This is a review of the book The Invisible War by Chip Ingram.
Had I not heard Chip Ingram talking on Moody Radio about his book The Invisible War, I wouldn’t have read it. There are many sensationalistic books on this topic, and I generally avoid them. However, as I listened, many of the things he said resonated with me. Most importantly, I came it realize that we are in a constant spiritual warfare state whether we know it or not.
I’m not the sort of person who imagines demons hiding under the bed or sitting on my shoulder whispering sinful suggestions. I don’t think that everything bad that has ever happened to me was because Satan assigned one of his minions to make my life temporarily miserable. In fact there was a time when I doubted Satan’s existence.
But I have experienced the supernatural. Those who haven’t will dismiss it, until it happens to them. In previous posts I’ve confessed to dabbling in different meditation methods when I was a New Age seeker. You can add Kabbalah and Ouija Board experimentation as a teen. In those years I experienced psychic manifestations which I found intriguing and which couldn’t be explained away as natural phenomena. I never entertained the thought that these might be demonic in nature.
Then one night I got out of bed to visit the bathroom and was struck with a primal fear I’d never experienced before. This isn’t the sort of fear one feels when confronting a possible intruder. I was a 200 lb plus cocky bodybuilder who could bench-press over 300 lbs. I cannot adequately describe my fear in words. But invoking Jesus’ name immediately ended the experience. There were other experiences which I won’t mention here.
If you’ve experienced something like I have, Ingram’s book will put it into proper perspective for you. He provides personal anecdotes of attacks on his ministry in several different locations. The book is structured on Ephesians 6. It explores what putting on the full armor of God means and how we can use it effectively.
At 189 pages the book is divided into 4 main sections:
1) What every believer should know
This section discusses why Christians struggle and the behind-the-scene causes. Ingram points to our personal enemy and brings to our attention our solid strategic position in Christ’s victory.
2) How to prepare for spiritual battle
Ingram here employs military terminology such as “Code Red” and “False Intelligence.” He warns us of the dangers of harboring doubt and guilt and how these can incapacitate us.
3) How to do battle with the enemy and win
What do you do when you are attacked? How do you cultivate invincible faith? Did you know that there is a battle for your mind but that you been given effective weapons to wield?
4) Deliverance from demonic influence
What is the missing ingredient in our lives? What do we do when the enemy takes hold and how do we find freedom?
No, the book is not about exorcising demons like in the movies. And demons don’t always scare people who visit the bathroom in the middle of the night. It is a sober look at how Satan often cripples the Christian witness. Ingram talks about select times when Satan is especially likely to hijack a Christian or a ministry outreach. The book falls solidly into line with the works of Charles Spurgeon (Spiritual Warfare) and William Gurnall (The Christian in Complete Armor) but is more accessible.
At the beginning of each section Ingram provides a useful introduction, summary and personal application hints for quick reviews. There’s also a very helpful section which empowers Christians to become more effective using the model of the ACTS (New Testament) Church.
I personally loved the quote by Elisabeth Elliot (p 160) which compared the discipline of a skier who loves the sport, to a praying Christian. She notes that:
“But prayer isn’t a sport. It’s work. Prayer is no game…Prayer is the opposite of leisure. It’s something to be engaged in, not indulged in. It’s a job you give priority to. It’s performing when you have energy left for nothing else.”
My copy of Invisible Warfare is marked, underlined and full of sticky notes. It sits close by us and is often referred to.
We live in an age of increasing spiritual warfare. We should recognize when we are being attacked and how we must defend. We should be constantly vigilant and prepared for spiritual battle.
Ingram’s book is highly recommended.
Purchase Chip Ingram’s The Invisible War !
Disclosure: This link is an affiliate link meaning, at no additional cost to you, we may get a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support in this way!
Read our Full Disclosure policy here.
Sharing is caring!
