Customer Reviews

Invisible War, The: What Every Believer Needs to Know about Satan, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare

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The subject of Spiritual warfare is one that many Christians shy away from today. I think that is mainly because there is a lot of extreamism. There are alot of preachers and authors today who see a demon around every corner and go way beyond the scope of Scripture. I know, because I have read some of these types of books. However, spiritual warfare is a vitally important subject, one that no Christian can afford to ignore.

I have been looking for a long time for a book that is both practical and solidly biblical. This book by Chip Ingrim is both. This book has really opened my eyes. I have always believed in Satan and demons. However, I am beginning to realize now just how ignorant I was to the enemy's tactics and work in my life. I have recently reached a point where I am sick and tired of living a defeated Christian life. I want to learn how to defeat the enemy and live in victory. This book will teach you how to do just that.

This book is based on Ephesians 6. This is a chapter that is regularly preached and taught on. But no one has enriched my understanding of this chapter more than Chip Ingram. He goes through each piece of armor and then talks about how to apply it in your own life. He talks about how each piece protects us from a specific type of attack. But Ingram makes it clear that the responsiblity of putting on the spiritual armour isn't God's. It's ours. If we fail to put on our spiritual armour, we will be extremely vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.

This book is incredibly practical and Biblical. It is an invaluable resource for any Christian. But I think this book would be especially valuable to a new believer. I am grateful to Chip Ingram for having the courage to write this book. My one regret is that I didn't read this book sooner. This book will convict, challenge and encourage you. Every Christian should read this book. I highly recommend this book.

To begin, Chip Ingram's message is not one of extremes. The text of THE INVISIBLE WAR doesn't promote a sensationalist scare-tactic mentality nor does it present a purely academic one. Somewhere in the middle, where average Christians live and pray and worship, Ingram seeks to educate, inform and equip said believers for what he terms is an "invisible war" being fought everywhere in the world today. Ingram is quick to point out that the Bible doesn't tell believers everything there is to know about how Satan and his demons work. However, it does provide enough information to formulate patterns, strategies and practical ways for Christians to combat such spiritual attacks.

Citing Ephesians 6:10-20 as the principal New Testament teaching on spiritual warfare, Ingram breaks this section of scripture into two basic themes: "Be strong in the Lord" and "Put on the full armor of God." Ingram says that when people suddenly are fearful of or in danger from spiritual entities, they react with either a fight or flight response. He suggests that both responses require embracing the mentality that humans are indeed weak and only in the might of the Lord can they effectively face down spiritual foes. Secondly, the Bible is explicit in the how-to of preparing for spiritual battle. From the biblical standpoint, "full armor" is described as "taking up the shield of faith," the "helmet of salvation" and "the sword of the Spirit."

Ingram believes there are specific times in Christians' lives when they are most vulnerable to spiritual attacks. These seasons are during the following periods of life: when believers are growing in their faith, when Christians take on the offensive and try to "invade" enemy territory through evangelism/prayer and the like, when Christians seek to expose Satan and his lies for what they truly are, after believers repent and turn toward Christ instead of continuing in a sinful lifestyle, and finally, during those times of preparation when God is making his followers ready for a work of great significance. The author tells Christians to be on the alert and ready to extinguish the "flaming arrows of the evil one" that are subtle yet strategically designed to hit believers during their weakest moments.

Lest Christians become discouraged or overwhelmed at the prospect that their every move is being monitored and plotted against by Satan and his cohorts, Ingram offers four encouraging facts. First, God has already defeated Satan and paid the price for believers' sins. Eventually sin's presence will be removed as well; until then, Christians must recognize that they are part of a "guerrilla warfare." Second, believers have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, with all the rights and privileges accorded to God's children. Third, Christians must be proactive in putting on the spiritual protection God has provided. Finally, the majority of spiritual warfare does not need to pass beyond "the regular practice of living out our position in Christ by faith."

