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Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective
"Spiritual Warfare is thoughtful, biblical, theological, accessible, and impactful. The book is exegetical and expository without feeling like a commentary or running homily. In it, authors Borgman and Ventura make much of Christ and what He has done without negating the reality of our adversary and the real danger he presents, as well as our call to faith, righteousness, prayer, and perseverance that flows directly from our Savior's finished work. What a timely, refreshing, encouraging, convicting, and empowering book! I can't wait to get it in front of our people." Voddie Baucham Jr. serves as pastor of preaching at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas, and is author of Family Shepherds.
128 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2013
73 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Brian S. Borgman
11 books11 followersBrian S. Borgman is the founding pastor of Grace Community Church in Minden, Nevada. He earned the DMin from Westminster Seminary California and is the author of My Heart for Thy Cause. He and his wife have three children and live in northwestern Nevada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 7, 2025
So much good.
April 15, 2024
3.9 Stars
A good book that is very Biblical. I was expecting more of a systematic overview of spiritual warfare, but this book is actually a Biblical exposition of Ephesians 6:10-18 (armor of God). It was a very true and helpful book and a great reminder of the active obedience of the Christian life. Though I was still hoping for a more comprehensive coverage on the topic of spiritual warfare. Otherwise, I'd still recommend this is a good and accessible devotional book.
A good book that is very Biblical. I was expecting more of a systematic overview of spiritual warfare, but this book is actually a Biblical exposition of Ephesians 6:10-18 (armor of God). It was a very true and helpful book and a great reminder of the active obedience of the Christian life. Though I was still hoping for a more comprehensive coverage on the topic of spiritual warfare. Otherwise, I'd still recommend this is a good and accessible devotional book.
January 30, 2025
The thing made most clear in this book: spiritual warfare is real and all Jesus-followers need to be aware of that.
The thing not made clear: what spiritual warfare is, examples of spiritual warfare, any other details about the nature of spiritual warfare.
In reality this book was mostly a thorough explanation of Ephesians 6:10-20 and the armor of God, which was helpful but not exactly what I was expecting or wanting from a book titled “Spiritual Warfare.”
The thing not made clear: what spiritual warfare is, examples of spiritual warfare, any other details about the nature of spiritual warfare.
In reality this book was mostly a thorough explanation of Ephesians 6:10-20 and the armor of God, which was helpful but not exactly what I was expecting or wanting from a book titled “Spiritual Warfare.”
February 18, 2019
A solid, biblical, practical book on spiritual warfare the Christian's armor.
February 2, 2014
The Apostle Paul makes no qualms in Ephesians 6 that as believers, we are necessarily engaged in a spiritual battle. The problem within evangelical Christianity is often the approach to this battle. Some ignore the fight we are in apparently feeling it is not relevant to their daily life while others have a tendency to over spiritualize everything that takes place in life. Both extremes are dangerous in their own right. What is needed is a balanced biblical approach to the reality of this spiritual warfare and it such an approach that is provided in a helpful book called Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical & Balance Perspective by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura.
Borgman and Ventura rightly note this spiritual battle has been waged since the days of Adam and Eve when the deceiver twisted God’s words in the Garden of Eden. God stated in Genesis 3:15 that the struggle between the seed of the deceiver and the seed of the woman (Eve) would continue with the final result being the destruction of the evil one and his seed. So the end of this battle has been clearly outlined; however, until the end of all things comes with the return of Christ, believers will be engaged in spiritual warfare against this pernicious enemy.
The method by which we are to fight is not comprised of clever chants, formulaic prescriptions, mustering enough faith, or seeing a demon behind every sniffle or cold. Conversely, as Borgman and Ventura brilliantly outline in this book, the weapons of our warfare are not flesh and blood or the aforementioned spiritually incorrect machinations of man. The method and the weapons by which we are to fight the enemy are outlined for us by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6 and it is the discussion of these weapons with which Borgman and Ventura spend the vast majority of their effort expounding upon to the benefit of anyone who reads this book.
The first item on the docket that Borgman and Ventura examine is the place from which the believer’s strength is derived. They rightly note “Our first step in successfully waging spiritual warfare is recognizing our weakness and the Lord’s great strength. Self-sufficiency is a killer in this battle; dependence on Christ is crucial.” Once one understand that the strength to fight this battle is derived from God, it is then and only then that grasping how the armor of God works can take place. It is this discussion that Borgman and Ventura shift to next beginning with an exhortation to put on the whole armor of God, not leaving any part of it unused. This idea of putting on the armor of God comes from a Pauline expression noted by Borgman and Ventura to be intimately related to our identity in Christ. Since our strength comes from God, it is important to understand that our armor also comes from God. The authors aptly note “When we put on God’s armor, we are doing more than applying a technique or method. We are doing something personal; we are putting on Christ Himself.”
The purpose of this armor is for the believer to stand. I think this is an element most people overlook as they race to trying to define and understand the individual parts of the armor itself. Understanding the purpose of the armor is extremely important and I appreciated the attention to this detail that Borgman and Ventura provide. Standing does not merely imply a lack of retreat against the forces of darkness. It also demonstrates the reality of our victory. As Borgman and Ventura rightly state, “This reality is glorious. For God not only provides His people with divinely impenetrable armor, but He also motivates them to wear it by holding out the prospect of success.” So despite the scars we may incur in this battle, we fight because we know the victory is ultimately ours.
