While the title may seem a bit sweeping in scope, this little tome actually does provide a great many answers to an often misunderstood (or under-understood) topic. While not exhaustive, if you’ve got questions about spiritual warfare, chances are you’ll find your answer here, plus dozens more to questions you never thought to ask.
Another aspect to this book I appreciated was how much of my new knowledge added illumination to the collection of biblical stories, from Genesis to Revelation, revealing them as myriad pieces of one whole story. (The Nephilim, for example, mentioned in Genesis 6, and then referred to again in Jude.) This then further whetted my interest in knowing more, so that I might live my life in Christ more effectively, with far greater perspective (which is, in itself, a superior piece of weaponry for standing firm against the enemy’s schemes).
As David Jeremiah explains in his introduction,
“The biblical context for viewing all of life’s events is called spiritual warfare — the age-old conflict between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light…. The ruler of the powers of darkness, Satan, is none too happy about what God has accomplished in Christ. So Satan’s main goal is to destroy the faith of Christians by getting us to doubt God’s goodness, love, forgiveness, protection, provision, and promises. When Satan choreographs difficult circumstances in our lives, it is not just to inflict pain; it is for the purpose of destroying our trust in God.”
I also like the small size of this book, along with its pithy chapters. The size makes it easy to tuck in a tote, and its relative brevity makes it not only accessible to the lay Christian, but easy to read in bite-sized morsels. Although that’s not how I read it; once started, I had a hard time stopping.
The author, a widely respected teacher on the subject, delivers answers directly and succinctly in easily comprehended language with frequent quotes from both Scripture and renowned theological thinkers. The Spiritual Warfare Answer Book offers two main takeaways: 1) Satan’s strategies against God and His most cherished creation, humankind; and 2) the gateway to spiritual victory: once identified, how to fight the enemy and defeat Him so that we might remain faithful to God throughout life’s most challenging moments.
In this way, The Spiritual Warfare Answer Book is not only interesting, but eminently practical. Personally, having read it, I feel better equipped, more confident, and more empowered to face down the devil on a daily basis.
Thanks to BookLook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.