The purpose of this article is to present proven strategies I employ in my sphere of influence which is the Gold Coast City Council where I have worked for almost 4 ½ years as Councillor Adviser – Pastoral Care. Please be encouraged to share with people you know who are engaged in the Government Mountain, or to adapt to suit your sphere of influence.
Understanding the Battlefield
Before we act, we need to understand the nature of the battle. Two key foundational positions are these: we need Holy Spirit strength and discernment. Without His strength we will easily become weary and fall into the temptation to quit or to by-pass God and lean on broken crutches of personal or worldly wisdom. Without His spirit of discernment, we can misinterpret what’s happening and respond incorrectly. Many conflicts we face are deeper than they appear, they have spiritual roots, not just surface issues. So, we must begin with the right perspective.
Spiritual Warfare Framework Ephesians 6: 10 – 20
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
This passage in Ephesians 6 is our framework and one which I have applied on repeat. Paul tells us clearly: our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual, unseen powers and evil forces. We are dealing with spiritual forces that influence systems, cultures, and behaviours. That means people are not the enemy. “Agghhhh” we cry! “But it’s my co-workers or boss who stands in my way or who rejects me and my ideas!” Well, our spiritual eyes must be trained to look past the flesh and blood person to “see” the “unseen” spirit influencing and driving an ungodly agenda. This changes how we respond from attacking people to addressing the deeper influence behind what’s happening. When we get this right, we respond with wisdom, authority, and compassion.
Foundational Position for Operating in the Ephesians 6 Framework
There are the 14 Councillors and Mayor representing the 700,000 residents of the Gold Coast (the second largest City Council in the nation). They, and around 4,000 other people are City Council employees from highly paid experts in finance, planning, engineering and social service delivery to roadworkers and parking officers. It is a massive bureaucracy, as all government agencies are, and whilst the theme of this article is Overcoming the Devil’s Schemes in the Governmental Sphere, I am not accusing anyone with corruption or ungodliness, to do so would contradict my previous point and leave me open to enemy attacks personally. The systems in operation are far from righteous and godly in all aspects but there are many, many good people who have the benefit of the city in mind, but without practical application of Kingdom values and principles we are left with a flawed, man-made system incapable of manifesting God’s purposes for the city and its people.
To help us fight the right battle in the right way let’s review our three key foundational positions so far:
- Strength through God’s power – we are not relying on ourselves. God’s strength is unlimited but ours is not.
- Recognising the true opposition – again, not people, but spiritual forces – this prevents misdirected anger and division.
- Wisdom and compassion – when we see clearly, we treat people with compassion, even if they are caught in harmful systems.
Trust in God vs Trust in People
Another foundational position and one which must constantly be applied is: no human leader is our Saviour. Especially in politics it’s easy to place hope in people, systems, or political parties, but Scripture warns us not to put our ultimate trust there. When we rely too heavily on human solutions, we risk disappointment and even compromise. Our stability and direction must come from God first, not from people, even if that person is a follower of Jesus and appears to have solutions. Everything must originate and be tested by the Word of God which is always infallible and true.
Armor of God – Overview of Elements Necessary to Fight the Battle
Now we move into the Armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6. Think of this as both defensive and offensive tools, practical ways we stand firm and act. Each piece addresses a different strategy of the enemy.
- Belt of Truth is foundational as it holds everything together. The enemy often works through deception, lies, and distorted narratives but truth exposes those lies. This isn’t just about knowing truth; it’s about living with integrity and speaking truth consistently. Sometimes truth comes at a cost. Systems often reward silence or distortion, but we are called to stand in truth anyway. When we do that, we weaken the foundation of harmful systems.
- Breastplate of Righteousness. Righteousness is not just belief, it’s how we live. The breastplate protects the heart, our core identity and integrity. Corrupt systems thrive where integrity is compromised, and accountability is absent. When we live rightly, we disrupt those patterns and model a better way. This also protects us from accusation and compromise and allows us to stand confidently because our lives align with what we believe.
- Gospel of Peace equips us to step into broken situations. Evil systems often thrive on division, conflict and hostility; our role as Kingdom ambassadors is to bring reconciliation, calm and restoration. This doesn’t mean avoiding conflict, it means responding differently within it. Practically, I have learned that staying calm under pressure helps others navigate conflict and brings a presence of peace in tense environments. Peace is actually a powerful disruptive force and a wonderful Spiritual weapon.
- Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word
These three pieces work closely together.
Shield of Faith – Faith protects us from fear, doubt, and intimidation, and is especially powerful when we stand in faith together as a community. I am blessed to belong to a spiritual community who stand with me in faith and prayer, and I suggest that it is foolishness to enter this level of warfare without such a supportive community. Please note – the “community” can be as small as 2 or 3 people and as large as hundreds; the key is to position yourself in a faith-filled community.
Helmet of Salvation – Many battles happen in our thinking – confusion, discouragement, identity struggles, rejection, but when we wear the helmet of salvation our mind is guarded against carnal thinking, and we can stand firm in who we are and what we’ve been given. Remember, the Cross is a finished work, and the enemy is a defeated foe right now!
The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. We use the Word, which is Truth, offensively and actively to challenge lies, dismantle harmful beliefs and bring clarity. This requires knowing Scripture and using it intentionally. Again, it is foolishness to think you can overcome the devil’s schemes if you are Word illiterate or Word lazy.
- Prayer and Prophetic Proclamation – These two together sustain everything we do.
Finally, none of this works without prayer. Prayer is not an add-on, it is central, keeping us connected, alert, and aligned with God. Alongside prayer is prophetic proclamation – speaking truth, declaring the Gospel and bringing clarity into confusion through Holy Spirit inspired words. An agreed upon non-negotiable at the start of my time in Council was to have a dedicated space for prayer in the Council Chambers. The Prayer Room hosts around 9 prayer groups rostered through weekly or monthly to pray for me, the Mayor, Council, City, Churches and the nation. The diversity of mandates carried by these groups brings a wholeness of authority in intercessory prayer and prophetic proclamation. We have learned that persistent prayer in action must be intentional, organised, and consistent, the focus being prayer for leaders and for systems reflecting a key strategy to not just react to problems but to pray proactively against root causes. Our combined Prayer Gatherings have sharpened discernment and strengthened the whole community. Only eternity will reveal the full effect of our prayers but what we have tasted and seen has been so good!
Allow me to share one final thought, a favourite scripture which tells me that all I do for God in my current Kingdom assignment is absolutely worth it.
Revelation 11:15 – “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
The seventh trumpet sounds with the most glorious proclamation and the verb tense of “has become” indicates the absolute certainty about the coming rule and reign of Jesus even before the fact is accomplished. A hearty AMEN to that!!
Sue Baynes
