As Christians, we orient our lives according to the Bible. We believe that God exists (Romans 1:20) and that He commands a host of angels who do His will (Luke 2:13-14) and who worship Him without ceasing (Revelation 4:8).
Yet, when it comes to spiritual warfare, we’re often double-minded. We believe that the devil and his angels exist (Matthew 25:41), but we rarely acknowledge their influence in our daily affairs.
Take our marriage, for example. On our wedding day, most of us consider our relationship with our spouse to be ideal. But over time, flaws emerge, conflicts arise, and we wonder if our marriage was the right decision.
Some of those challenges may be growing pains common to every marriage. But what if the source of our conflict is something deeper? What if our marriage is under attack?
C.S. Lewis once said, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”
Since most couples seem unaware of how a balanced and biblical perspective of spiritual warfare can positively benefit their relationship, I’ve invited Tim and Noreen Muehlhoff to join me on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly.
Dr. Tim Muehlhoff is professor of communication at Biola University. He teaches family communication, interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, and apologetics. He and his wife, Noreen, shared with me the top five indicators of spiritual warfare they’ve noticed in their research and counseling:
1. Ongoing anger.
2. A sense of impending doom.
3. Violent dreams.
4. No longer believing the best about God.
5. No longer believing the best about yourself.
A healthy awareness of spiritual warfare can empower you and your spouse to overcome challenges within your marriage and family that are rooted in spiritual activity. Tim and Noreen will help you learn how to use spiritual tools to fight the evil confronting you.