Be Aware and Be Prepared

                                                         (photo courtesy of: randalrauser.com)

                               

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.- Ephesians 6:12

I had an interesting conversation with a friend after my previous post (I’m not linking to this post because it is seriously the post right before this one). At first, I thought he was going to debate me, but I should have known better. This guy and I have been friends for a while now and have pretty much agreed on the majority of theological and doctrinal issues.

It was great because he pretty much confirmed the post I was planning on writing for today in regards to demons and Satan. Don’t get nervous, just keep reading.

You see, my previous post was primarily based on the idea that we give Satan too much credit. It was not discrediting Satan or the demons that are around. According to scripture, these things do exist.

Alright, now you can feel free to stop reading and wait until the next post if you don’t want to understand the things we are up against in this world.

Now, Satan and the demons are real. They pose a clear and present danger. However, they are not always to blame for the issues we face in life. It is easy to blame them, but that makes it way too simple.

Jesus interacted with demons. James, Jesus’ brother, shared that demons believe in Jesus, but that doesn’t do them any good. Paul wrote the verse above in order to encourage his readers and Christ followers to be ready for the battle. So, by looking at these verses alone we know the struggle is real.

We need to be aware of this evil at all times and be prepared by being connected with Christ. Christ is the only way to know what we are facing. God gives us clarity through His Spirit and Christ gives us strength to move and shine through the darkness.

David wrote and asked in Psalm 139:23 for God to search him in order for God to “know” his heart and “test” him and his “anxious” ways. I think this is how we know what we are dealing with in our lives. I am not suggesting David was demon possessed, but I do believe Satan would cause him to have anxious thoughts because that was his weakness.

God will reveal where Satan has his stronghold. I don’t know if Satan or the demons would give you a flat tire on the way to an important meeting, but they could possibly cause the anxiety that sneaks in when you wonder what will happen if you miss it or the thought of “Why me God” to come in to cause doubt.

The darkness of this world is real. The evil is present. We just need to have discernment as to where the darkness is really at work and where life is just happening. The only way we can do that is by spending time with Jesus, learning His ways, and allowing Him to search us and guide us.

The devil wants to win and he may win by us giving him credit for nothing. Yet, he may win by us not being willing to ask God to reveal where he is at work; in order for God to do His work through us, to shed light on the devil’s dirty work. 

Question: Do you think it's worth our time to think about the evil in this world?