In this journal I’m going to be talking about Spiritual Warfare. I’ve made pretty clear in other posts the case that we are constantly at war with the Enemy and he is hell-bent on preventing God’s glory shining through us. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” John 10:10a He came to literally do this. “The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it.” “I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45:2-3 Be completely honest with yourself, when you read the above passage did it seem a bit…overblown? “God’s gonna level mountains for me Bill? That’s cool. I was just kinda hoping He’d help me get through this week. I have a million things to do and I don’t know how I’m gonna do it.” The part about treasure reminds you of a children’s tale you used to hear when you were little and it was wrote to be poetic and inspire, but what good does that actually do us now?
What if we viewed Scripture through the eyes of our heart? The language used in the Bible makes perfect sense if we view it on a mythic level like in Lord of the Rings. Gates must be broken down, riches are hidden in darkness, and precious friends must be set free. Things are not what they seem. We are at war and the Enemy is set against your heart, your glory. “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1b This is God’s mission for His people. We have all been held captive by something and we can’t see in the darkness. Our hearts have been the treasure hidden in the darkness. Maybe you understand that perfectly, but what we don’t always understand is the Where and How.
In every story there is a villain. In Lord of the Rings, Sauron wanted the Ring back and attempted everything in his power to recover it. Satan was cast out from heaven along with the fallen angels and he wants revenge on God. The only way he can get this is by attacking us. He is trying to steal your freedom, kill your heart, and destroy your life. “Very few people live like that. The alarm goes off, and they hit the snooze button, catch a few extra winks, gulp down a cup of coffee on their way to work, wonder why there are so many hassles, grab some lunch, work some more, come home under a sort of cloud, look at the mail, have dinner, watch a little TV, feed the cat, and fall into bed—without once even wondering how the Enemy might be attacking them. All they know is, they sure aren’t enjoying that abundant life Christ talked about.” To live in ignorance of the war going on around you is the most destructive thing we can possibly do.
Satan has been called the Father of Lies in John 8:44. His very first attack against Adam and Eve was a lie in the Garden and he was successful. He likes to suggest to us some sort of idea or inclination or impression, and what he is seeking is a sort of “agreement” on our part. He’s hoping we buy into whatever he’s offering, saying, insinuating and then he can destroy the work God wants to do through us. Quite possibly the two hardest things to hold onto is that our hearts are good and they matter to God. Try to hold onto these for a day and see the resistance you face. You have an argument with your daughter on the way to school; as you drive off, you have a nagging sense of, Well, you really blew that one. If your heart agrees with this without taking the issue to God then the Enemy tries to take more from you. You’re always blowing it with her. Another agreement is made. It’s true. I’m such a lousy parent. You can see how your whole day goes down the drain in about 5 minutes.
This sort of thing happens all the time and if we don’t recognize it for what it is we’re toast. If a demon told you to drink a rat poison he was handing you, you would tell him where he can drink his poison. “But because we do not live as though we are at war, well, we just assume these impressions are our own, and we accept them, agree with them, live under them like slaves under a task master.” Any movement toward freedom and life will be opposed. Sadly, the opposition will sometimes come from Christians because they do not understand what they are saying comes from the Enemy. David took a census of Israel when he was commanded not to and Peter tried to rebuke Jesus. These are some great Christian men who fell for lies. We must be careful who or what we are agreeing with.
Probably half the stuff people are trying to “work through” in counseling offices or pray about in their quiet times are agreements they’ve made with the Enemy. They could end their agony if they treated it for the warfare it is, break any agreement they’ve made, and send the Enemy packing. Have you ever had an experience where there was something you couldn’t just “work through”? I know I have. Whether it’s something you’ve done in the past, anger you’re holding onto, or the feeling that you aren’t worth anything, stop agreeing now! “The Enemy will suggest all sorts of things. You see—God doesn’t care. You’re not worth fighting for. Your heart doesn’t matter. You can’t trust him. He is trying to kill your heart, destroy the glory of your life. It will feel hard—really hard, almost impossible—but whatever you do, make no agreements. You have to start there.”
God is often referred to as “the Lord Almighty” in the Bible. What kind of image does this create in your head? To me, it paints a picture of someone who is up in heaven yet in control. Powerful, yet a bit behind the scenes. The Hebrew version of this translation is “the Lord of hosts” and “God of hosts.” This seems like a much better representation because my God is the God of armies who will fight for his people. The God who is at war. Lord Almighty doesn’t really convey this image to me. “The God of angel armies sounds like the one who would roll up his sleeves, take up sword and shield to break down gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron to rescue me.” Why have Christians abandoned a warfare worldview? Why do we still think, and some churches will even preach, that our hearts are evil? It’s because we have believed in the lies of the Enemy for far too long and it’s time to stop and fight back.
I want to close out this post by reviewing some of my previous journal entries to kind of tie them all together. Much of Christianity in today’s American society has turned discipleship into a soul-killing exercise of principles. A lot of people don’t realize they can walk with God and hear His voice. We’ve viewed counseling as a profession for sick patients so people’s hearts are never healed. We sit in pews as broken people, feeling guilty because we aren’t living the life we’re supposed to. We’ve believed the lies of the Enemy, especially the one that there is no war. How many Christians do you know practice spiritual warfare as a normal, essential part of daily life? If you want the life and freedom Jesus offers, then you are going to have to break free of this religious fog. “It is freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 Here’s a good test to use to see what you believe is the truth. If it doesn’t bring freedom, life, or restore the image of God, it’s not Christianity.
I really can’t stress how important it is to recognize that we are at war and we must guard ourselves and fight daily. Satan is out there trying to steal, kill, and destroy whatever part of our lives he can get a hold of and I do not want to see myself or my friends fall prey any longer. If you have anything you want me to pray for, please let me know. I love you guys and hope you start off the New Year right!
In Love,
Bill
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