A Declared War: Why Satan Won't Leave You Alone

One of the first things we need to recognize about spiritual warfare is that this is a declared war. There are wars that exist that are not declared, conflicts that just happen and continue without formal declarations. For instance, has Ukraine or Russia ever formally declared war against one another? Many modern conflicts lack this clarity.

However, spiritual warfare is different. This war was officially declared, and understanding when and why that happened is significant.

The Declaration in Genesis

The declaration is recorded in Genesis chapter 3, right after the serpent attacked Eve and they ate the forbidden fruit. When God came down to address what had happened, He didn't just give consequences; He declared war. Here's what God said to the serpent: 

"Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life." Genesis 3:14.

But then He said something even more significant to Satan himself:

"I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15.

This is like Pearl Harbor. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, they didn't declare war, they just attacked. In response, the US declared war. When Satan attacked Eve in the Garden, God declared war in response.

What "Enmity" Really Means

The word "enmity" means hostility. We often say "a state of enmity exists" when describing hostilities between nations. It's one of the ways we describe war. But this isn't just any hostility. God put passionate, consuming hostility within Satan against us.

Why Satan Keeps Attacking Christians

This answers a question that many people have about spiritual warfare. When we read the Bible there's some good news (hopefully not a spoiler alert): we win. We know what's going to happen in the end. Does Satan know what's going to happen? Yes! Satan knows the Bible. Moreover, he quoted Scripture to Jesus when he tempted Him. Satan knows the end of the story.

So why in the world does he keep fighting a war he knows he'll lose? This verse in Genesis tells us. Because God put passionate hostility within him against us. "I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring (that's all his followers) and her seed."

Importantly, God didn't put hostility in us toward Satan.

A Common Misconception

Some people think, "Come on, Satan, just leave me alone. I'm not angry with you." They operate under the assumption that if they leave Satan alone, he'll leave them alone, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, it's not true. 

The Relentless Reality

The reason that Satan and his cohorts won't quit is because of this hostility within them. It's not strategic, it's personal. Furthermore, it's not optional, it's hardwired into Satan and his follower's nature by God's own declaration. 

This means you can't negotiate your way out of spiritual warfare. Additionally, you can't ignore it, or be nice enough, quiet enough, or uninvolved enough to avoid it. The enmity exists regardless of your attitude toward Satan.

The Great News!

But here's the encouraging truth: God didn't leave you defenseless in a war He declared. Instead, He equipped you with everything you need not just to survive these battles, but to win them decisively and immediately when you recognize what's happening.

Understanding that this is a declared war with an enemy consumed by hostility helps us take spiritual warfare seriously without being overwhelmed by it. We're not paranoid, we're prepared. 

If you have a question or comment, please post it below.  If you missed the first post in this series, click here.