Spiritual Conflict 101
The Devil, the Flesh, and the World =
Deceptive Ideas that create Disordered Desires that normalize Sinful Society
The Devil
A real spiritual being who lies, accuses, tempts, deceives, oppresses and opposes the work of God.
The Flesh
The enemy within—the part of us bent away from love of God toward self-exaltation, self-protection, or self-gratification.
The World
The external environment: the cultural currents and systems that normalize what is against God and resist what is for Him.
The Devil
Personal/Spiritual Enemy
A real spiritual being who lies, accuses, tempts, deceives, oppresses and opposes the work of God.
How Scripture describes his work:
- Lies & deception — "He is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)
- Accusation & shame — "The accuser of our brothers and sisters…" (Revelation 12:10)
- Temptation — Matthew 4; Genesis 3
- Blinding minds — "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers." (2 Corinthians 4:4)
- Stealing, killing, destroying — John 10:10
Satan acts as the chief personal adversary, joined by unclean spirits and other demonic beings who deceive, twist God's truth, accuse with shame, incite fear, and oppose God's work in you, to you, and through you.
The Flesh
Internal Brokenness & Disordered Desires
This is the enemy within—the part of us bent away from love of God toward self-exaltation, self-protection, or self-gratification.
How Scripture describes it:
- Disordered desires — "The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit." (Galatians 5:17)
- Old self patterns — Ephesians 4:22
- Passions that "wage war" — 1 Peter 2:11
- Sin that "dwells within" — Romans 7:14–25
The flesh is the internal pull toward sin—fear, pride, lust, anger, and insecurity—often the channel through which the enemy's lies take root.
The World
The Systems/Culture/Structures Bent Away From God
The external environment: the cultural currents and systems that normalize what is against God and resist what is for Him.
How Scripture describes it:
- Patterns of thinking — "Do not conform to the pattern of this world…" (Romans 12:2)
- Spiritual atmosphere of rebellion — "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one." (1 John 5:19)
- Systems animated by spiritual powers — "We wrestle…against rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world…" (Ephesians 6:12)
- Values opposed to God — 1 John 2:15–17
The world is the cultural and systemic pressure that shapes us away from the kingdom—through stories, norms, models of success, and collective agreement about what "matters."
The Unseen Middle
We didn't stop believing.
We stopped discerning.
Modern Western culture has systematically excluded the spiritual realm from what it considers "real," creating a false dichotomy between God (relegated to the realm of belief) and the physical world (accepted as fact). This excluded middle—the spiritual realm where angels, demons, spiritual powers, and divine activity operate—has been dismissed as unscientific or superstitious. Yet Scripture and Christian tradition have always recognized this intermediate realm as the space where spiritual conflict actually unfolds.
Current Popular Worldview
God (belief)
Physical World (facts)
What Modern Culture calls "Real"
| ✓measurable | ✗angels |
| ✓observable | ✗demons |
| ✓repeatable | ✗supernatural power |
Popular Worldviews Across Time
| Era | Core Assumption About Reality | Status of the "Middle" | How Conflict Is Explained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient / Biblical | Reality is layered and interactive | Fully present | Spiritual beings, flesh, and world all actively contend |
| Medieval | Reality is ordered and governed | Managed | Conflict exists but is systematized and mediated |
| Early Modern | Reality is rational and mechanical | Thinning | God above, nature below; spiritual agency minimized |
| Enlightenment / Modern | Reality is observable and measurable | Excluded | Conflict reduced to psychology, biology, or culture |
| Late Modern | Reality is fragmented and subjective | Felt but unnamed | Conflict experienced but re-labeled with secular terms |
What about our heritage?
The Restoration Movement in American Christianity was founded in the early 19th century by Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell, who shared a desire to return the church to New Testament faith and practice. Though united in purpose, they were shaped by very different worldviews, and their eventual partnership reveals how modern ways of thinking quietly reshaped the movement's spiritual imagination.
Stone emerged from revivalist frontier culture and assumed a world in which God was actively present through the Holy Spirit. He expected the Spirit to convict, guide, and unify believers in lived, experiential ways, and he believed unity flowed from shared dependence on Christ rather than interpretive precision. Campbell, however, was deeply formed by Enlightenment rationalism and Scottish Common Sense philosophy. He trusted careful reasoning and proper method to yield clear biblical truth, effectively relocating the Spirit's work to the act of correct interpretation. The Spirit was affirmed, but no longer expected to act dynamically beyond the text.
When the Stone and Campbell movements merged, Campbell's rational framework prevailed because it produced clarity, order, and protection against excess. Over time, method eclipsed immediacy: discernment became exegesis, unity became agreement, and prayer became instructional rather than confrontational. The movement succeeded in restoring biblical forms while quietly adopting a modern worldview that left little room for an active spiritual middle.
