Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.   12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

It is tempting for the Christian to focus on the physical things of life.  Being physical beings, this is natural.  So, we concern ourselves with how we look, maintaining our homes and cars, performing the chores we need to do, etc.  There is nothing wrong with this.  However, human beings also have a spiritual side.  This is where we will find the most difficult areas of our life.

As the passage above points out, our primary battle is spiritual in nature.  There are angels and demons.  There is a heaven and a hell.  When we leave this life, we will spend eternity somewhere forever.  The things we do, for good or bad, have a spiritual origin.  As Jesus said,

(Mark 7:15) There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.”

 

(Luke 6:45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The “heart” is often used in the Bible to refer to the innermost spiritual desires of a person.  In the movie, “Pirates of the Caribbean”, Jack Sparrow has a compass that doesn’t point north.  Rather, it always points in the direction of what he wants.   Likewise, our heart directs our actions.

This is why our spiritual disciplines are so important.  So, take time each day in prayer and Bible study.  Cultivate spiritual growth in your life through a local church.  You will find that your spiritual battles are easier to face when you are properly equipped.