* Guest: J. Harrington, author of “Swords Up: Mastering the Weapons of Spiritual Warfare for Today’s Christian Woman,” an eight-week Bible study.
* Tragic loss: During pregnancy with a son, sensed the Holy Spirit warn she wouldn’t keep him; hurricane delayed care; confirmed no heartbeat; experienced palpable peace from God in the hospital.
* Aftermath: Peace lifted upon discharge; entered a season of anger and grief; continued attending church though unable to worship; community’s faith “washed over” her until she could worship again.
* Spiritual vision: Sensed a dark presence opposite God’s presence in the hospital, awakening her to real spiritual opposition and the need to fight spiritually.
* Defining spiritual warfare: Attacks and distractions that keep believers from their God-given purpose; highly personal to each person’s struggles.
* Armor of God insights:
* Emphasis on knowing Scripture to detect Satan’s schemes.
* Discovery in Ephesians: “Powers” (exousia) includes “power of choice,” highlighting our daily choices as a battlefield.
* All armor pieces work together; two threads tie them: surrender and prayer.
* Prayer activates and sustains every piece of the armor; Scripture remains the primary weapon.
* Identity: Strengthened by Scripture, prayer, confession, and biblical community; refute lies with God’s truth (fearfully made, new creation, royal priesthood).
* Personal battlefields: Motherhood, marriage balance, overwhelm, social media comparison; surrendering speech, attitudes, and reactions to God; guarding heart from toxic inputs.
* Practical application to pain:
* Hope in God’s promises (e.g., future restoration and no more tears).
* Use Scripture and honest prayer to process grief and anger; God can handle “angry prayers.”
* Confession as a powerful, often-overlooked practice to break strongholds.
* Tools and resources: “Emergency Toolkit” (free download at jpherrington.com): verses + short prayers for anxiety, anger, loneliness, worthlessness, etc.
* Key takeaway: Read your Bible daily. Pair Scripture with persistent prayer and honest confession. This combination reshapes identity, fortifies against spiritual attacks, and transforms how you walk through pain.
Author, J Harrington didn’t come to spiritual warfare through theory—she was drafted by loss. A military spouse and young mom, Jay describes herself (when in her 20s) as being prickly and performance-driven, a Sunday-only faith wrapped around busyness. She married her high school sweetheart, her husband became a marine and they began their family. They were first blessed with a precious daughter and with J’s second pregnancy she prayed for a little boy so that the Harrington name would carry on through the generations to come.
But J’s life was about to be flipped upside down in a cruel and unpredictable way. God prepared her for the unthinkable when He spoke into her spirit before Hurricane Florence: “Get used to the idea that you don’t get to keep your son.” As the hurricane came near, knocking out power even before it came on land…(and then if you remember anything about Florence, the east coast experienced power loss for 2 weeks, some longer)…J became concerned realizing she hadn’t felt her baby in a few days. When the hospitals were finally up and running accepting appointments, her fears became a reality when they found no heartbeat.
Forced to deliver her son as though everything were normal, she says, the delivery room was thick with peace. Nurses felt it, the custodian felt it—“like a warm hug.” As J prepared to leave the hospital God gave her a heads up on the battle that would be waiting for her.
When she walked out of the hospital, the warmth lifted. What followed were “angry prayers,” the kind you don’t think you’re allowed to pray. J reminded us that God’s a big boy, and that
