We live in a spiritual world that constantly influences the physical one. For instance, when we see a news report about a murder, we’re shown images of the victim and perhaps the criminal. We’re told the day and approximate time the crime occurred—but in truth is, the crime began long before, in the heart of the aggressor when he was planning the attack. What we witness with our physical eyes is only the surface, but we recognize it as evil. Yet many struggle to believe that much evil in this world is influenced by spiritual forces—by the devil and his demons, and that every gesture of love is stirred by God. The spiritual realm is real, and so is the devil. Jesus spoke plainly about the devil — not as a vague force or symbolic figure, but as a real enemy. He called him the “evil one,” not someone we should fear, but a deceiver capable of great harm both within us and through us.

Jesus calls the devil “the father of all lies” (John 8:44). This means he deceives us into thinking that some bad choices aren’t really that bad, until we begin to call evil good and good evil. This deception traces all the way back to Eden, where Satan tricked Adam and Eve into believing that if they eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would be like God. But even to this day we continue to do the same, we want to decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, independent from God. Satan knows our weaknesses and uses our passions and obsessions to make us fall. He lures us through pleasure, material comfort, seductive philosophies, fame, and anything that feeds the illusion that we are like gods and that we are in control. Satan knows that if he can entice us through these things, we’ll follow his will instead of God’s.

The first thing we must understand is that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). This means we don’t recognize him for who he truly is – our adversary. For instance, when someone offends us, our natural impulse is to seek revenge, believing that person to be our true enemy. But Scripture offers a deeper reality: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

Our battle is not against that coworker who frustrates us, nor that relative who complicates our lives, nor those who belong to a different religion or political party. The real struggle is spiritual. We face unseen yet very real entities whose power and presence affect individuals, families, marriages, leaders, and entire nations. These forces do more than influence – they claim to territories and occupy them for generations, shaping cultures, behaviors, and mindsets.

We see this reality in regions historically marked by guerilla movements, terrorism, gang rule, idolatry, normalized patterns of excessive alcohol consumption, etc. Take Ireland, for example. After the Great Famine of 1845-1852, alcohol emerged as a refuge amid suffering. Decades later, during the ethno-nationalist conflict of the 1960s to the late 1990s, drinking became a means of numbing trauma and fear. Today, the Irish carry the label of a “drinking race,” yet few recognize the spiritual roots and influence that shaped this behavior.

This same pattern reveals itself across Latin America and Central America. When colonizer arrived, they did more than seek gold or expand empires – they brought with them idols, enforced religious systems, and embedded spiritual strongholds into the land. These influences took deep root and continue to operate today, shaping mindsets, customs, and generational struggles.

This is not merely a matter of ideology, crime, or politics. These are spiritual principalities – entrenched, unseen forces that have woven themselves into the fabric of society over time.

We live in the midst of a spiritual war that deeply affects the natural realm. Though invisible to the eye, God has given us discernment and authority to overcome. Yet victory requires a choice – on whose side will we stand? Ephesians 6 draws a powerful parallel between the life of a solider and the spiritual life of a believer. Just as soldiers engage in physical combat, we are called to fight – not against people, but against forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Our weapons must be spiritual and divinely empowered: faith, prayer, fasting, worship, obedience to the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit. If we lose sight of this truth, the enemy distorts our vision, convincing us that those who hurt are the real adversaries. In doing so, he breeds quarreling, division, and even war within families, communities and nations.

We are not just surrounded by conflict – in some way or another we help shape it. Here is how the Bible addresses this truth:

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 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. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:1-8

Resist the devil? That’s revelational! It means he is operating behind our passions, obsessions and idols – creating deception where we least expect it. Although the devil is the author of evil, he uses people like you and me to carry out his wickedness. Jesus called Judas “a devil” (John 6:70), rebuked Peter by saying, “Get behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23), and called the pharisees “children of your father, the devil” (John 8:44). The devil is behind every one of our transgressions: crimes, suicides, abuse, abortions, witchcraft, the occult, adultery, idolatry and so much more. He bombards young people with pornography, drugs, atheism, gender confusion, and despair. He manifests in us through pride, malice, intrusive thoughts, jealousy, hatred, division, envy, fear, insecurity, judgment, and anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

As we see, the devil is no red creature with a tail and pitchfork hiding under our beds. He has blinded the world with darkness – and he holds influence because the world has allowed it. His reach extends into science, education, politics, music, the arts, and even religion. Scripture warns: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He’s not here to merely inconvenience us: he seeks to destroy us.

The devil has caused immense suffering in this world. Yet his ultimate goal is to deceive us into eternity. Revelation 13 warns of the Antichrist: a charismatic world leader who will pose as a savior while masking a far darker reality. Beneath this facade lies the Devil himself, orchestrating a final rebellion against God. Many will be drawn to his charm, unaware of the eternal cost. Unfortunately, by the time his true identity is revealed, those who worship him will face the terrifying weight of their decision. And tragically, for many, it will be too late.

You might ask, “Why doesn’t God do something?” He already did. He sent Jesus to die for our sins – sins that, in one way or another, contribute to the evil in this world. But His sacrifice is not imposed; it must be received. Each one of us must choose to follow Him, as God does not violate our will. As long as we ignore Christ’s sacrifice and dismiss His Word, the devil will continue to use us to advance evil, and then torment us with guilt and shame.

The good news is that we are not alone in this battle – we have the Holy Spirit on our side and has equipped us with spiritual weapons to overcome.

How Do We Overcome Evil

• Fast and pray. Without prayer, there is no connection with God. And fasting – done regularly – is vital. In Matthew 17:21, Jesus reveals that some spiritual strongholds require deeper surrender. Fasting isn’t about persuading God to act; it’s about quieting every competing voice so we can hear His.

• Confess your sins continually: The devil seeks not only to entice us into sin but to ensnare us with guilt and shame. Yet confession breaks the cycle. Psalms 32:5 says, “I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

• Know the Word. Paul calls the Word of God “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). We cannot ignore Scripture and expect God to hear our prayers. Proverbs 28:9 warns, “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even their prayers are detestable.”

• Forgive Quickly. Unforgiveness is an open door for Satan. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15).

• Conquer evil with good. We must change our posture toward those we perceive as enemies. “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45). Of course, in cases of abuse or danger, we must flee and seek safety. But generally, we are called to serve, forgive, and love.

• Worship as warfare. Worship drives out fear, anger, and despair – and the devil cannot stand it. When David played the harp, the evil spirit tormenting Saul fled (1 Samuel 16:23). Listen and sign songs that exalt God. When we praise and worship all evil spirits have to flee.

• Give God all the glory. Guard your heart when the enemy tries to convince you that you are the protagonist and the hero in each episode of the story of your life. Jesus did everything out of love – not to impress, but to redeem, and He is our role model.

The devil is no myth or cartoon villain – he is real, and he is determined to destroy us, our children, and generations to come. But God’s redemptive plan is incomparably greater. Through Jesus’s sacrifice, we receive forgiveness and eternal life – and we’re also invited to be part of the healing He offers to a broken world.  We are the light of the world. God calls us to proclaim freedom to the captives, bind up the wounded, comfort the brokenhearted, and to love one another – even those we regard as enemies.

“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. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:1-5).

Potograph source: CANVA