Reflection: What is my Spiritual bias?
Four Kingdom Streams
| Solitude | Crowd | |
|---|---|---|
| Supernatural | PRAYER Listen & Encounter | WORSHIP Invite & Experience |
| Natural | WORD Read & Obey | FELLOWSHIP Serve & Love |
Case Studies
ELIJAH (PRAYER | SOLITUDE + SUPERNATURAL)
Elijah is a contemplative soul who feels closest to God in silence and solitude. He engages in long walks, journaling, and deep intercession, valuing mystery and intimacy. Theologically, he leans mystical or charismatic, drawing from ancient contemplative traditions and Spirit-filled prayer practices, thriving in stillness, listening more than speaking, and seeking God's whisper.
HARMONY (WORSHIP | SUPERNATURAL + CROWD)
Harmony feels most alive when worshiping in a room full of people, with a lifted heart and raised voice. Her connection with God is emotional and expressive, often marked by tears, singing, and movement. Rooted in a contemporary evangelical context, she believes worship breaks chains and draws people into God's love, viewing it as both celebration and surrender.
CLARA (WORD | NATURAL + SOLITUDE)
Clara is a deep thinker who meets God through study, logic, and the written word. Her quiet strength is built on a foundation of theological understanding and disciplined spiritual habits. She is drawn to books, sermons, and Scripture study, resonating with Anglican traditions and believing that loving God with her mind is as sacred as any other expression.
THEO (FELLOWSHIP | NATURAL + CROWD)
Theo finds God in community through laughter over dinner, conversations about faith, and serving alongside others. He thrives in relational spaces and believes spiritual growth happens best together. His theology leans missional/progressive evangelical, emphasizing embodied faith, justice, and belonging. For Theo, loving others well is a primary way of loving God.
The Power of Testimony
Intentionally sharing stories of the victory and struggle in Spiritual Conflict is the only way to help people feel free to confess their own experiences. Regular conversations about the "unseen middle" de-stigmatize what may otherwise feel taboo.
Watch Rick Atchley share his journey acknowledging spiritual realities
Stories from recipients of Encouragement Prayer + Transformational Prayer
"How the Lord Met and Ministered to Me"
The only word that fits is divine. It truly felt like the Lord had been preparing my heart for months — maybe years — so that when the moment came, I could actually receive what He wanted to give me.
For most of my life, the thought of being prayed over felt foreign. I'm wired as a "mercy giver" — always pouring out, rarely imagining myself as someone who receives. But in the last year, through weariness, motherhood, caregiving, grief, and seasons that stretched my heart thin, God had been softening places I didn't even know were closed.
By the time I sat down for prayer, I was finally in a posture where He could speak and I could hear.
And what He spoke over me was identity. Not the identity shaped by trauma, exhaustion, performance, or shouldering responsibility — but the one shaped by Him.
I felt the blessing of intercession, clarity of mind, and the unmistakable presence of the Holy Spirit working through the people praying for me. It wasn't forced or dramatic — it was pure. It was Him.
"How did God use the prayer time to impact your day-to-day living?"
Because of that prayer time, I feel more secure and centered in my identity in Christ. I truly feel known and valued and seen as a son.
I also feel like I have so much more access to the Spirit. Since that time, I have seen the gift of intercession and encouragement come alive in me. I feel like I knew the gifts existed before in 2D, but after our prayer time, those gifts have become three dimensional. I have had a dozen prayer encounters with people where I was able to minister to them, intercede for them and speak words of life to them that were exactly what they needed in the exact perfect moment. There are no other ways to describe it than simply the Spirit. He is awakening something in me and through me that I have not experienced before in ministry.
"What did you experience?"
I was encouraged to sign-up for a prayer appointment with SE, I didn't think much of it at the time, but it ended up being one of the most meaningful parts of my trip.
There were many uncertainties in my life and ministry. The people who prayed for me didn't know that beforehand — they prayed before ever meeting me, asking God to guide them with scripture and specific words for me.
During this time, God met me in my doubts and questions with exactly what I needed to hear. It was a powerful moment of answered prayer and encouragement.
"How did He use that time of receiving and ministry to impact your day-to-day living?"
I'm still soaking up all the scripture they dropped and finding new things God is showing me in it. I will frequently revisit those passages in scripture and reread and pray and dwell. God has even taken me further in the passage and revealed more insight and clarity into my circumstances. It's amazing.
"How did the Lord meet and minister to you during the time of prayer?"
I've spent years doing the work—processing my story in therapy and learning new ways to navigate the patterns that pain creates. But during this time of prayer, the Lord met me in a fresh way that went beyond anything I could have reached on my own.
"How did He use that time to impact your day-to-day living?"
It's no coincidence that I was cleared from therapy just one week after my prayer appointment. My therapist noticed it before I did—suddenly I was processing things in a healthy, grounded way.