What is spiritual warfare, and how do believers engage in it?

Spiritual warfare is the life of faith, a raging spiritual war fought in the physical world and in the souls of individual men and women. It is an angelic conflict where believers face the daily issue of whether they will glorify God or gratify self (Eph. 6:11). The enemy, Satan, is a master strategist and liar who uses personal attacks, precision timing, and the shock effect of multiple blows to disrupt inner peace and move believers to malign the character of God. However, instruction, training, strategy, and tactics for this warfare come through the Bible alone (2 Tim. 3:16–17). Believers must not attempt to fight this battle in human strength, as relying on human intellect or power is stepping outside the power sphere of God. Instead, they must choose to believe God and take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). This requires a deep understanding of the Bible's teaching on spiritual warfare, including the principle that the enemy cannot touch us except when and where God permits (Job 1:12), and that all natural calamity is the result of creation out of balance with the Creator. By choosing to believe God and taking thoughts captive, believers can win victory in their souls and live a life of faith that glorifies God.