Yes, Paul conducted his spiritual warfare by spiritual means — recognizing that the enemy is not people but principalities and powers, remaining aware of Satan's devices, and confronting evil through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul saw the conflict as spiritual, not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Paul also said he was not ignorant of Satan's devices (2 Corinthians 2:11), and when he faced Elymas the sorcerer, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and directly rebuked him as a child of the devil (Acts 13:9-10). Paul used the Roman soldier's armor as a picture of forward-only, no-retreat spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:12 — Paul explicitly defines spiritual warfare as wrestling not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.
In Ephesians 6:12, Paul declares, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." This shows that Paul understood the real enemy to be spiritual, not human. Paul also wrote, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11). He acknowledged that he was fully aware of the enemy's schemes. In Acts 13, the sorcerer Elymas withstood Paul and Barnabas, seeking to turn the deputy away from the faith. Luke records that Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, "O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:8-10). Paul also expressed confidence that no principality or power could separate believers from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).
Les Feldick emphasizes that Paul's spiritual warfare was grounded in his humanity and his example. Paul told believers to follow him as he followed Christ, and Les notes that Paul was just as human as we are, facing the same temptations and failures — yet he lived victoriously (Philippians 3:17). Les explains that the principalities and powers Paul mentions in Ephesians 6:12 are positioned in Satan's realm and are filled with energy that never runs out, all aimed at pulling believers away from the love of Christ. Paul was not ignorant of Satan's devices because he had personal experience of near-defeat and despair. Les also highlights the encounter with Elymas in Acts 13 as a vivid example of spiritual warfare. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, confronted the sorcerer directly and called him a child of the devil. Les further points out that Paul often used the Roman soldier's armor as an illustration — and all that armor was only for a frontal attack, never for retreat. Believers, Les teaches, must be confrontational against the powers in high places, though not obnoxious, standing firm without a rear-guard action.
Paul taught that the conflict is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers—spiritual rulers in darkness. Les Feldick emphasizes that these spiritual forces are positioned and energized to pull believers away from the love of Christ.
When the sorcerer Elymas withstood Paul and Barnabas, Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit—set his eyes on him and rebuked him, calling him a child of the devil and an enemy of all righteousness. Les Feldick shows that this is spiritual warfare in action: Spirit-empowered, direct confrontation with the enemy's human tool.
Les Feldick points out that Paul used the Roman soldier as an illustration of the believer's spiritual equipment. Every piece of armor was designed only for forward movement—there was no retreat and no rearguard action. Paul's warfare, and the believer's, must be a frontal attack against the powers of darkness, standing confrontationally without being obnoxious.
Paul as a Human Example
Les shows that Paul was a human example believers can follow—he faced the same temptations, yet his warfare was successful because he walked in faith.
The Spiritual Enemy
Les explains that principalities and powers are spiritual positions with energy that never runs out, and they work to separate believers from Christ's love.
Awareness of Satan's Devices
Les teaches that Paul's warning that he was not ignorant of Satan's devices came from his own past experience of being nearly beaten down in despair, showing the need for alertness.
Spirit-Empowered Confrontation
Les highlights Paul's rebuke of Elymas as a direct, Holy Spirit-filled confrontation with the enemy, showing spiritual warfare in action.
No Retreat in Spiritual Warfare
Les teaches that the Roman soldier's armor was only for forward attack—believers are to stand against spiritual powers without any thought of retreat.
Boldness in the Face of Opposition
Les notes that Paul spoke boldly and disputed against opponents even when they sought to kill him, showing his fearless spiritual warfare.
Spiritual Wickedness in High Places
Les reiterates Ephesians 6:12, emphasizing that the warfare is against spiritual wickedness in high places, not against people.
Paul's Response to Elymas
Les describes how Elymas tried to prevent the deputy from hearing God's word, and how Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, withstood him.
Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
This is the central verse defining the spiritual nature of the conflict Paul describes.
2 Corinthians 2:11: Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Paul affirms his awareness of how Satan works, a key element in spiritual warfare.
Acts 13:8-10: But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
This is a concrete example of Paul engaging in spiritual warfare through a Spirit-filled rebuke.
Romans 8:38-39: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul connects principalities and powers to attacks that ultimately cannot separate believers from God's love.
Philippians 3:17: Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.
Paul points to himself as a human example of living out the faith in the face of spiritual opposition.
No, Les Feldick teaches that Paul's warfare was entirely spiritual. He wrestled not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, using spiritual weapons, not physical ones.
Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, confronted Elymas directly and called him a child of the devil. Les shows this as a model of Spirit-empowered, confrontational spiritual warfare against the enemy's work.
Paul was aware of how Satan operates, and Les says this awareness came from Paul's own experience of near-despair. Believers today are to search the Scriptures and reject what is not taught there, just as Paul warned.
Watch the Teaching: The Weapons of Our Warfare — 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Explained