3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

It is ultimately in his death on the cross that Jesus demonstrates his su-premacy over that which would oppose him. The apostle Paul looks back on the crucifixion and pronounces it a military victory over the demonic realm:

He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13–15)

Jesus defeated the powers and authorities, not by killing people but by dying for them. This transition – from the old way of thinking about the battle in terms of some kind of physical conflict, to the new era of spiritual warfare – was dramatically demonstrated when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Gospels describe how Jesus’ disciple Peter grabbed a sword and chopped off the ear of the high priest’s servant (Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–53; John 18:1–11). Jesus responded by healing the man’s ear and saying: Put your sword back in its place . . . for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. …

The object of Christ’s warfare is spiritual, not physical, and the weapons used are also spiritual.