Another important element of understanding the overall nature of this spiritual battle is being able to assess the schemes or plans of the enemy. Just as in the physical realm, a successful battle can only be waged with a solid plan of attack based on intelligence of the enemy’s movements, so to our spiritual battle is fought successfully when we are aware of how our enemy operates. Borgman and Ventura do a great job of outlining what Scripture has to say about our enemy and his end goal. Ultimately, our enemy spends a great deal of time trying to twist and manipulate God’s word which is an offensive weapon of believers. This means, as Borgman and Ventura state, that knowing the machinations of the enemy, namely his attempt to cause us to mishandle the sword of truth, means “We desperately need to study our Bibles so that we know what passage will help us in our own particular fight against sin.”
I also appreciated the summation of their various points provided at the conclusion of this book. The reiteration of the important statements made throughout this book as a going away point of emphasis will leave the reader with the ability to truly understand the nature of the battle, just who the enemy is and his battle plan, how we are to fight this battle, and the fact that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus our Lord. By putting on the full armor of God, we can stand as victors, not because of our spiritual strength, but rather because of what Christ did for us. Furthermore, by stressing the need for prayer in this battle, the reader will be well equipped to understand that our marching orders come from God in His word and we can know how the battle is to be fought and we can fight it while along the way worshiping and praising God as we march against the stronghold of the enemy looking forward to that glorious day of redemption.
In a day when clever tactics are often replacing biblically sound methodologies for spiritual warfare, Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura provide a needed correction for the believer. Full of sound biblical doctrine, Spiritual Warfare is a book that should find its way on the shelf of every believer. It is more than just another walk through Ephesians 6. Conversely, it demonstrates a holistic understanding of what the Apostle Paul is sharing in that chapter to include providing the believer with a firm grasp on why this topic is important.
I received this book for free from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Borgman and Ventura rightly note this spiritual battle has been waged since the days of Adam and Eve when the deceiver twisted God’s words in the Garden of Eden. God stated in Genesis 3:15 that the struggle between the seed of the deceiver and the seed of the woman (Eve) would continue with the final result being the destruction of the evil one and his seed. So the end of this battle has been clearly outlined; however, until the end of all things comes with the return of Christ, believers will be engaged in spiritual warfare against this pernicious enemy.
The method by which we are to fight is not comprised of clever chants, formulaic prescriptions, mustering enough faith, or seeing a demon behind every sniffle or cold. Conversely, as Borgman and Ventura brilliantly outline in this book, the weapons of our warfare are not flesh and blood or the aforementioned spiritually incorrect machinations of man. The method and the weapons by which we are to fight the enemy are outlined for us by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6 and it is the discussion of these weapons with which Borgman and Ventura spend the vast majority of their effort expounding upon to the benefit of anyone who reads this book.
The first item on the docket that Borgman and Ventura examine is the place from which the believer’s strength is derived. They rightly note “Our first step in successfully waging spiritual warfare is recognizing our weakness and the Lord’s great strength. Self-sufficiency is a killer in this battle; dependence on Christ is crucial.” Once one understand that the strength to fight this battle is derived from God, it is then and only then that grasping how the armor of God works can take place. It is this discussion that Borgman and Ventura shift to next beginning with an exhortation to put on the whole armor of God, not leaving any part of it unused. This idea of putting on the armor of God comes from a Pauline expression noted by Borgman and Ventura to be intimately related to our identity in Christ. Since our strength comes from God, it is important to understand that our armor also comes from God. The authors aptly note “When we put on God’s armor, we are doing more than applying a technique or method. We are doing something personal; we are putting on Christ Himself.”
The purpose of this armor is for the believer to stand. I think this is an element most people overlook as they race to trying to define and understand the individual parts of the armor itself. Understanding the purpose of the armor is extremely important and I appreciated the attention to this detail that Borgman and Ventura provide. Standing does not merely imply a lack of retreat against the forces of darkness. It also demonstrates the reality of our victory. As Borgman and Ventura rightly state, “This reality is glorious. For God not only provides His people with divinely impenetrable armor, but He also motivates them to wear it by holding out the prospect of success.” So despite the scars we may incur in this battle, we fight because we know the victory is ultimately ours.
Another important element of understanding the overall nature of this spiritual battle is being able to assess the schemes or plans of the enemy. Just as in the physical realm, a successful battle can only be waged with a solid plan of attack based on intelligence of the enemy’s movements, so to our spiritual battle is fought successfully when we are aware of how our enemy operates. Borgman and Ventura do a great job of outlining what Scripture has to say about our enemy and his end goal. Ultimately, our enemy spends a great deal of time trying to twist and manipulate God’s word which is an offensive weapon of believers. This means, as Borgman and Ventura state, that knowing the machinations of the enemy, namely his attempt to cause us to mishandle the sword of truth, means “We desperately need to study our Bibles so that we know what passage will help us in our own particular fight against sin.”
I also appreciated the summation of their various points provided at the conclusion of this book. The reiteration of the important statements made throughout this book as a going away point of emphasis will leave the reader with the ability to truly understand the nature of the battle, just who the enemy is and his battle plan, how we are to fight this battle, and the fact that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus our Lord. By putting on the full armor of God, we can stand as victors, not because of our spiritual strength, but rather because of what Christ did for us. Furthermore, by stressing the need for prayer in this battle, the reader will be well equipped to understand that our marching orders come from God in His word and we can know how the battle is to be fought and we can fight it while along the way worshiping and praising God as we march against the stronghold of the enemy looking forward to that glorious day of redemption.
In a day when clever tactics are often replacing biblically sound methodologies for spiritual warfare, Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura provide a needed correction for the believer. Full of sound biblical doctrine, Spiritual Warfare is a book that should find its way on the shelf of every believer. It is more than just another walk through Ephesians 6. Conversely, it demonstrates a holistic understanding of what the Apostle Paul is sharing in that chapter to include providing the believer with a firm grasp on why this topic is important.
