Book Review: “Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective” by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura

Many Christians are satisfied living in defeat.

They know of the victory found in Christ but for some reason think it is beyond their grasp and beyond God’s power to actually experience it. And so, they continue to struggle with sin, temptations, discouragement, and a lack of power in their spiritual lives, unaware that they are fully able to make things change with God’s help.

How can these Christians bridge the gap between defeat and victory in their lives?

Knowing and using the spiritual resources and weapons available is how defeated Christians can gain victory. Paul describes believers’ spiritual weapons and armor in Ephesians 6:10-20, which is the “full armor of God” passage.

Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective unpacks and applies Paul’s words in Ephesians 6, seeking to avoid both extremes of spiritual warfare talk (denying the reality of the enemy or “seeing a demon behind every bush”). Thirteen 7 or 8 page chapters walk through Ephesians 6:10-20 and make it a quick and powerful read.

This is by no means the first book to seek to clearly explain and apply this passage, but the expositional format helpfully discusses the topic of spiritual warfare, which is one often littered with extra-biblical applications/tactics or a flat-out denial of Scriptural truth.

This book keeps its focus on Scripture, avoiding the temptations to head down rabbit trails or shift the focus to personal experience, jokes, or anecdotes. Personal stories, jokes and anecdotes are not the same as a commander preparing a troop for war with the marching orders of the commander. Borgman and Ventura prepare readers for warfare mentality by unpacking the marching orders given to Christians by God in Ephesians 6.

The book won’t win any awards for new ideas or elegant prose (although it is well-written), but it will clearly explain the Word of God to readers—which is ultimately what will equip them for battle and help them gain the victory that is theirs in Christ. I felt encouraged and equipped after reading, and have found myself seeking to equip other believers for battle more than before.

There aren’t many books that I know I will surely re-read, but Spiritual Warfare is likely one I will come back to due to its clear and practical biblical exposition of Ephesians 6:10-20 in a brief 110-page volume.

I recommend this book for personal and group study to those seeking to be better equipped for the battle that is the Christian life.

Buy from Amazon: Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective

Below is one great quote from the book:

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Kevin

I serve with Unlocking the Bible. I blog for the glory of God, to nourish the church, and to clarify my mind. A lover of Christ first, people second, and random things like coffee, books, baseball, and road trips. I wrote When Prayer Is Struggle. Soli Deo Gloria