SPIRITUAL WARFARE: THE UNSEEN BATTLE

Talk 5 of the Youth Camp Online Training

OBJECTIVES
• To define what spiritual warfare and the two kingdoms are.
• To explain the spiritual weapons and their importance when preparing and conducting the Youth
Camp online.
• To explain the different roles of each team member and the disposition each one should take.

KEY MESSAGE
Spiritual battle is real. It is as ancient as the history of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of
Evil. It is always present, just as evil is always lurking around us while we pursue and continue our mission
to evangelize young people and lead them back to God. There is a need for us to be mission ready, have
the proper emotional, physical and spiritual posture to take on our mission of winning souls for the Lord.

SPEAKER’S PROFILE
A matured YFC/SFC who has experienced challenges/trials in an online activity and was able to
overcome it through a deeper comprehension and appreciation of the full armor of God. Having an in-
depth knowledge of the scriptures and living out the teachings. Preferably can provide practical insights
on how to overcome online distractions and personal battles. Emotionally and spiritually rooted in the
knowledge that God is ever-present even in an online set-up.

THE EXPANDED TALK OUTLINE

I. THE TWO KINGDOMS

“For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the principalities and
ruling forces who are masters of the darkness in this world, the spirits of evil in the heavens.”
(Ephesians 6:12)

Spiritual warfare is the battle between good and evil. It is fighting temptations and living the
gospel, a battle that we are not even aware, every single day. This is generally unseen by the
human eyes which affects our daily lives and what we do as young servants of God.

The Kingdom of Darkness belongs to Satan, the fallen angel who was engulfed with pride and go
against the will of God. He is envious and evil. He was created naturally good by God, but became
evil by his own doing. Evil is real, and one of its goal is to lure us in believing that he doesn’t exist.

The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to God, here is where sins are forgiven and where love reigns
above all. Here dwells the good who remains faithful and committed to follow God’s will. It is for
this kingdom that the Son of God was sent to earth to destroy the works of the evil.

In the battle between these two kingdoms, Satan was defeated and was thrown out of heaven
into hell. He knows that He cannot defeat the all-powerful God, so, he tried to destroy what God
loves the most- Man.

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Though this battle has been won with Christ’s death on the cross, Satan continues to deceive us,
blinding us, to forget the victory that we have in Christ. He tempts us to sin and walk away from
God because of guilt. Given our reality now, we are more prone to the temptation, due to isolation
from others and losing the sense of belongingness from the people we used to journey with. And
as a YFC, it is our call to continue to fight despite the difficulty and discomfort we are facing. Let
us continue to win souls for the Lord through our Youth Camp Online. We are called to continue
evangelizing and spreading His message to the world through this gift of the new platform.

II. OUR WEAPONS AND PROTECTION

There has been a great change on how we do and pursue with our mission as young servants of
God. Since the pandemic has affected all physical activities and personal interaction with the
people we serve with, things have become more difficult than before, particularly, in the aspect
of evangelization. We have been robbed of opportunities to physically fulfill and experience our
calling, which is journeying with other young people like us. Everything shifted in a blink and how
to do our usual activities has become another battle to fight for. From our common space, we
shifted to a new platform, the cyberspace.

The biggest challenge is our current realities, such isolation and separation from the world and
the things we used to enjoy. More than the challenge that awaits outside our doors, we are more
prone to an invisible battle within us. We are now surrounded by walls, literally and virtually. The
thought of evangelization in this difficult time may even seem next to impossible.

Nevertheless, we persist. Remember that we are anointed and called to share Christ and His love
to the world, even in the virtual world. We should take courage, for this is the best time to make
the world know, especially the young people, that God moves amidst us. He loves us, He saves us
and it is through Him that we can win this battle. The Holy Spirit creates sacred spaces, and cyber
space is never an exception.

Even in the virtual set-up of our evangelization, let us be reminded that God has given us weapons
to protect us from forgetting our calling and losing the sight of the One who is fighting for us. He
has commanded us to “Put on the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11), for us to be aware of
Satan’s deceiving tactics. Through this, we can withstand the fight and claim the victory of Christ.

A. The Full Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

1. The Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14)
Satan is the father of lies tempting us to doubt God, His words and even ourselves. Hang
on to the truth of Christ, tighten our belt and be secured. Live in the truth that God loves
us unconditionally, forgiven despite our sins and He has great plans ahead of us. Be
confident in the truth that God is the only sure foundation of our lives.

2. The Breastplate of Righteousness- protection against sin. (Ephesians 6:14)

Failing to make us forget God’s truth, Satan will go after our hearts. Throughout the camp,
he will provoke us to be overcome by our emotions, leading us to doubt our own capacity
and even lure us to something more exciting than attending to our responsibility. Protect

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ourselves by focusing on God and His works entrusted to us. Be at peace with the truth
that God is with us, always.

3. Our Boots- our readiness to preach the Gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15)
Satan will discourage us to do the mission. He will make us feel the weight of the
responsibility and the fear of not finishing through. Overwhelmed with tasks may lead us
to exhaustion and giving up. Put on the boots and nurture our eagerness to serve.
Remember why we are doing this: for others, for God.

4. Shield of Faith- protection against the devil’s flaming arrows of doubt (Ephesians 6:17)
Doubts, like flaming arrows, strike us down. It may seem small, but will eventually
consume us in the long run, leading us to even question our calling. Stand firm in the
faith, knowing that God never fail and never will. When things are becoming hopeless, let
us spark hope for our team and our participants.