I received this book for free from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 11, 2023
I put Spiritual Warfare on my TBR list after meeting Brian Borgman at a conference and being greatly encouraged by his testimony of God’s grace through suffering through a brain tumor. There are not many balanced books on this topic but this one is. It’s engaging and practical too. The devil is not in every flat tire we experience but he is a foe that we are warned to do battle with in this world, though he is already defeated. I understand Ephesians 6:10-17 better after reading this book.
July 25, 2017
Well worth reading and valuable indeed to apply daily!
February 6, 2014
Spiritual Warfare Review
Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced View
By Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura
Published by Reformation Heritage Books
124 pages (including three appendixes and no index)
Rating: 5 stars
Let me just start off by saying spiritual warfare is something I have not researched in depth prior to this book. Now that most of the readers have moved on to a different review I want to thank you for sticking with me!
I teach Bible to juniors and seniors and the topic of demon possession and spiritual warfare comes up on a regular basis. They want to know what can happen to them, what demons can and can’t do and how to make sense of all the verses about it in the Bible. This is to be expected with Hollywood’s infatuation with demonic activity and demon possession. I still remember a dark night when I sat down and read This Present Darkness and how that changed my view of the world around me. I also remember reading Stephen King’s It as well, wondering how much was left out of the Bible’s description of demons and could they actually become clowns (I still think they can, I just don’t have any verses to prove it). The spiritual world is very real, however, the stuff being taught in our society are either half-truths or out-right lies. So it is very encouraging to read a book like this one.
This book is laid out pretty simply, and by that I mean it follows the structure of the Bible. The book follows closely the Armor of God passage found in Ephesians 6. Each chapter takes a part of the Armor of God and breaks down how the Bible explains the piece of armor and the description of the armor. The author relies heavily on the text and I find this refreshing. Instead of looking at what tradition or religious people have said about spiritual warfare the authors dig into the Bible and only discuss what the Bible says and what others have said about those passages. Throughout these chapters you will find quotes from John Piper, C.S. Lewis, J.I. Packer, John Stott and many more. You will not find anecdotal stories of demon possession or spiritual warfare. Instead you will find, like the subtitle states, a Biblical and balanced view of spiritual warfare. Now don’t get me wrong the authors hit on all the hot button issues (though leaving one or two questions for the appendixes) and they do not limit themselves to just the Ephesians passages. The Ephesians passages are just the backbone for this incredible little book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in either spiritual warfare or for someone interested in studying Ephesians for themselves.
Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced View
By Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura
Published by Reformation Heritage Books
124 pages (including three appendixes and no index)
Rating: 5 stars
Let me just start off by saying spiritual warfare is something I have not researched in depth prior to this book. Now that most of the readers have moved on to a different review I want to thank you for sticking with me!
I teach Bible to juniors and seniors and the topic of demon possession and spiritual warfare comes up on a regular basis. They want to know what can happen to them, what demons can and can’t do and how to make sense of all the verses about it in the Bible. This is to be expected with Hollywood’s infatuation with demonic activity and demon possession. I still remember a dark night when I sat down and read This Present Darkness and how that changed my view of the world around me. I also remember reading Stephen King’s It as well, wondering how much was left out of the Bible’s description of demons and could they actually become clowns (I still think they can, I just don’t have any verses to prove it). The spiritual world is very real, however, the stuff being taught in our society are either half-truths or out-right lies. So it is very encouraging to read a book like this one.
This book is laid out pretty simply, and by that I mean it follows the structure of the Bible. The book follows closely the Armor of God passage found in Ephesians 6. Each chapter takes a part of the Armor of God and breaks down how the Bible explains the piece of armor and the description of the armor. The author relies heavily on the text and I find this refreshing. Instead of looking at what tradition or religious people have said about spiritual warfare the authors dig into the Bible and only discuss what the Bible says and what others have said about those passages. Throughout these chapters you will find quotes from John Piper, C.S. Lewis, J.I. Packer, John Stott and many more. You will not find anecdotal stories of demon possession or spiritual warfare. Instead you will find, like the subtitle states, a Biblical and balanced view of spiritual warfare. Now don’t get me wrong the authors hit on all the hot button issues (though leaving one or two questions for the appendixes) and they do not limit themselves to just the Ephesians passages. The Ephesians passages are just the backbone for this incredible little book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in either spiritual warfare or for someone interested in studying Ephesians for themselves.
April 21, 2018
A short but thorough exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20. For all the hype about spiritual warfare and innovative techniques like “territorial mapping” and “strategic level spiritual warfare,” it’s refreshing to see two authors see what Scripture actually has to say about our very real battle against the spiritual powers of darkness at work in the world.
A helpful resource to give to local church members struggling with or confused by this topic. Readers will come away equipped and encouraged.
A helpful resource to give to local church members struggling with or confused by this topic. Readers will come away equipped and encouraged.
January 28, 2014
Very balanced approach to spiritual warfare. I've read a lot of nonsense that was passing for biblical approaches to spiritual warfare that was pure speculation, this was not.
I recommend anyone looking to understand Ephesians 6:10-20 better, pick this book up first.
I recommend anyone looking to understand Ephesians 6:10-20 better, pick this book up first.
September 13, 2019
The title says it all. This book is biblical and balanced. Neither seeing the devil under every bush nor ignoring his existence and never forgetting the Christ has already defeated his enemies at the cross. A very helpful and practical book for the believer.
July 26, 2016
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, makingsupplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Again, Reformation Heritage Books offers an extremely practical and convicting work. Using Ephesians 6:10-20 as the Scriptural foundation and motivation for this influential book, authors Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura bring the reader verse by verse through these verses which emphasize the need to be dressed in the full armour of God.
