The “enemy of the soul” is anything or anyone in opposition to God and his pure and righteous direction for mankind. The Apostle Paul refers to “the world,” “the Prince of power of the air,” and “the flesh” as such. These three are also known as, “the world, the flesh and the devil;” all are enemies of God. In his letter to the Saints in Ephesus, he writes:
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV
Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV
In spiritual warfare all three entities are appropriately alluded to as an “enemy” of the believer in Christ. Similar to military warfare, the enemy is a threat to freedom and safety regardless of what uniform they wear. Paul's most explicit statement on spiritual warfare is found in Ephesians 6:12:
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
The church at Corinth has a reputation for being the worst of all churches in the Bible due to their indulgence in sins of the flesh. However, in helping the Corinthians Saints prepare for spiritual warfare, Paul exhorts them to use spiritual weapons only:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ...2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV
The context reveals that Paul is referring to his critics who falsely accuse him: “I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.” 2 Corinthians 10:2 ESV It is important to note that this is not a command, but rather a description of Paul's approach to false accusation; he uses spiritual weapons that destroy enemies of God and takes those negative thoughts captive so that they obey Christ. All of this takes place in the spiritual realm.
The primary application of this passage is Paul's dealings with his critics. A secondary application can be for dealing with personal thoughts. If the thoughts of others can be taken captive, it is safe to say the thoughts planted in one's mind by the enemy can also be taken captive and made obedient to Christ. This means that dealing with physical addictions (i.e. strongholds). are first and foremost spiritual battles. Once the negative thoughts have been taken captive, the physical outworkings, which are often labeled, “addictions” never manifest.
Jesus’ younger brother, James, explains the relationship between physical behaviors and spiritual warfare. The source of all behavior begins in the heart. James chapter 3 reads:
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
The cause of (outward) quarrels and fights amongst children of God is due to (internal) spiritual warfare. In one sense, people are never the enemy, but rather victims of the enemy who attacks the mind with lies and destructive ideas. In chapter 4 James asks his readers:
4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Similar to Paul, James believes victory in spiritual warfare comes by using spiritual techniques, tactics, and procedures. In verse 7, he gives ten commands in regards to spiritual warfare:
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Peter ensures that his readers be aware of the devices of the true adversary by commanding them to, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV). A contemporary application of this command indicates that the believer in Christ ought to be aware that the enemy is hungry and on the loose looking for someone to enslave with all sorts of sinful behaviors. And if the devil is prowling around looking for children of God to devour, it is safe to say, all humans are fair game. The devil might want all humans to be enslaved to addictions and destructive behaviors since all humans are created in the imago dei, in the “image of God.”
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