5. The Helmet of Salvation (Ephesians 6:17)

Protect our mind and focus in God’s salvation, alone. As we serve in the camp, Satan will
distract us with our personal struggles at home, our insecurities and even our plans. Focus
in our goal of bringing the message of God’s love to others. Pray for the grace to desire
this goal.

III. THE UNSEEN BATTLE IN OUR TIME

As we execute our Youth Camp Online, we continue the Spiritual battle, which has begun long
ago. This time however, it has a new face, and Satan will turn our sacred ground into a battle
ground. Why? Because he is filled with pride and does not like losing, and he will do everything to
ruin God’s plan of loving goodness. We have witnessed and have experienced how God loves us
during our own youth camps and how having someone to journey with played an important role
in our growth as a part of the ministry. And it is our call now to allow others to experience it as
well.

The Warriors
In an online set-up we still need to be aware of this fight, be courageous warriors that God has
called us to be. Given the current situation, this is the best time to follow, God, our King, our
general who is leading us to the battlefield.

a. The Commanders (Team Leaders)

In a battlefield, we are the ones leading the battalion into battle. Our command is
what they follow through, and the choices we make will determine our victory.
• Leads the team to prayer and intercession
• Has the familiarity of everything that will happen all throughout the Y-OL.
• Takes necessary actions to troubleshoot, if needed.
• Empowers the team and look after their welfare through consistent
communication and harmonious relationship.

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b. The Battalion (Facilitators)
We form the forerunner of people in the battlefield. We play the most challenging
role in this battle, laying down ourselves for the sake of our participants. We are the
ones in constant communication with them. Though it may happen virtually, we have
to make sure that our presence is felt and the message of what we do is well-
conveyed. We hold in our hands the responsibility to care for the participants,
spiritually and emotionally. And we have to fulfill our duties, with utmost sincerity.

One of our major responsibilities is handling the group discussion, which will happen
virtually, as well. We are responsible for the participant’s spiritual deepening in the
knowledge of God and His plans. One way to do this is through the following:

• The Area Defense – The Group Discussion

This will take place after the first and second talk. This is an important part of the
activity which serves as an avenue for an open discussion of the topics discussed.
It is a way to build friendship among the members and the facilitators.

o Start with a prayer allowing participant to experience that we do things with

God’s blessing and in the spirit of love.
o Create an atmosphere of friendship and comfort by encouraging them to
introduce themselves.
o Establish rapport first. Earning their trust is important, stress the
confidentiality of the sharing within the group. Protect their privacy as they
impart with us their stories, by not sharing it with other service team. The
only people we should approach, in case there is concern, are the Team
Leaders and the Couple Coordinators.
o Invite them to reflect on the discussion starters. Focus on the discussion topic
and listen to them attentively, absorb what they are saying. Avoid doing
other things on our side of screen.
o Time Management is important. Make sure that we are giving everyone
enough time and fair opportunity to share.
o In leading them to personal deepening, we are not expected to know all the
answers to their questions. It is okay to tell them that we are going to reflect
about it and find the answer together.
o We are not there to convince them but simply lead them to the truth.

c. The Scout Rangers (Prayer Warriors)

We are often the unseen warriors of the battlefield. Serving as the invisible shield in
times of war, we often work in silence. It is through silence that we fight and make
sure to win the battle.

• Prepares a sacred space for praying and reflecting.

• Intercedes through prayers for the safety of the team and the activity as a whole.

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• Serves as spiritual support system of the team and will remain present all
throughout the Youth Camp Online.

IV. CLAIMING OUR VICTORY

As we carry on, let us be firm and know that we will be victorious. Know that God wants us to be
confident in Him and that He will always be with us until the end. Remember that we hold in our
hands and in our hearts the gifts that will determine our victory.

a. The Sword of the Spirit- God’s Words (Ephesians 6:17)

God is the truth, and Satan will distort that. Be fully knowledgeable of Christ, His life and
His Word. Reading Scriptures encourages us to be firm and faithful in challenging times.
Carry the Word and reflect on it all throughout the Youth Camp Online.

1. Prayer (Ephesians 6:18) and Fasting (Acts 13:2-3)

Our personal prayer time, praying and worshipping together help build a strong
spiritual foundation among the team members. Being fully aware that we are praying
for one another provides comfort and security that we have each other’s back. Most
importantly, it keeps our relationship intact with Christ.

Fasting is an act of little sacrifices for a greater good. It is to maintain a proper

disposition of being in God’s leading, wherein, we let go of what is not of God. Self-
denial enables us to more sensitive of the need of others, which is an important
attitude as a servant in the camp.

2. Humility
Acknowledge that it is only with and through God that we can do all things. Surrender
to God’s will and obey His commands. Let us fight in humble confidence knowing that
He has won this battle for us already.

3. Love
The primary reason for this battle is God’s love. The same love that God wants us to
share with other people. By this love, even the hardest of hearts surrender to God.
Allow our personal experience of this love fuels our desire to win more souls for the
Lord. Do this by how God’s love won us from our sins and from the world.

V. CONCLUSION
The battle is tough and it will drag us down at some point. We may feel exhausted along the way,
we may even lose the purpose of what we are doing. But be reminded to remain focus in our
calling and in the God who called us. Even at this moment, Christ is fighting for us. And He will
never stop doing that until He wins us back. We are now being called to stand firm in our faith
and follow His leading. Hold on to His promises tightly, and He will bring us to great victory.