An author is quoted in one of the early chapters of Spiritual Warfare...the quote basically emphasizes that it would be ridiculous for a soldier to refuse one or another portion of his protective armor; how can Christians think they can stand the 'wiles of the devil' without the 'full armor of God'?
I found Spiritual Warfare an easy read, yet a thought-provoking one as well.
The thirteen chapters are encouragingly easy short for the time-deprived reader. Each chapter finishes with probing questions which help the reader remember what was just learned as well as inspiring further study. I would recommend taking this book slowly and really pondering on each portion, answering the reflective questions in a notebook, devotional-style.
Description of the book from the website: Too often, Christians today either sensationalize the subject of spiritual warfare by obsessing over demon possession, exorcisms, binding the devil, and rebuking demons, or they minimize the idea and are unprepared for the real struggle they face against principalities and powers. Pastors Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura provide a balanced approach that exposes the fictions and superstitions surrounding this vital doctrine and at the same time reveal the unseen realities of this struggle. Basing their battle plan on Ephesians 6:10–20, the authors give an overview of the battle, a guide to the armor God gives us, and instruction regarding the vital wartime disciplines of prayer and proclamation of the Word. By learning to think biblically about this subject, Christians are enabled to deflect the blows of their adversary, fight sin, and live God-glorifying lives as followers of Jesus.
About the Authors:
Brian Borgman is founding pastor of Grace Community Church in Minden, NV. He has written articles for The Southern Baptist Theological Journal, Reformation and Revival Journal and the Gospel Coalition. He has also written, My Heart For Thy Cause (Mentor, 2002) and Feelings and Faith (Crossway, 2009). He holds degrees from Biola University, Western Seminary and Westminster Seminary.
Rob Ventura is one of the pastors of Grace Community Baptist Church of North Providence, Rhode Island. He is a contributing author and blogger for Reformation 21 the online magazine of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and co-authored A Portrait of Paul on Reformation Heritage Books (2010). He has written articles for The Founders Journal and The Journal of Modern Ministry. He was also the editor of Greg Nichols’ book on Covenant Theology (Solid Ground Christian Books). He is a graduate of Reformed Baptist Seminary SC.
Since I realize that my opinion can hardly have much weight, I add the words of Paul Washer about this book:"Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective is a wake up call to every minister of Christ that our work is not merely academic or intellectual, but also spiritual and supernatural. We have forces arrayed against us that cannot be defeated with any human armament. I fear that this theme has been too often ignored by the biblical scholar and too often exaggerated by those whose conclusions are not grounded in the Scriptures. For this reason, this balanced treatment will be a tremendous benefit to pastor and layperson alike." - Paul Washer
Voddie Baucham recommends this book as well:“Spiritual Warfare is thoughtful, biblical, theological, accessible, and impactful. The book is exegetical and expository without feeling like a commentary or running homily. In it, authors Borgman and Ventura make much of Christ and what He has done without negating the reality of our adversary and the real danger he presents, as well as our call to faith, righteousness, prayer, and perseverance that flows directly from our Savior’s finished work. What a timely, refreshing, encouraging, convicting, and empowering book! I can’t wait to get it in front of our people.”
— Voddie Baucham Jr. pastor of preaching at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas; author of Family Shepherds.
April 4, 2019
Solid and helpful - lives up to its title
Borgman & Ventura do a great job helping us to avoid the two extremes of naturalism (the avoidance of considering supernatural entities as behind human events) and excessive supernaturalism (where there is a demon behind every encounter). They give us a really helpful survey of Ephesians 6 (the Armour of God) in particular and help us time and again to be aware of Satan’s devices, our own weakness, and God’s supreme strength to equip us to win each and every battle as we fight alongside one another for the King and the Kingdom, drawing in as many lost souls as we can along the way.
Borgman & Ventura do a great job helping us to avoid the two extremes of naturalism (the avoidance of considering supernatural entities as behind human events) and excessive supernaturalism (where there is a demon behind every encounter). They give us a really helpful survey of Ephesians 6 (the Armour of God) in particular and help us time and again to be aware of Satan’s devices, our own weakness, and God’s supreme strength to equip us to win each and every battle as we fight alongside one another for the King and the Kingdom, drawing in as many lost souls as we can along the way.
October 14, 2023
This book takes a thorough look at the Christian’s defensive armor and the offensive weapons of the Word and prayer. We must use these against the onslaught of the enemy. Christians must resist sin and share the gospel with lost and wandering Souls. We must not only know the ways of the Lord, but also be aware of the tactics of our enemy so that we can be effective in building and advancing God’s Kingdom. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Cor. 10:4)
January 5, 2024
Una Lectura obligada
Es un escrito corto, pero lleno de mucha profundidad y conocimiento. Sus expresiones vierten desde el conocimiento teológico y un dominio del contexto cultural. Exelente
Es un escrito corto, pero lleno de mucha profundidad y conocimiento. Sus expresiones vierten desde el conocimiento teológico y un dominio del contexto cultural. Exelente
June 16, 2025
Brian Borgman and Robin Ventura offer up a well-written, concise handling of Ephesians 6:10-20. The lean into a strong hermeneutical approach, showing that one can avoid charismatic extremism while grasping firmly to Paul's admonition about spiritual warfare. Well-written and worth the read!
March 12, 2018
A good, solid review of The Apostle Paul’s admonishment to wage spiritual warfare every day, to think and fight biblically.
May 11, 2018
Very good and helpful.
December 24, 2019
Very well-balanced, thorough, scriptural and helpful book on spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-18).
January 6, 2020
Lives up to its name. Quite biblical, quite balanced.
September 2, 2021
book on Ephesians 6:10-20 & easy to follow!
