Exposing the Real Enemy
by James Robison
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the
flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty
in God for pulling down strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10: 3-4)
Current events confirm the reality that we are in a serious war. The world is rocked every day by violence and destruction. Here in America, Conservatives and Christians continue to rally around numerous social and political issues. But do we really know who or what enemy we should be fighting?
Many decry the pollution of public airwaves with primetime content that would have shocked past generations. But television networks are not the enemy.
High divorce rates fragment families, undermining one the strongest foundations of civilization. But divorcees are not the enemy.
Abortion on demand still claims the lives of countless defenseless babies. But doctors who have spurned the Hippocratic Oath are not the enemy.
Sex crimes and pedophilia seem to be skyrocketing in an era when the internet makes it easier than ever to prey upon children. But technology and people that abuse it are not the enemy.
Violence has become commonplace, even in our schools. But guns are not the enemy.
Recently, voters in my home state of Texas turned out in strong support of an amendment to reinforce the institution of marriage as "one man and one woman." Many view this as a repudiation of gay activists who wish to impose their lifestyle as the norm. But homosexuals are not the enemy.
Radical Muslim youth and malcontents in France rioted for weeks, destroying property and wreaking havoc across one of the more "tolerant" European countries. But Muslims are not the enemy.
Terrorists continue to wage a guerrilla war in Iraq. Foreign fighters still infiltrate the ranks of the resistance. The good people of Iraq and the military coalition supporting them suffer losses every day. But terrorists are not the enemy.
There is one underlying force behind everything that comes to kill, steal and destroy. (John 10:10) This force can take an inanimate object, like a computer or a box cutter, and turn it into a weapon of destruction. This force can also take a person, like an innocent child or a priest, and turn them into a monster. This force is rightly called Evil.
Evil is a spiritual cancer that assaults and affects all of us, struggling against conscience and reason to influence and even take control of our free will. In a world that often seems out of control, the truth is that many things are indeed under control -- under the control of Evil.
The Bible identifies Satan as the force of Evil. He and his helpers -- referred to as principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places -- seek to mislead, dominate and demonize people’s minds. (Ephesians 6:12)
Since Evil is a powerful, but invisible force influencing mankind’s thoughts and actions, we must realize that it can only be detected, deterred and defeated by the supernatural power of Jesus Christ. Darkness can only be dispelled by light; therefore, Evil’s disruptive deeds and destruction must be exposed by absolute, liberating Truth.
When Evil waged its vicious war against the Son of God, Satan was defeated and principalities and powers were disarmed. (Colossians 2:13-15) A believer’s identity with Christ gives him or her the power to be victorious over Evil.
Satan still assaults the children of the light, but we don’t have to wrestle with this Evil using our own physical strength. We are human, but we don’t wage war with human plans and methods. We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
This Week
Ephesians 6:13-18 describes the necessary spiritual armor for victorious battle against the enemy. Put on the whole armor of the Lord.
Prayer
“Jesus, Your light is in me. I will go in Your armor and Your power against the perpetrator of Evil over my house, my city, my country and the nations of the world. I hold up the light of truth to expose and destroy wickedness in high places, rulers of darkness and demonic strongholds.“
