Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare 2013

 

 

 

 

This post is somewhat different from my normal post, although it is about ‘politics and religion’ and it is my ‘opinion’ so in that sense I guess it is about usual.  Without getting into a lot of wordiness, this post is taken from a chapter in my book, which deal with a ministry trying to help addicts, alcoholics, homeless, mentally challenged, and other individuals who are victims of debilitating circumstances in their lives.  These individuals are left to fend and cope on the streets of our major city ghettos.  Although my term as Director – Pastor – Counselor started in the ghettos of New Orleans, just off the infamous French Quarter, it was in most part served in South-central Arkansas.  Nonetheless, I learned what really happens in the ghettos and in the lives of their people.

As I started to write this book, (prior to the election of Obama in 2008), I watched as some conditions accelerated since that time.  So, I have been blogging and freelance writing a conservative opinion, which covers issues with the conservative evangelical Christians, and the conservative freedom and constitution activists.

One of the things I have often covered is the spiritual warfare factor that is undeniably being fought in our country’s freedom and rights of the citizen, or the ‘We The People’ who are supposed to be the power of the politicians.  Politician is a word, which has no positive meaning to me at this point in time. 

Considering all this, it is my opinion that there are two forces at play in the world, good and evil, darkness, and light.  It is with this then that I am posting an excessively long post on the subject of spiritual warfare.    

Spiritual warfare, it is and always has been a 24/7 war which will attack on all fronts.  It is not an idea from the dusty shelves of antiquity; it is current and a more than adequate means for dark, sinister evil to overcome a Christian nation and ruled by Satan himself.  Nonetheless, contrary to what the local chapter of the ACLU and your neighborhood Atheist may say, there is a God and any who claims to have him in their hearts, and who are doing their level best to follow in their daily activities, will tell you of the great war being waged in their members, (the body and mind), within.  The Apostle Paul gave reference to the things that he confronts on a daily basis, and called it a war; a war that is equated to sin, it is a war against sin, against darkness; it is not a war against flesh and blood.  Many are the liberal and liberation theology preachers, who will criticize the conservative Christian with a remark like “Jesus was anti-war”, True, nonetheless, he used it in the past and will use it again, but they use it inferring that Christians are under some illusion that conservative Christianity is pro war, elitists, racist, homophobias’ and promote hate, intolerance, and  war.  Of course, we all, (if you have read the Bible much), know that Jesus was condemned by his own, because he was not a warrior messiah come to set them free of the Roman oppression.  Nevertheless, the enemy is a well-trained army of demons and devils, whose number is unimaginable, and trained very well.  There is an echelon of authority and power right to Satan himself; he is the commander-in-chief of this vast army.

This army of darkness is not idle in our lives it is consistent in purpose and uses a vast array of weapons.  I have often listened to preachers tell their congregations, “If you say there is no spiritual battle in your life, it might mean you are not doing something for God.”  As soon as the Christian starts to live daily to serve God and to follow him, there is immediate attack from the darkness that encompasses, as though we awoke to find ourselves in the deepest, darkest cave on this earth.

 I once had the opportunity to visit the Cave of the Winds near Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the midpoint of the tour, the guide gathered us about, and turned off the lights.  This demonstration reveals how absolute the darkness is; literally you cannot see your hand if it is touching your nose; the cave was totally void of any light.  Speaking in a spiritual sense, the Bible speaks of the light, being that of good and righteousness, the dark being that of evil and wickedness, and it has been one of the many pictures of the mind, as I digest some of the meaning of the forces of good and evil, of darkness and light.  From the time of my youth, I have had experiences of total darkness, and of the brightness as the mid-day sun reflecting off a snow-covered slope.  This contrast is without words, and likewise the contrast of the spiritual darkness and light. 

The spiritual battle is between the light and the darkness of the world, and is used by Satan’s forces, the forces that finds a “chink” in the armor of the believer, a weakness, which could be caused by anything; lack of faith, lack of hope, or perhaps sin of commission or sin of omission.  Many things can be developed, from the tiniest chink to a massive crack to render our armor worthless in the battle. 

Okay, so we know that evil and good abound in the world today, nonetheless, what makes spirituality relevant in the process of our government, and how religion is reflected in our social environment?

The Bible states in Eph. 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

This is as relevant today, as it was when it was written 2070 plus years ago.  Unless you believe in absolute nothing, then maybe you will not agree, and if you absolutely believe in nothing you should not have wasted your money on this book.  Nonetheless, in most part then, there are two forces at work in this world, the good, and the evil.  That will not change until Jesus comes back to reign.  However, as for now, we war against evil, and that will be how it is for some time.  Spiritual warfare is real and we never get away from it, it matters not what age, color, creed, gender, rich, or poor; we are involved in a spiritual war and it does not make a difference what side of the battle you ally with, the war is the same between good and evil.  If you are a Christian, and as I previously mentioned, are trying to serve God, or simply trying to live a Christian life, you are on the front lines of the battle.  If you are a carnal Christian you are no threat to Satan, your witness is ineffective, and your testimony is really about the same.  It is what I used to ask my congregation, “are you a chameleon Christian?, you know the lizard that changes colors to blend in, unnoticeable to the world, when you walk out that door and go down the block, are you noticeable as a Christian to the world?  If so then you do not experience the warfare until a crisis in your life and you try to get right with God.  What an easy life the chameleon Christian lives, if they are truly saved which would be suspect, however, if it is possible, they could breeze through life without ruffling their feathers.  I do not, and would not attempt to judge another’s salvation; nonetheless, salvation produces fruit in the foulest person. 