February 4, 2023
Very good book. As advertised, it’s quite balanced and gives Christ-followers good advice on dealing with a very real challenge.
March 13, 2023
Great resource for those who have never understood how the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20) affects believers in their daily walk with Christ.
May 23, 2024
Good, short, practical exposition and application of the Armour of God in Ephesians 6.
February 24, 2014
The subject of spiritual warfare evokes a wide variety of thoughts and discussions in the Christian community. Early on in my Christian walk I was exposed to a facet of spiritual warfare that I knew very little about, and it was the “binding and loosing” of different types of demons. The surprising part of this admission is the fact that this “binding and loosing” was taking place from the pulpit of a Reformed Southern Baptist Church. As someone who was saved out of the American Catholic Church, and under the preaching of an Independent Baptist Church Pastor, my exposure to spiritual warfare was limited to the exorcisms that were portrayed by Hollywood as abnormal occurrences. Therefore, when God led me to visit the Reformed Southern Baptist Church that I previously mentioned in this review, I was completely taken aback when the Senior Pastor began “binding and loosing” demons from the pulpit.
My initial thought as I was sitting in the congregation was “Is this biblical?” I firmly recognized that I was limited in my understanding of true Christian theology, so I tried to give the Pastor the benefit of the doubt but something kept gnawing at the back of my mind. I just could not get comfortable with how the Pastor was practicing spiritual warfare. Therefore, I made a determination to study the Word of God thoroughly, and to get as many books as I could on the subject to see what other Christians had to say about spiritual warfare. I realized pretty quickly that the Bible didn’t approach spiritual warfare the same way that my Pastor did, and I also realized that, outside of charismatic circles, there really wasn’t a ton written on this subject. Outside of John MacArthur’s How to Meet The Enemy and William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour, there really wasn’t a bunch of other books by non-charismatics (at the time I was doing this study, which was almost 10 years ago). As I was reading Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura, I found myself wishing that this book would have been written 10 years ago as it would have saved me a ton of time and wasted money on other books less biblical in their approach to spiritual warfare.
Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective is not an exhaustive handling of the subject of spiritual warfare, but it is a good introduction and faithfully explains Ephesians 6:10-20. One of the great features of this book (and there are many) is the fact that Brian and Rob provide readers with the historical background of the church in Ephesus while also showing how the pre-salvation background of the members of the church played a big part in their struggles with spiritual warfare. In addition to this the authors also explain how to understand the truth of God’s Word on spiritual warfare for everyday life. As Brian and Rob state on page 17:
“Since it is common for believers to deeply regret their wicked lives before Christ rescued them, it could be that their occultist pasts were haunting some converted Ephesians. Perhaps they even lived in fear of the spiritual powers with which they had been acquainted. As we come to Ephesians 6:10-20, we see that the apostle does not dismiss the realities of the powers, like a parent reassuring a child that there really is not a monster under his bed. Rather, he validates spiritual realities and equips the believers for the battle at hand.”
In Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective each piece of spiritual armor is faithful unpacked for the reader. The importance of each piece by itself is shown, but also how each piece is integrated with all of the other pieces of armour that God provides for our spiritual protection as “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
While this is not an exhaustive book on the subject of spiritual warfare, Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective is a fantastic starting place for those who want to understand what the Bible teaches in Ephesians 6:10-20, and how we can daily put on Christ. As Brian and Rob say, “Since Christ is all-sufficient, everything that we need to be covered is found in Him. All truth is connected to Him (John 14:6). All righteousness has its source in Him (1 Cor. 1:30). He is the central subject of the gospel of peace, for He is our peace (Eph. 2:14)-and so on through the list (6:14-17).” I highly recommend Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective and pray the Lord uses it powerfully to help people understand spiritual warfare from the Word of God.
I received a free copy of this book from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2021
A primer on biblical spiritual warfare that doesn't get lost in craziness of being demon obsessed like many North American evangelicals are. Nor does it embrace the faulty belief that we are nothing but insignificant animals on a rock in space by chance. It embraces a balanced view of the Bible and reality. This book coupled with David Powlison's "Safe and Sound: Standing Firm in Spiritual Battles" are a fantastic pairing for any Christian on their sojourn towards the celestial city.
February 16, 2014
Typically I avoid Christian books on spiritual warfare like the plague because the genre is flooded by works that are speculative, sensational and short on Scriptural support. I was of the opinion that even the books out there that are biblically driven must not have much to say. It’s with that prejudice that I must say I was pleasantly surprised and edified by this book.
In the introduction to the book, both co-authors Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura cautioned readers that when it comes to the topic of spiritual warfare one must avoid one extreme or the other: there are those who are speculative and see spiritual warfare in everything that occur while on the one hand we have those Christians who fail to realize that there are genuine spiritual beings in the demonic realm. I myself tend to fall under the latter.
The book is largely an exposition and application of Ephesians 6:10-20. What surprised me with this work was how much it is driven by the exposition of the Scripture and no doubt one can tell from the book that both authors are expositional preachers. Chapter one through thirteen breaks down Ephesians 6:10-20 with chapter one even providing the background of first century Ephesus to illuminate the topic of spiritual warfare: It was a city of a large following for the cult of Artemis and hospitable to various occultic practices; elsewhere in Scripture we also know that the believers burned their magic books and a riot even ensued because of the commercial impact of occultic religious market as a result of the fear of the impact of the Gospel. Beginning with verse ten the book exhort believers to be strong in the Lord (chapter one) then explained how God has given us resources for the Christian life of spiritual warfare (chapter two). Both chapters three and four establish the need for why the spiritual armor provided by God is important and it was reminder for me to realize that the Christian life is warfare, with real enemies of God who want to see Christians fall, fail and be fruitless.
