It is extremely difficult to win a war when most of your soldiers don’t know or understand the nature of the battle. The American church is in an intensifying conflict, but there seems to be much ignorance about the reality of light vs. darkness.
We must read and study God’s Word—from Genesis to Revelation. We must lock arms with like-minded believers. We must resist the lure of leisure, comfort, and entertainment. We also must acknowledge the reality of an enemy who hates us and has been waging war on the church. If we could only see what’s happening in the spirit realm.
Here’s just one example from the Old Testament. There is much more to the context here, but this passage covers prayer, God’s answer, timing, and the unseen battle in the heavenlies that can take place before His answer arrives. Look at Daniel chapter 10: “Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future‘” (Daniel 10:12-14).
It’s important to understand the spiritual or demonic activity when we pray big prayers, decide to take a stand for Christ, or boldly speak the truth. We also see new evil manifested in the natural realm throughout our culture and country. It does seem dark today, but it just takes a bit more light to overcome the darkness.
And Jesus declared the church to be the light of the world. Are we?
Paul provides insight and marching orders in his letters. In Ephesians, for example, he stated: “…for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5:8-11).
Expose darkness? Wait a minute. Aren’t Christians supposed to just love and get along, mind our own business, and blend in with the world? Not exactly. We are already children of light. We just need to be willing to say, ‘Lord, send me.’
Sadly, many believers have not taken seriously our role as salt and light in a decaying and dark culture. Due in part to the silence or ignorance of too many churches and pastors, forces of darkness have taken much territory and are now emboldened.
Joshua 24:15 states, “Battle lines have been drawn. Remember the famous words of Joshua? ‘Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,’”
Jesus declared there is no neutral ground in this battle. In Matthew 12:30, the Lord stated, “He who is not with Me is against Me…”
But how do we know who’s on the side of Truth? Who has a Biblical worldview? Let’s look at a few verses from John’s first letter.
1 John 3:8 says, “…the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”
What are some of the works of the devil? Death would be one; sin, rebellion against God, lies, persecution, accusations against believers, slander, and so much more.
1 John 3:9-10 goes on to say, “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”
One practices sin, another practices righteousness. We try to do the work of Christ.
This brings us to a crucial truth. Only two kinds of children exist in this world: children of God and children of Satan. No one can belong to both families, and no one can go back and forth. Light – or – darkness.
The Apostle John was prompted to warn the church about demonic spirits. Demons are behind human beings who deny the truth and propagate false doctrines. We skim over Scriptures like these because we wrongly assume it was meant for the early church. The Apostle John makes it so very clear and even easy to understand: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world” (1 John 4:1-3).
Test the spirits, see who denies Jesus, and remember THE Spirit we’ve been given!
1 John 4:4-6 reads, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
The New Testament teaches that we can know who is with us and we can discern truth vs lies. Thank God for the Holy Spirit. And yet too many Christians remain on the sidelines.
What are we afraid of? Whose approval are we seeking, God’s or man’s?
There are souls to be saved and lost territory to be regained. Individually, it seems we are faced with a decision in this present cultural moment: will it be business as usual or will we discern the times and have a sense of urgency?
Ephesians 5:15-16 highlights, “Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
Christ has already conquered. We are protected by God’s armor – provided we put it on! Paul’s words to the church at Ephesus are relevant for us today and remind us that we can indeed rely on His strength, stand against the devil, and fight to win.
Ephesians 6:10–12; 16 encourages, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places… In addition to all, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one”
