The Strategy of Successful Generals

It was no accident that Paul used military terms to describe our Christian lives. He knew that our interaction with Satan was not a game, but a real war with serious consequences. Paul also told us how to be prepared for this conflict in order to be victorious.

Thinking about spiritual warfare, it can be insightful to consider the analysis of military historian Bevin Alexander. From his studies, he discovered the “remarkable fact” that great generals tend to avoid direct attacks. Instead, “practically all their successful moves have been made against the enemy’s flank or rear, either actual or psychological.”

These kinds of attacks distract an enemy and cut them off from their supplies and reinforcements. According to Alexander’s research, they lose their “confidence and sense of security.”

Satan is like one of these generals. His strategy is to attack us where we are vulnerable and our defenses are weak. Where we are least prepared and he can do the most damage.

If we want to be victorious, we must remember that Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44). He is a master of deception and trickery, frequently attacking our minds and emotions.

Nothing is free from the enemy’s attack. We know he can disguise himself as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Though he is full of deceit, he can appear harmless and innocent, trustworthy and admirable.

In your life, make sure you’re prepared for battle. Follow Paul’s warnings. Seek to speak the truth and do what is right. Always stand firm, and refuse to give in to compromise. Seek to be a witness for the Gospel and a messenger of peace. Remember the power of faith, and learn how to use it as a shield. And devote yourself to knowing and living by God’s Word, which is “the sword of the Spirit” (v. 17).