I can honestly say I learned some new things as a result of reading this book, even though I thought I was quite familiar with Ephesians. The author did a good job of bringing a few exegetical insights from the Greek (such as observation of the significance of a verb’s tense, purpose clause, prepositions, lexical meaning, etc) and yet it was done in a way that was friendly towards a general Christian reading audience. The footnotes in various chapters indicate that the two authors did their homework (for instance, their interaction with Ephesians’ critical commentaries) and also sought other insight of a more devotional flavor. The book is a fine example of how exegesis can be practical for the Christian life!
I think the best recommendation one can give for a book is how it ministered to their lives. As a result of reading this book I was encouraged to see prayer as integral to fighting the good fight in the Christian life and was convicted that my prayer life could be better. I was also reminded that Satan really wants believers to fall and has many schemes against the believers, and how much more we should seek Jesus Christ for help and apply the provisions of grace given to us as a gift.
I recommend this book and I plan to read this through this again as a resource the next time I preach in Ephesians 6.
NOTE: I received this book for free from the publisher Reformation Heritage Books through Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for my honest opinion. The thoughts and words are my own and I was under no obligation to provide a favorable review.
In the introduction to the book, both co-authors Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura cautioned readers that when it comes to the topic of spiritual warfare one must avoid one extreme or the other: there are those who are speculative and see spiritual warfare in everything that occur while on the one hand we have those Christians who fail to realize that there are genuine spiritual beings in the demonic realm. I myself tend to fall under the latter.
The book is largely an exposition and application of Ephesians 6:10-20. What surprised me with this work was how much it is driven by the exposition of the Scripture and no doubt one can tell from the book that both authors are expositional preachers. Chapter one through thirteen breaks down Ephesians 6:10-20 with chapter one even providing the background of first century Ephesus to illuminate the topic of spiritual warfare: It was a city of a large following for the cult of Artemis and hospitable to various occultic practices; elsewhere in Scripture we also know that the believers burned their magic books and a riot even ensued because of the commercial impact of occultic religious market as a result of the fear of the impact of the Gospel. Beginning with verse ten the book exhort believers to be strong in the Lord (chapter one) then explained how God has given us resources for the Christian life of spiritual warfare (chapter two). Both chapters three and four establish the need for why the spiritual armor provided by God is important and it was reminder for me to realize that the Christian life is warfare, with real enemies of God who want to see Christians fall, fail and be fruitless.
I can honestly say I learned some new things as a result of reading this book, even though I thought I was quite familiar with Ephesians. The author did a good job of bringing a few exegetical insights from the Greek (such as observation of the significance of a verb’s tense, purpose clause, prepositions, lexical meaning, etc) and yet it was done in a way that was friendly towards a general Christian reading audience. The footnotes in various chapters indicate that the two authors did their homework (for instance, their interaction with Ephesians’ critical commentaries) and also sought other insight of a more devotional flavor. The book is a fine example of how exegesis can be practical for the Christian life!
I think the best recommendation one can give for a book is how it ministered to their lives. As a result of reading this book I was encouraged to see prayer as integral to fighting the good fight in the Christian life and was convicted that my prayer life could be better. I was also reminded that Satan really wants believers to fall and has many schemes against the believers, and how much more we should seek Jesus Christ for help and apply the provisions of grace given to us as a gift.
I recommend this book and I plan to read this through this again as a resource the next time I preach in Ephesians 6.
NOTE: I received this book for free from the publisher Reformation Heritage Books through Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for my honest opinion. The thoughts and words are my own and I was under no obligation to provide a favorable review.
August 26, 2015
Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective by Brian S. Borgman & Rob Ventura looks at the spiritual warfare in a Christian's life. The authors take a Christ-centered approach on the subject and "want to remind the church of this war...and to help Christians to be equipped and to think and fight biblically in a practical way." The authors tackled a relevant topic for all Christians that is not discussed in many books or churches today. The flow of the book is very systematic, but the writing is still very engaging. Even though two authors are listed, I found their writing styles to be very similar; the flow between the chapters is very smooth and natural.
In the Introduction, the two extremes of spiritual warfare are identified: (1) Those who deny the existence of demonic activity, and (2) those who attribute everything to demonic activity. The authors encourage Christians to take a balanced approach. Christians "have been delivered from Satan's dominion through the finished work of Christ, yet we still battle." The primary focus of the book is not on Satan, but on Christ, because how Christians think about spiritual warfare is critical.
Throughout the book, the authors expound Ephesians 6:10-20. They start off by looking at the city of Ephesus and defining the Apostle Paul's call to be strong in the Lord. The rest of the book describes the full armor of God, piece by piece from head to foot, and explains how equipped Christians fight against Satan's wiles. I appreciated the authors' citation of other scriptural verses to support their arguments, and they highlighted the fact that God's armor is not just a New Testament idea, but it's found in the Old Testament as well.
Spiritual Warfare has questions For Reflection and Discussion at the end of each chapter; therefore, it can be used for personal or small group study. I particularly liked the thought provoking questions at the end of Chapter 3 on 'The Schemes of the Devil.' This chapter does a great job of identifying areas in your life where the Satan can attack, and I found it very profitable to identify the tactics Satan has used against me in the past. Even though I found the questions helpful throughout the book, I did find some of them very personal in nature, and therefore, all questions may not be suitable for small group discussion.
Additionally, this book includes 3 appendices: (1) The Sovereignty of God and Satan, (2) Can a Christian Be Demon-Possessed?, and (3) Christian, Pray for Your Pastors! Like the rest of the book, these three topics are amply covered and include much needed information for the Christian. Since the book is only 128 pages long, I think it would have prudent to include these chapters within the text because they are very relevant to the topic, and readers don't always read the supplementary information in the back of a book.