With that in mind, I will now give my commentary on the armor of God; Ephesians the 6^th chapter.  Verses: 10 – 18; Vs. 10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the lord and in the power of His might.”  (Spiritual warfare cannot be fought under our own power, no matter how spiritual we may believe we are; it always requires the power of God). 

Vs. 11, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  (The warfare against the wiles of the devil means the Christian must arm himself with spiritual armor.  Perhaps in a similar way in which the Roman guard’s armor was fixed, it is the sight of this armor that Paul fashioned his idea of God’s armor.  The term “wiles” is the Greek methodeias, where we get the word method.  Therefore, the Christian is to arm himself against the “methods” of the devil). 

Vs. 12, “for we wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.  Not against flesh and blood, flesh and blood denotes weakness; however, in the Spirit of God we have His strength and overcome.  In and of our own power we are weak and will be overtaken.  Principalities simply denote territory ruled by a prince, the prince of the air, the prince of darkness, prince of evil.  Here used as the evil, and it is everywhere, worldwide or “global”.  Against the rulers of the darkness of this age, these rulers are the servants of the prince of darkness and evil.  They rule nations, people and people groups, including the Christian who is in the world but not of this world. 

Vs. 13, “Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand”.  For that, reason put on the armor of God, that you might not be overcome during the battle by the methods of evil and evil powers.  Then God goes one thing further, “having done all to stand”, you are in this battle to win, not fall down, and give up, you are to do everything to stand against the evil war.  The armor is not going to win the war it requires us to stand and fight.

Vs. 14, “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness”.  This word girded, denotes what the warrior or laborer did when he gathered up his garments between his knees, so it would not hinder him in his movement.  It is my opinion that this has to deal with sin, we need to daily, as soon as our feet hit the floor, get right with God, prayer, confession, repentance, and personal petition.  Putting on the armor without being right with God will not help and might hinder your freedom in the height of battle.  The big belt worn by the Roman soldiers was the waist gird, like on a saddle, the girth strap; it also protected the soft stomach area.  In addition, how do we protect our mid-section including our heart?, with the truth of the Gospel Word.  The breastplate of righteousness is the righteousness of God not the individual.

Vs. 15, “And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  The Roman soldier’s sandals had a wrap around heel, straps and laces that went nearly to the knee, and a shinbone protection.  The sole was fitted with small spikes, which enabled him to have sure footing underfoot and not slide.  The Christian is told to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  the attitude is not one of destruction, but of peace, love and hope, yet standing firm in the confrontation with evil.

Vs. 16, “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one”.  During battle, they shot flaming arrows to be shot into the bodies of the enemy soldiers, and anything else that might burn.  Today we might call these darts of fire, being akin to the fiery darts that wound the heart, and from the tongue to hurt, threaten, belittle, bully, and destroy character, even fiery darts fired from the tongues of wicked and godless heathens to try to destroy faith, and church.  This shield of faith will douse the arrows and nullify their effect.  Through faith and truth, whatever the enemy sends my way; faith will overcome it. Some call me “white cracker, old Bible thumping Christian, racist, whatever homophobe clinging to my Bible and gun.  That’s okay I have been called worse, and it is the truth and faith in Jesus that will overcome the world; not the darts of the wicked and evil.

Vs. 17, “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”.  Helmet of salvation, that protects the head, all around from the front, sides, and rear.  Unlike the rest of the armor, which would only protect from a face to face confrontation, the back being exposed with all other pieces of their armor.  Suppose the reason was you most assuredly would die if you turned and ran.  A faint heart or coward would die in his retreat, only the strong and willing to take this battle close and personal face to face.  Evil will try intimidation, scare tactics, and the gangland bulling effect, call someone names, especially the same names enough times and in the street gangs it has its effect, more so when they carry out the threats from time to time.  The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, the only weapon used aggressively, and it is a sharp two edged sword, cutting both ways, and to the marrow of the bone.  The Word of God cuts both ways, and cuts to the quick, piercing the flinty hard hearts that they may come to know the grace of God through Jesus the Lord.

Vs. 18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints”.  Praying always in the Spirit, fervently from within, and in all circumstances, good and bad, thanking God, and petitioning God for his sufficiency.  Perseverance, and being watchful, keep focused, stay focused and be ready for the battle.  Don’t give up or compromise on your faith, on sin, on evil in high places.

Folks this is not a very complete study, or in depth study that leaves the reader with an information overload, I have given the verses, and a brief application which should fit most people who believe in Jesus, regardless of their commitment level.  I pray that it will be helpful in your daily walk, in your activities.  Although this congress, and administration is being used as the major weapons the enemy is Satan, his aim to completely eradicate the Christian faith in the United States, the fuel comes from the Atheists, (Atheist organizations such as the ACLU)  from non-Christian groups most decidedly the Muslims or Islam.  Then the civil liberties groups such as the gay community, tree huggers (environmentalist), and the massive progressive bureaucracy that we call our government.  The battle is 24/7/365 and they will try anything to play on your emotions, spirituality, and logical thinking; they will make you feel guilty, ashamed, intolerant, stupid, antiquated American Patriots.  Lying is something that they do well and at times, they will sound very convincing, persecution will be relentless.