Spiritual Warfare Personalized
I've been thinking a lot about spiritual warfare. I think we misunderstand the concept. We just think that this war between good and evil, God & Satan is only spiritual. However, we see this battle played out in the physical world all the time, and we have for centuries. For example in Second Kings chapter 6 Elisha and his servant were up against an army. The servant was freaking out so Elisha asked God to show him the hills filled with horses and chariots of fire! Just think at how that must have bolstered the servant's confidence. Do you think Elisha saw these armies all the time? I think it is possible. He did ask for a double portion of Elijah's faith. Maybe that is how God accomplished that.
Yes, it is a spiritual battle, but the manifestation of it is physical. I don't know if you feel it, but lately I have felt this battle raging all around me. I have always been able to see pictures in my head almost like visions, but that makes people question my sanity. Whatever, I know what I see. When I read a story of a great evil taking place in the world I see a vision of a multi-headed snake. It is frightening. When I see the good guys win a battle, I see that snake struggling and fighting for it's life. Right now, I see this snake has fewer heads. That to me is confirmation that God's got this.
Imagine Jesus now as the calm in the storm of this fight. I know, instant peace comes over you. I see him standing tall and mighty in a chariot, the absolute ruler of the universe calm and full of confidence. Then I see him turn to me and smile as if to say "you ready little one?" I take a deep breath and the hair on my neck stands up. He winks at me. "We've got this. Remember I rose from the dead. Nothing can stop us. Look around you. Warriors are everywhere and my army is more than ready."
Are you ready? The battle is here. There is so much evil in this world. Just turn on your television. Not only do we see news reports of evil, but television itself is programming evil for us to consume and accept as normal. It is anything BUT normal. So now, turn off the television. Focus on the battle. Read the playbook. Know your commander, your savior, your God. Confidence will build in the daily war as we learn to know who God truly is and how much power He really has over this enemy that we fear.
Imagine Jesus giving the signal and the roar of the flaming chariots as we press into the fight. We are the truth telling army of God. The spiritual battle is a battle in the mind where lies are portrayed as truth and truth as lies. Up is down, right is wrong. We have the truth. We've had it all along. Our job is to spread truth without fear. We are to lead others to Christ who takes away all fear and provides peace and joy liberally. It's time to put on that armor and speak truth to expose the lies and dispel the fear. It is God and God alone that we should fear. Death cannot touch us. We are HIS children and His Promise is eternal life.
Into the battle we go! Goosebumps anyone?
"And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." 2 Kings 6:17
"The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear, He is the one you are to dread." Isaiah 8:13
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