Steve Lawson sums up the importance of this book in his Foreword: "The Christian life is not a playground. Rather, it is a battlefield of spiritual warfare." Therefore, I highly recommend reading Spiritual Warfare because the "mind is a major battlefield," and this book teaches you how to think and act biblically in a war that is often over-looked.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In the Introduction, the two extremes of spiritual warfare are identified: (1) Those who deny the existence of demonic activity, and (2) those who attribute everything to demonic activity. The authors encourage Christians to take a balanced approach. Christians "have been delivered from Satan's dominion through the finished work of Christ, yet we still battle." The primary focus of the book is not on Satan, but on Christ, because how Christians think about spiritual warfare is critical.
Throughout the book, the authors expound Ephesians 6:10-20. They start off by looking at the city of Ephesus and defining the Apostle Paul's call to be strong in the Lord. The rest of the book describes the full armor of God, piece by piece from head to foot, and explains how equipped Christians fight against Satan's wiles. I appreciated the authors' citation of other scriptural verses to support their arguments, and they highlighted the fact that God's armor is not just a New Testament idea, but it's found in the Old Testament as well.
Spiritual Warfare has questions For Reflection and Discussion at the end of each chapter; therefore, it can be used for personal or small group study. I particularly liked the thought provoking questions at the end of Chapter 3 on 'The Schemes of the Devil.' This chapter does a great job of identifying areas in your life where the Satan can attack, and I found it very profitable to identify the tactics Satan has used against me in the past. Even though I found the questions helpful throughout the book, I did find some of them very personal in nature, and therefore, all questions may not be suitable for small group discussion.
Additionally, this book includes 3 appendices: (1) The Sovereignty of God and Satan, (2) Can a Christian Be Demon-Possessed?, and (3) Christian, Pray for Your Pastors! Like the rest of the book, these three topics are amply covered and include much needed information for the Christian. Since the book is only 128 pages long, I think it would have prudent to include these chapters within the text because they are very relevant to the topic, and readers don't always read the supplementary information in the back of a book.
Steve Lawson sums up the importance of this book in his Foreword: "The Christian life is not a playground. Rather, it is a battlefield of spiritual warfare." Therefore, I highly recommend reading Spiritual Warfare because the "mind is a major battlefield," and this book teaches you how to think and act biblically in a war that is often over-looked.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2014
Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura with forward by Steven J. Lawson
Is the devil at work here in 2014? Do Christians need to be on guard against the devils schemes? The answer to these questions is a resounding yes in the new book by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura. In this new and highly praised book the authors approach questions of spiritual warfare as the title suggest in a biblical and balanced perspective. The authors show the real and present danger of the Devil and his demons without sensationalizing the topic. In fact the book constantly points us to Christ and his person and work for us, not speculating on abstract ideas about the devil. I believe this book is a great introduction on the subject as it comes in at just 124 pages it is very accessible to a wide audience. It is a 124 pages of reading well worth ones time.
If you are looking for a lot of answers to questions about the devil and demons and want to speculate on a wide variety of questions this is not your book. You will find in this book though biblical principles to fighting the devil and standing against him as a Christian in your daily life. The book is essentially an exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20. The book works through each piece of the armor we are to wear and the sword we are to wield. Each piece is describe and what it would of looked like on soldiers in the time period and how it is a metaphor for spiritual warfare. The books greatest strength I believe is that it constantly points us to Christ and our union with him throughout the description of how to use the armor. The book does contain 3 appendixes than do answer some question not addressed specifically in Ephesians 6.
The book finishes by showing how all of the armor of God is to be used through prayer. This is a powerful chapter showing the importance of prayer in the believers life.
A quote to wet your appetite to read this book comes from page 86 “ Corporate worship is not just a time to express emotion or to practice our singing; it is a time for warfare. When we sing God’s truth, when we sing Scripture, we are wielding the sword of the Spirit in a mighty way in worship and praise.”
I really had no issues with the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in this subject. Also I would recommend listening to the authors interviewed on the Confessing Baptist Podcast Interview #40
Year: 2014
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Pages: 124
Boards: Paperback
Binding: Glue
Scripture Index: No
Subject Index: No
Person Index: No
Footnotes or Endnotes: Footnotes
Forward: Steven J. Lawson
Endorsements By: Voddie Baucham Jr., Thomas R. Schreiner, Peter O’Brien (note that on wtsbooks.com there are more endorsements given that are not on the hardcopy of book by Carl Trueman, Stanley Gale, Bruce Ware, Bruce Ray, Joel Beeke, Paul Washer, Phil Johnson, David Murray, and Al Martin)
Buy Here: WTSbooks $ 9.75
I received a free review copy of this book from Reformation Heritage Books and was not required to give a positive review.
Is the devil at work here in 2014? Do Christians need to be on guard against the devils schemes? The answer to these questions is a resounding yes in the new book by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura. In this new and highly praised book the authors approach questions of spiritual warfare as the title suggest in a biblical and balanced perspective. The authors show the real and present danger of the Devil and his demons without sensationalizing the topic. In fact the book constantly points us to Christ and his person and work for us, not speculating on abstract ideas about the devil. I believe this book is a great introduction on the subject as it comes in at just 124 pages it is very accessible to a wide audience. It is a 124 pages of reading well worth ones time.
If you are looking for a lot of answers to questions about the devil and demons and want to speculate on a wide variety of questions this is not your book. You will find in this book though biblical principles to fighting the devil and standing against him as a Christian in your daily life. The book is essentially an exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20. The book works through each piece of the armor we are to wear and the sword we are to wield. Each piece is describe and what it would of looked like on soldiers in the time period and how it is a metaphor for spiritual warfare. The books greatest strength I believe is that it constantly points us to Christ and our union with him throughout the description of how to use the armor. The book does contain 3 appendixes than do answer some question not addressed specifically in Ephesians 6.
