devotion25 - World At War

"Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. " Rev 12:17

"Enemy occupied territory that is what this world is." - C.S. Lewis

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist." - The Usual Suspects.

Western Christianity is, to some extent, a religion with a bit of an identity crisis. There are aspects of Jesus' teaching which have universal appeal and make for an easy sell. Who doesn't want more peace and love in their life? At the same time, there are elements of Christianity which are less pleasant and so we may have a tendency to hide them in the closet and focus on areas where we are more comfortable. We don't want to even think about spiritual warfare, much less do anything about it. Maybe if we pretend it is isn't real, it won't affect us.

That strategy rarely works. Few combatants in war ever wanted to fight but they could not shake off the conflict once it consumed them. Once the shooting starts, all you can do is choose sides. As Aragorn tells King Théoden in The Two Towers, "Whether you would risk it or not, open war is upon you."

There is a war raging all around you at this very moment. Those who oppose God are locked in fierce combat with those who remain ever loyal. We know that God and the forces of good triumph in the end, but that day has not yet come. In the meantime, no one is invulnerable to the effects of this war. We are all casualties and have all been tormented by the evil one's forces.

It would be a mistake to attribute every bad decision or selfish act to the influence of the forces of evil, but worse still would be a steadfast refusal to acknowledge their existence. As you grow in intimacy with God and succeed in doing His work on earth, the more Satan and his forces will rally against you. If you are oblivious to this opposition or its source, you will be ill-equipped to handle it.

The most common tactic the devil will use to torment us is to tell us lies and deceive us. Frequently, we will get the message that we are worthless or that our efforts to serve God are in vain. At its worst, it can sometimes leave you wondering if God even exists at all.

"You're not good enough to pull this off."

"You're nothing but a filthy sinner."

"You're wasting your time."

When you hear that denigrating voice, you must make no agreements with it! You must never allow that voice to lead you down the path of hopelessness and despair. Don't give your tormentor a foothold by thinking, "...maybe I am wasting my time." Recognize it for what it is and demand it to flee.

There is more to spiritual warfare than ignoring Satan's lies. There is an active role for you to play and your contributions are desperately needed. Paul gives us our marching orders in his letter to the Ephesians. He writes,

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph 6:11-17

Paul is not being metaphorical or figurative. Your best defense in this war is truth, righteousness and faith. Your best weapon is the Holy Word of God. How we live, according the principles Jesus taught, provides the best possible protection against the devil's schemes. How we witness and teach the Gospel - how we proclaim the good news of the Word - is a sword which pierces the enemy's heart.