Enemy's Advantage

The weapons we fight with [spiritually] are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2^nd Corinthians 10:4-5

When Satan and many of the angels who followed him rebelled against God, war was declared.  Evil has been unrelenting in its efforts to win that war ever since. Throughout the millennia and up to the 1960s, the Christian church was, at times, referred to as the church militant. The term described the continuing conflict between good and evil and the role of the church in that fight.

There’s been no shortage of people throughout the ages, within the church as well as without, whose aims were to undermine the power of the Holy Spirit as the Restrainer through the presence of the church (2^nd Thessalonians 2:6-7). Evil has never called a truce and never will.

When an opposing force halts its engagement for any prolonged time their enemy will use the calm to their full advantage. They will resupply their materiel and munitions and strengthen and encroach their lines against their enemy, taking advantage of their neglect.

A lull occurred when many mainline denominations in an effort to not offend began rolling over to voices resistant to inferences of battle, words like warfare, weapons, and even the shedding of blood, under the Old and New Testament redemptive systems. In many churches that included the blood of Christ shed for the redemption of mankind. Even my own denomination’s newer hymnals excluded the old and favored hymns of Onward Christian Soldiers and Power in the Blood as being too brutal and violent.

The Apostle Paul was keenly aware of the spiritual warfare being waged in heavenly places. In his letter to the church at Ephesus he penned a battle imagery. Being a prisoner of Rome, he was chained 24/7 to Roman guards, and was well acquainted with their military equipment. He likened it, metaphorically, to the whole armor of God. (Ephesians 6:11-17).

Satan doesn’t prowl around like a toothless police dog but like a lion. Lions are known for their stealth and power to kill. Coming unarmed upon a lion in the wild will mean the odds of survival lie with the lion. Any lull we may create with Satan will be used to consolidate his agenda: to kill, steal, and destroy. He was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44).

That we will meet that lion is not a case of if but when. He’s constantly on the prowl and will get around to sizing us all up for a quick meal. Jesus never said to lay down and play dead when spotted. We are not ordered to standdown but to standfast in His power, prepared with the Whole Armor of God.

Throughout the Old Testament, Christ is revealed as the Angel of the LORD. He is the Leader of a righteous and mighty host (ref the Angel of the LORD). When it’s dark and a flare goes off above you, and all hell can throw at you is raining down, look over and see the Captain of the Lord of Hosts in the trench next to you (2^nd Corinthians 10:3-4). He will be with you through it. He is with you now. We can only put our hope, faith, and trust in Him. He declares He has received ALL Authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:20-22) and with it comes all POWER. Power to overcome all things.

There is continuing warfare being fought by the kingdom of darkness against God’s Kingdom of Light. Believer or nonbeliever, whether we like it or not. Satan’s aim is to destroy us all. Be vigilant and never give the enemy the advantage. Our weapons are not of this world, but divine with Christ’s power to demolish satanic strongholds. He shut the mouths of the lions for Daniel (Dan. 6:22). Don’t standdown. Standfast. Keep your armor bright.

Ken