The book finishes by showing how all of the armor of God is to be used through prayer. This is a powerful chapter showing the importance of prayer in the believers life.
A quote to wet your appetite to read this book comes from page 86 “ Corporate worship is not just a time to express emotion or to practice our singing; it is a time for warfare. When we sing God’s truth, when we sing Scripture, we are wielding the sword of the Spirit in a mighty way in worship and praise.”
I really had no issues with the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in this subject. Also I would recommend listening to the authors interviewed on the Confessing Baptist Podcast Interview #40
Year: 2014
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Pages: 124
Boards: Paperback
Binding: Glue
Scripture Index: No
Subject Index: No
Person Index: No
Footnotes or Endnotes: Footnotes
Forward: Steven J. Lawson
Endorsements By: Voddie Baucham Jr., Thomas R. Schreiner, Peter O’Brien (note that on wtsbooks.com there are more endorsements given that are not on the hardcopy of book by Carl Trueman, Stanley Gale, Bruce Ware, Bruce Ray, Joel Beeke, Paul Washer, Phil Johnson, David Murray, and Al Martin)
Buy Here: WTSbooks $ 9.75
I received a free review copy of this book from Reformation Heritage Books and was not required to give a positive review.
February 17, 2014
Today our topic for the book review is about spiritual warfare in the Christian life. I’ll admit that I was somewhat sceptical at first, seeing as that mostly when we talk about this subject there is a tendency to exaggerate either on one side or the other. Yet, I soon realized that the authors had done a lot of research, knew much about the subject, but most of all knew the Scriptures. The authors are pastors Brian S. Borgman and Rob Ventura.
Even though the book is but 128 pages, you mustn’t let it’s smallness misguide you! In fact these authors have been able to condense the essentials in a less expanded book. Which has proven to be a well-written exegesis book and I would even add, a somewhat verse by verse expository.
I somehow assumed that they would start with the key passages being: Ephesians 6: 10-20. But in their wisdom they started where the spiritual warfare began, meaning in the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve. Right from the introduction they help us realize that as children of God we have been delivered from the domination or bondage of the enemy (Satan) since Jesus Christ has accomplished everything for us. See 1 John 3: 8-9
Of course we know that we are living a spiritual warfare because the Bible talks about it. Yet beyond that, we live it constantly in our daily lives which are under pressure, because the lion prowls around looking for someone to devour, 1 Peter 5:8. Should we fear him? No! The Bible is clear and it tells us how to arm ourselves. Should we be vigilant? Yes!
Although this is a difficult subject to talk about and somewhat disturbing, they where capable of writing this to make it accessible for everyone in a very comprehensible manner. In fact the subject it so well exposed that we find a great comfort in the power of Jesus Christ through all of the reading of the book. The authors expose the necessity of knowing how to be well armed like it says in Ephesians 6: 10 to 20, all the while staying practical in there applications.
In the end our results will most likely be a reflection of our vision depending on our attitude when we entered the combat at first. Therefore it is imperative that we have a vision based on the Scriptures and this is most assuredly what you will find in this book without going to extremes either way. You will find a biblical vision with precision and accuracy according to the word of God!
I really like this phrase:
« Our first step in successfully waging spiritual warfare is recognizing our weakness and the Lord’s great strength »
Extract de: Rob Ventura. « Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical & Balanced Perspective. » iBooks.
Ann L Beaulieu
*I have received a free copy of Spiritual Warfare by Reformation Heritage Books. However I am under no obligation to write a positive review. These are entirely my own personal opinions and thoughts expressed according to my own discernment.
Even though the book is but 128 pages, you mustn’t let it’s smallness misguide you! In fact these authors have been able to condense the essentials in a less expanded book. Which has proven to be a well-written exegesis book and I would even add, a somewhat verse by verse expository.
I somehow assumed that they would start with the key passages being: Ephesians 6: 10-20. But in their wisdom they started where the spiritual warfare began, meaning in the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve. Right from the introduction they help us realize that as children of God we have been delivered from the domination or bondage of the enemy (Satan) since Jesus Christ has accomplished everything for us. See 1 John 3: 8-9
Of course we know that we are living a spiritual warfare because the Bible talks about it. Yet beyond that, we live it constantly in our daily lives which are under pressure, because the lion prowls around looking for someone to devour, 1 Peter 5:8. Should we fear him? No! The Bible is clear and it tells us how to arm ourselves. Should we be vigilant? Yes!
Although this is a difficult subject to talk about and somewhat disturbing, they where capable of writing this to make it accessible for everyone in a very comprehensible manner. In fact the subject it so well exposed that we find a great comfort in the power of Jesus Christ through all of the reading of the book. The authors expose the necessity of knowing how to be well armed like it says in Ephesians 6: 10 to 20, all the while staying practical in there applications.
In the end our results will most likely be a reflection of our vision depending on our attitude when we entered the combat at first. Therefore it is imperative that we have a vision based on the Scriptures and this is most assuredly what you will find in this book without going to extremes either way. You will find a biblical vision with precision and accuracy according to the word of God!
I really like this phrase:
« Our first step in successfully waging spiritual warfare is recognizing our weakness and the Lord’s great strength »
Extract de: Rob Ventura. « Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical & Balanced Perspective. » iBooks.
Ann L Beaulieu
*I have received a free copy of Spiritual Warfare by Reformation Heritage Books. However I am under no obligation to write a positive review. These are entirely my own personal opinions and thoughts expressed according to my own discernment.
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