in his letter that he is writing to persecuted Christians (see, e.g., 1 Pet. 3:14-15, 4:16-18).

If we tend to misread 1 Peter 5, we simply fail to notice how often New Testament authors ascribe the persecution of Jesus (John 13:2, 14:30) and his righteous people (1 John 3:12; Rev. 2:10, 2:13) to the devil. Thus, while our struggle is against unseen spiritual powers (Eph. 6:12), we shouldn’t assume that we—as flesh-and-blood people—won’t primarily experience those struggles in very visible, tangible ways. After all, it was an unseen devil who instigated Jesus’s arrest (John 13:2) and crucifixion (John 14:30), but the crucifixion was still carried out by visible, tangible local authorities and their henchmen. And in a chilling but unfamiliar passage, Revelation describes the devil “[making] war on. . . those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. . .” (Rev. 12:17), and giving his authority to a beast (Rev. 13:2) to “make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it. . .” (Rev. 13:7-8). We can’t afford to miss what’s happened here—in a terrible reverse Great Commission, the devil has used persecution to seize the worship that is due to Jesus (see Rev. 5:9, 7:9) from every “tribe and people and language and nation.”

But how is the devil able to use persecution so effectively? The book of Hebrews gives us a clue, when the author reminds his persecuted readers—some of whom he implies may face martyrdom soon (Heb. 12:4)—that the devil, who has “the power of death” and would use the “fear of death” to keep them “subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb. 2:14–15). The threat of death is enough to stop many from believing in Jesus—or even considering his claims. Think of what Jesus says to Peter before the crucifixion, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat. . . ” (Luke 22:31). Satan and his persecutors are coming for Jesus, and Jesus knows that they will appear to have the upper hand. This will test Peter’s faith so severely that Jesus continues, “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31). Persecution makes Jesus appear to be a source of trouble, rather than deliverance, and Satan hopes this illusion will deceive Peter into giving up his faith.

After all, spiritual warfare is first and foremost a battle against deception. That’s why Paul says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4–5, emphasis mine). Paul’s focus isn’t on naming and binding various demonic powers, or on cancelling generational curses through prayer. It isn’t even specifically on resisting sin’s enticements. Instead, it’s on bringing our arguments, opinions, and thoughts in submission to Christ. This is exactly where the challenge of persecution hits us. Persecution provides an avenue for our thoughts to go astray, and our faith to falter.

Implications for Missionaries Today

What does all this mean for missionaries today?

First, we need to realize that equipping new believers to stand against persecution is an absolutely essential part of disciple-making. Reconversion rates are far higher than we would wish in many parts of the unreached world, and this is especially the case in unreached areas, where persecution is more severe. New believers facing persecution will experience harsh spiritual warfare. We must equip them for the battle that lies ahead.

Second, if the fear of death is the means by which persecution enslaves people, we need to equip people to stand against it by emphasizing resurrection and reward. People who truly to believe they will be resurrected to eternal glory can’t fear death in the same way they used to. That’s why the disciples are so much braver after seeing the resurrected Jesus—seeing him has left no doubt in their minds that eternal life is real. Remember, the temptation of persecution is to believe that Jesus is as silent and as weak as the false gods, and that following him leads to forsakenness rather than glory. The resurrection proves that the opposite is true. Not only does Jesus redeem those who seek him, but his redemption is the one reality solid enough to remain

standing when the battle is over. Millions of years after sufferings, persecutions, and tribulations have faded into the distant past, Jesus and his saints will still be ruling over creation in a state of eternal blessedness. And this truth is of fundamental, credal importance. People who truly believe it will be unable to return to their previous belief systems, no matter how much pressure they may face: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. . .” (John 6:68).

Last, while we shouldn’t seek out suffering, missionaries must be ready ourselves to weather whatever suffering God may ordain for us. In Paul’s words, we are “afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies” (2 Cor. 4:8–10). It is as people see us bear suffering and not be crushed by it that the power of Jesus’s resurrection life is revealed in us.

It isn’t enough for people to prefer Jesus to other religious teachers, or to see his teachings as more beautiful and true. It isn’t even enough for people to realize their sinfulness and need for grace. Until they believe that Jesus will save them from any trouble that befalls them—even death itself—people haven’t yet entered into saving faith. And their faith won’t be strong enough to carry them through the trials of persecution.

Conclusion

To engage in missionary work is to engage in spiritual struggle. But often, the spiritual battle we face is not the one we would have imagined. Various denominational traditions emphasize struggles in unseen spiritual realms—the casting down of “strongholds” and the binding of regional demonic authorities and curses—but the Scriptures would tell us that spiritual warfare may not involve “power encounters.” Other denominational traditions would emphasize the quiet inward struggle of the saints against temptation. But the scriptures would tell us that the warfare waged against us need not be unseen or quiet. It also comes in the tangible, heartbreaking struggles of persecuted saints against fear, threats, bereavement, torture, confinement, and loss. Christ himself warned us that persecution would often be enough to stop the seed of the Word from growing, and it plays a major role in stopping people from coming to faith in nearly all of the driest and neediest mission fields in the world today. We can’t afford to miss the implication: we must prepare new believers to weather these storms if we want our message to bear lasting fruit.