War

War

 

I received a Whatsapp message from a dear friend. It was one of those pictures with little angels and harps and fluffy clouds. The message printed on the picture was something like “the angels are going to sing you a lullaby so that you can sleep peacefully.” It’s a very nice and peaceful thought but what went through my mind when I received it was that we are involved in a war and I think angels are doing far more serious things than putting us to sleep.

We are in a war with the devil if we want to recognise it or not. People are not our enemies.

Ephesians 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.

1 Peter 5:8, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour

John 10:10, The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The devil is not an opponent to be disregarded or ignored. I have so often heard people say that because they don’t believe in things like demons or evil spirits, they cannot be affected by them. I have also heard people say that things like evil spirits do not exist and are all in the mind.  It’s like saying that because I don’t believe in earthquakes they can’t affect me. When you are in the vicinity of an earthquake and you don’t take the proper precautions, you are going to be affected by it. Evil spirits or demons can affect you and even enter you when you leave doors open. If you are constantly drinking too much you can invite a demon of addiction into your life, and it won’t leave until you resist it.

James 4:7,  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

It doesn’t matter how upset you are at someone who did something to hurt or offend you, that person is only the conduit through whom the devil works his schemes.

The whole world is fighting against each other part of the time for whatever reason. I don’t think there has ever been a period in history when there hasn’t been conflict. People are constantly fighting with each other and fighting each other’s beliefs and ideologies.  They don’t realize that the enemy isn’t the other person or the other country. Religions, races, languages, countries and systems are all entangled in the web of deception that the devil weaves. It isn’t going to end any time soon. The devil isn’t about to give up on his campaign of sowing conflict and hate. He isn’t going to suddenly change and become good. He is a liar and a murderer.

John 8:44, You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

If Jesus is our shepherd we are going to have to learn to hear His voice. That is the only way we are going to know when it’s the devil and his demons whispering sweet nothings into our ears. A baby consumes milk for the first six months of its life and then starts eating solids and soon enough can follow instructions and before you know it that baby is a toddler and if you look away and blink and adult appears. Well, that’s how it feels anyway. That is the way with a believer. You can’t be satisfied with hearing from others what God is saying. You have to start to learn and listen. We have to put on the armour that is prescribed in Ephesians 6:10-20 and be ready for battle. If you don’t think there’s a battle, just start reading your bible and speaking about your faith to others. You will very soon be right in the middle of the war. So be bold and strong because the Lord is with you.