What Ephesians 6:12 Teaches Us

Knowing who you’re fighting against is half the battle. Your battle is not against your family member who said something hurtful, the old friend who betrayed your trust, the coworker who spreads rumors, the guy in the grocery store who cut you off, the landlord who won’t listen, your boss who constantly criticizes you, or even your ex who left deep wounds behind.

Your battle is spiritual, and your true enemy is the devil.

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world…” The enemy wants you distracted. He wants to twist your hurt into bitterness. He thrives on division, resentment, and broken relationships. If he can get you to fight people, he can keep you from fighting him.

But do you know what your greatest weapon is? Prayer.

Pray for the people who hurt you.
Pray for the ones who took advantage of you.
Pray for the ones who walked away without apology.
Pray for those who misunderstood you, rejected you, or judged you.

It doesn’t excuse what they did—but it does shift your response. When you choose to let God fight the battle instead of reacting in your flesh, you’re acting from a place of strength and surrender. Knowing who you’re fighting against reminds you that the real enemy isn’t the person who hurt you—it’s the spiritual forces trying to keep you stuck in bitterness.

Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Not because it’s easy, but because it’s powerful. It’s holy.

When you pray for someone, the shift may not happen in them—but it will happen in you. Prayer breaks chains. It releases the anger, the offense, the weight you’ve been carrying. It opens the door for healing and invites God to step in where your strength ends.

And remember this: you never truly know what battles your enemies might be facing. Wounded people often wound others. But people who know who the real enemy is? They forgive. They intercede. They choose healing. And they rise above.

Choose to be one of those people. Not because they deserve it, but because you’re finding freedom in the process.