Like it or not, you are at war.

No matter who you are — whether or not you know it — you have a mortal enemy [the devil] that wants to destroy you, not just in this life, but in the next.

No matter where you live on this planet — whether or not you can see it — you live on a hotly contested battlefield, and you can’t escape the conflict.

It’s a spiritual war with crucial consequences in your everyday life. And the outcome of that war will determine your eternal destiny (Manual for Spiritual Warfare).

For those who think this sounds dramatic or extreme, know these words are true.

They’re supported by Sacred Scripture, the teachings of the Church, writings of the saints, legitimate prophecies, and history itself.

Just look around. We see violence, corruption, crime, impurity, vice, and division at almost every turn.

Why do they exist in the world? Because of the presence of evil.

Some may be surprised to hear this truth. Others are already aware and consciously fighting the spiritual battle.

For those who are learning this for the first time, I pray you take the message to heart. Whether you believe it or not, it’s the truth; and there’s a reason you’re reading this post today.

Be Not Afraid

We live in a time when God is being openly ignored, mocked and attacked; the laws of society are being drastically changed for the worse; immorality is being promoted while morality is being condemned; and the state of the world appears to be declining by the minute.

Even though it seems like evil is winning, it’s not.

God has given the devil a specific amount of time to reign in the world. The devil spends this time wreaking havoc and destroying as many souls as possible.

He knows his time is limited; and he appears to be operating at full force right now.

If you begin to feel afraid or discouraged, remember these facts:

• God is in control. Nothing happens unless He permits it. He has power over the devil.
• God gives us free will. Our will is our own; it can’t be controlled by anyone else. We aren’t conquered by evil unless we willingly submit to it.
• God doesn’t want us to fear the spiritual battle. He gives us strength to defeat the devil. When we overcome temptation and tribulation, we give Him glory.
• Jesus Christ ultimately destroyed the devil. By His cross and resurrection, He set us free from sin and saved us from eternal death. He secured victory for those who fight with and for Him.

Even though God triumphs in the end, each of us is in a spiritual battle while on earth. The devil is determined to bring as many souls as possible to hell; and he won’t stop until the Lord says it’s over.

Because of this, we can’t just sit-back, relax and wait for the battle to end. We can’t get lazy or comfortable. There’s too much at stake!

What Do We Do?

We have two options: give in or fight.

If we give in, we could lose our individual battle and soul.

If we fight, God will help us overcome the enemy and lead us to victory.

I don’t know about you, but I see only one option – fight!

My greatest desire is to get to heaven and become a saint. The only way to do that is to fight against the devil each moment of each day and never give in.

How to Fight

There are many weapons in spiritual warfare, including: prayer, the sacraments, Sacred Scripture, fasting, Eucharistic Adoration, and sacramentals (blessed objects and actions of blessing).

I’ll focus on prayer since it’s the essential weapon for the battle.

When we pray, the Lord hears us and He comes to our aid.

The devil does everything he can to prevent us from praying. He often presents distractions, temptations and discouragement. He even tries to make us dislike prayer because if we stop praying, he gains power over us.

We must never stop praying, even when it feels difficult!

There are many forms of prayer. Here are some of the most powerful:

The Rosary

• The Blessed Virgin Mary is the devil’s enemy because she helped bring Jesus into the world to save mankind.
• Since the Rosary comes from Mary, the devil hates and fears it.
• During an exorcism the devil said, “Every Hail Mary is like a blow on my head. If Christians knew how powerful the Rosary was, it would be my end.” (What better reason to pray the Rosary?!)
• The Prayer

Prayer to Saint Michael

• St. Michael the Archangel is the leader of God’s army of angels.
• He led the army to victory against the devil and his followers and kicked them out of heaven forever.
• Images show him wearing battle armor, holding a sword or spear and standing on a demon or serpent.
• The Prayer – Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
• The Prayer – long form

Worship

• Worship is praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done.
• It is done privately or with others.
• When we enter into God’s presence in this way, the demons tremble and their attacks lose power.
• The most perfect form of worship is the Catholic Mass.

These, and all forms of prayer, help us fight our individual battles and against evil in the world.

The Point

I feel called to address the evil we see all around us, the evil spreading at an alarming rate.

I feel called to provide hope and help for this troubling, and incredibly critical, time.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again:

I want you to know the truth because I care about you and the state of your soul.

I want you to be aware of spiritual warfare so you’re prepared for battle.

I don’t want you to fear evil; and God doesn’t want you to fear it either.

There’s nothing to fear when we’re on God’s side. There’s nothing to fear when we know the Lord is victorious in the end.

Are you actively fighting the battle? If not, it’s time to start!

If you’re already fighting, keep it up! I’m fighting alongside you.

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+ To learn more, I recommend the Manual for Spiritual Warfare