Book Review by Captain Joanna Wang
San Gabriel, CA Corps – California South Division
Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
As a child growing up in the jungles of West Papua, Indonesia as a missionary kid, I often saw that there really is a spiritual battle going on and that it is vital that we fight that fight with the armor of God firmly in place. Fast forward to being in ministry myself, I have seen firsthand how Sunday mornings and other specific times when we are on the front lines of ministry (even more than normal), and how all of a sudden, we are sick or have a terrible headache or there is conflict that seemingly came out of nowhere, or other strange things begin to happen. This is not always a result of a spiritual battle, but it often is. I believe that it is extremely important that we as Christians learn more about this battle and how to fight it.
Priscilla Shirer’s “Armor of God” Bible study is one of the best that I have ever seen on this topic. It focuses on the seriousness and the reality of the spiritual battle that we are fighting. However, it does not stop there. Priscilla is able to then encourage us with hope, reminding us of Romans 8:37, which says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Yes, there is a very real battle going on that we do not even seen with our human eyes. However, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have all that we need to fight that battle in Christ! We do not need to fight it with fear or trembling, but we can fight it with boldness and confidence. Priscilla Shirer, in her promotional video for this Bible study book, says, “Strongholds are torn down by the Word of God; fortresses are dismantled by the Word of God.” Hallelujah! The Word of God shows us what we need to tear down strongholds and to dismantle fortresses, and this Bible study helps guide us through that process.
This is honestly one of the best Bible studies I have ever read, and I encourage all believers to read it, study it, and see how the Holy Spirit uses it to transform you and to prepare you to fight that battle in the strength of the Lord. And furthermore, when coupled with the movie “War Room,” this book becomes even that much richer, reminding us that this battle is primarily fought on our knees. I pray that God will touch your heart as He did mine through this study and that you too continue to learn more about this daily battle that we are fighting and that we “put on the full armor of God, so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes,” (Ephesians 6:11).
Let’s fight this battle, my sisters, knowing that “He who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4)
