Have you considered
what spiritual forces are all about you?
It seems so proper and sophisticated to disregard them and pretend
spiritual forces don't exist. Even good
Bible teachers try to turn the clear descriptions of angels and demons in
Scripture into metaphors for something or other. The trap has been laid for us; don't acknowledge what the Word acknowledges
and then they are free to run amok in our circles. More importantly we miss the joy God wants us
to possess through His messengers of good.
Was the Bible lying when it describes explicitly thousands upon thousand
of angels at Jesus' birth and the eye popping experience Elisha's servant had
when he was given power to see what had been around them all along? And Elisha
prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so 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 NIV) The same is true of the bad angels. We may not see them or think of them but
Christ revealed them to His disciples and the crowds nearby. Just in one poor soul there were thousands of
these bad angels camped within. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had
been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right
mind; and they were afraid. (Mark 5:15 NIV) What is our first check-down when something
terrifying happens in Paris or Washington D.C.?
Do we begin to consider the angels involved, both good and bad? Are we ready at a moment's notice to drop
what we are doing and pray that Satan's realm is thwarted and God's rule
established? Or do we wring our hands
and argue over who was at fault and what sorts of precautions should be taken
to prevent future catastrophic events without giving a thought to the battle
that is unseen?
For our
struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God… Ephesians 6:12-13 NIV
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