For those Christians who have been unable to locate a sound biblical text, both practical and pertinent to their lives, THE INVISIBLE WAR will fill that need. Christians new to the faith, as well as seasoned believers, will be encouraged, educated and challenged to use every God-given resource to live lives of faith that reflect the glory and overcoming power of God's faithful care.

--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

It is amazing to me how Chip Ingram can take one verse and write a book on it. His description of the armor of a Roman soldier is both unique (in my experience, at least) and succinct.

Ingram states something in this volume that many modern Christians don't want to face; there is evil, it is personal, it is involved in a battle that is beyond our vision, it has an invisible face, it is very attractive, and if you don't believe it then you cannot believe in the Christian God.

It is that simple.

His Biblical description of Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub, Belial, The Evil One, The Tempter, The Prince of This World, and the Accuser of the Bretheren is informative. His application of these names to the sufferings of many Christian minds and families is appropriate. There are many who need to realize why they feel as they do about their faith, strong or weak.

The solutions offered are doable and in accordance with Biblical principles.

Larry Fischer
Topeka, Kansas

I found that Chip Ingram presented the material in a manner that is both succinct and informative. In the same matter-of-fact style as Derek Prince's, "Spiritual Warfare" book, Chip takes that material further and clarifies the metaphors used by Paul of each of the pieces of armor. Those who are trying to equip new believers will find this an excellent book for either a "textbook" or as a "teaching manual". I highly recommend it.

Chip Ingram has given us a great resource in this book. He gives us a very balanced and scriptural look at the reality of the invisible war that we are all in. He does a great job of using God's Word combined with his own experiences to help us understand how Ephesians 6 applies to our daily lives. As a preacher and teacher, something I found especially helpful are the outlines that he gives at the beginning of each section. This not only lets you know where he's going, but it's also very useful in teaching the material to others. I definitely recommend this tool to help Christians develop a solid understanding of spiritual warfare.

One of the greatest misconceptions in the Christian walk is that once we become a Christian..life should just be, "easier, better, etc." Not so, Jesus promised us in John 17:33 that we will have MANY trials and sorrows..but HE has overcome them all. The "Invisible War" explains the Truth about our daily struggles. They are NOT what they appear to be on the surface...there is a greater battle taking place and if you are not familiar with the battlefield, the enemy and his tactics, and the weapons of warfare...you are going to lose the daily fight. We are taught ALL through out Scripture that we are in a "fight of faith" I am a HUGE fan of Chip Ingram...I only wish he had MORE books published! He is a fantastic writer and teacher of the Word. He is annointed in amazing ways and He speaks right to the heart of an issue. This book is no exception to Mr. Ingram's fantastic annointing. If you desire to walk in Victory, daily...you must read this book.

The author's encounters were helpful, however I was expecting a little more based on the title. I know persons have had some very serious encounters, and have much to say on the subject. Helpful never the less.

Writing from a Biblically conservative viewpoint, Chip Ingram uses a combination of his personal experience as a pastor and his academic training to develop the modern day application of the Roman armor metaphor used by Paul in his letter to the Ephesian church. The writing style is engaging, the handling of scripture careful, and the application highly relevant. He handles the subject of spiritual warfare with a serious respect for its reality but avoids any excess of sensationalism. Highly recommended.

Not what I expected. This is mostly an extended, but lightweight, exposition on Ephesians 6:13-15, complete with "personal application" sections, checklists, and questions. It would probably be a good study for beginning believers, but not for someone who's deeper into study, or further along their walk. There are a lot of "unfinished stories" here--"The person walked down the aisle, cursing God and I..." .... "Later, I learned from members of the congregation..." .... "I learned from some of the other pastors...." There's little personal experience that isn't solved by simply memorizing and quoting some verses. The personal experiences are always something the author heard from someone else after the fact.

I found this book to be a helpful addition to the subject of spiritual warfare. Illustrative stories helped to explain the principles explained, and the ongoing conflict of the Kingdom of Light with the kingdom of darkness and our role in it is clearly explained. For more advanced study, I would recommend Ed Murphy's Handbook of Spiritual Warfare.