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Warfare
Brian Mashburn
November 2, 2008
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The Prayer War On Terror
There is a larger story that we are a part of that most of the church today ignores most of the time. Paul says...
"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, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:11-13)
The Bible frames all that is seen in the world inside something that is unseen. From the opening verses of Genesis to the final book of Revelation, you have to read the Bible very selectively (or explain it away as irrelevant) to miss that there is a spiritual reality going on that involves spiritual beings. And there are good ones that serve God and there are bad ones that oppose Him.
Those forces are addressing, influencing, and affecting us in the seen world. And we, as Christ's church, are called to address, influence, and affect them in their unseen world. .
In short, there is a war going on. Peter says to "be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8, 9)
Peter's assumption? You, and the world, are under daily spiritual attack.
Do you live with this understanding? Do you pray with this reality in mind?
I'll be the first to admit there is some seriously wacky stuff "out there" that people put under the spiritual warfare heading. But it is not hocus-pocus, nor a crutch to lean on to avoid self-responsibility for our sin. It is merely the objective reality that the Bible says we live in. And we, as the church, need to engage in the life-giving spiritual battle that we have been empowered by Christ to have authority over in His name.
As James says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)