Pastor Reveals Hidden War Behind All Conflict
Pastor and author John Piper recently underscored that while Christians often face real, personal conflict, these struggles are deeply connected to spiritual warfare. He emphasized the importance of confronting such challenges with Gospel-rooted strength and by putting on the full armor of God, as outlined in Scripture.
In a recent episode of his Ask Pastor John podcast, Piper—chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis—responded to a listener’s question about the meaning of Ephesians 6:12, where the Apostle Paul writes that the true battle believers face is not against people but against spiritual forces of evil. The listener expressed confusion over how to reconcile that idea with everyday conflicts involving other people.
“This isn’t an abstract or irrelevant question,” Piper said. “It goes right to the heart of what Ephesians teaches, and it deserves serious attention.”
He unpacked the surrounding verses, noting Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 6:11–12 to equip oneself with God’s armor to withstand the devil’s tactics. While the text says the struggle is not “against flesh and blood,” Piper clarified that this doesn’t mean Christians won’t experience human opposition.
“‘Flesh and blood’ stands for human beings, as opposed to spiritual beings like demons,” Piper explained. “But Paul certainly faced actual people who opposed him—people who slandered him, beat him, and tried to undermine his ministry.”
He cited 1 Corinthians 16:9, where Paul writes about facing adversaries, and 2 Corinthians 11:13–15, which describes false teachers as agents of Satan. These verses, Piper noted, make clear that human hostility is real—but never disconnected from the spiritual realm.
According to Piper, Paul’s teachings reflect a deep intertwining of human sinfulness with demonic influence. He referenced Ephesians 2:1–3, which portrays those outside of Christ as living under the influence of the devil while following sinful desires. Piper stressed that believers should not attempt to separate demonic forces from human actions—they are often intertwined.
“There’s no human sin that’s entirely free from satanic influence,” Piper said. “The battle we face is with both—the human and the demonic are woven together.”
He also pointed to 2 Corinthians 2:10–11, where Paul warns that a refusal to forgive can make room for Satan’s schemes. “When someone harms us, we’re not just confronting a person—we’re also confronting a plan of the enemy to damage Christian unity and spiritual health,” Piper said.
In that light, Ephesians 6:12 isn’t denying the reality of human conflict, Piper argued. Instead, it’s emphasizing that such conflicts are part of a much larger spiritual battle.
“When Paul says, ‘We do not wrestle against flesh and blood,’ he’s saying we’re not dealing only with humans,” Piper explained. “There’s a bigger, darker force behind the visible struggles.”
He also quoted passages like 2 Corinthians 4:4, which says Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers, and Acts 26:18, where Paul is commissioned to help people turn from darkness and Satan’s power to God.
“Our conflict is always twofold: the brokenness of sin and the bondage of the devil,” Piper said. “The good news is that Jesus has conquered both—He has paid for sin and broken the power of Satan.”
Piper encouraged Christians to stand firm in faith and to actively wear the spiritual armor described in Ephesians: truth, righteousness, the Gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer.
“God gives us the tools we need to stand. So put them on and fight, not just with hope, but with confidence in Christ’s victory,” he said.
Despite broad belief in God among Americans, many remain skeptical of Satan’s existence. A 2015 Gallup poll found 89% of U.S. adults believe in God, while only 61% believed in Satan. Similarly, Pew Research in 2014 found 72% believe in Heaven, but just 58% believe in Hell.
In a separate podcast episode from 2024, Piper discussed why Satan still has influence over people and how God uses that reality to magnify His own power and beauty.
“God is showing us how deep our captivity is,” Piper said. “We’re imprisoned by both our own sinful nature and Satan’s lies. It’s like Peter in prison—he needed both the chains and the doors to be unlocked.”
According to Piper, God’s glory is revealed not just in defeating Satan, but in opening blind eyes to see the surpassing worth of Christ.
“In our corruption, we don’t recognize Jesus as more valuable than anything else,” he said. “But when God opens our eyes through the Gospel, we see Christ’s power and beauty, and that’s where real transformation begins.”