What does it mean that we wrestle against Spiritual Wickedness in heavenly places?

Paul the Apostle is describing what happens when one engages in spiritual warfare. The verses that discuss this matter is Ephesians 6:12-18. The key word here wrestle comes from the Greek word pale. Pale (pronounced pal-lay) comes from another word Palaestra which was a Greek school to train wrestlers. The objective of the wrestler was to subdue his opponent by pinning his shoulders to the ground.  So now we see why Paul used the illustration of wrestling when dealing with evil spirits - it was so his audience, the Ephesians could relate to his message.

How are we to wrestle?

The answer is we are to wrestle in the Spirit through prayer. Once we put on all the armor of God, the Bible says, "Pray at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding on behalf of all the saints" (Eph 6:18) - Amplified Version. 

The McCabe part about our spiritual conflict is that we are battling enemies we cannot see. Unless the Lord allowed us to see into the spiritual world where the heavenly hosts and wicked spirits reside, we are fighting in an invisible war from the human side, by faith or trust in God that what we are doing is indeed effective. 

This is what it says regarding our struggle in 2 Corinthians 10:4, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (or of the flesh) but are mighty through God for the overthrow of strongholds."

Thank God we have help!

Fortunately, we are not alone in this warfare. The Holy Spirit assists as well as Jesus Christ. Let me prove it. 

Romans 8:26-27 declares, "So too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weaknesses; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance." 

"And He who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the Holy Spirit because the Spirit intercedes and pleads before God on behalf of the saints according to the will of God."

In verse thirty-four we read that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us.

Holy Spirit led prayer will always result in victory - we absolutely cannot lose!! Why?

When we are praying according to the will of God, the Holy Trinity is involved. In verses 26 and 27 it says that the Spirit is praying, yearning and groaning to God the Father with an utterance to great for words. We can never know what it is, but you can rest assured it is perfect Holy communication to the Father who knows the mind of the Holy Spirit and will do what needs to be done according to His perfect will.

As an added loving benefit, the Lord Jesus also who sits at the place of authority and honor, the Father's right hand also is interceding on our behalf. 

All of these elements are engaged when we are in spiritual warfare. How do we battle? Through prayer in the Spirit. 

God has promised us eternal peace, but to obtain it we have to go to war for now, in the earth realm against spiritual wickedness in high and heavenly places.

To get a perfect illustration of spiritual warfare in action please read the entire ninth chapter of Daniel.