WE ARE AT WAR –
AND TOO MANY ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE FIGHT
By W. G. Guy
Yes we are at war, and the battle rages. But this warfare is not with bombs and bullets. This war is much greater and involves every person on earth. The battle lines are fixed: good against evil; right against wrong; truth against lies; light against dark; sin against holiness; flesh against spirit. This battle rages on, mostly unseen and unrecognized, through the entire age of mankind since the tragic overthrow event in the garden that brought sin unto mankind.
This battle is for the souls of mankind. This battle actually started when God dethroned Lucifer, the devil, from his position and cast him out of heaven due to his rebellion against God.
Isaiah 14:12-15 – How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
After Lucifer’s rebellion, God planned another being, made in His own image and likeness, who was to take the devil’s place as ruler over the earth.
Genesis 1-26-27 – And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Scripture explains that Lucifer had an exalted position over the earth as “the anointed cherub that covereth”. The term “covereth” means that he was in charge of planet earth eons before God remade it and put man in charge.
Ezekiel 28:13-17 – Thou hast been in Eden, the Garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of th pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth: and I have set thee so; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
This was God’s indictment of Lucifer, the devil who later was called Satan, the accuser of the brethren. This indictment is still in effect because his final judgment, as described in Revelation 20:10, is not yet fulfilled.
Thus God initiated a change in the administration over the earth that is summarized by the psalmist:
Psalm 115:16 – The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s; but the earth hath He given to the children of men.
Control over the earth was then put in man’s hands. Since the devil was jealous of mankind taking over his coveted position, he devised a scheme to get control back. That scheme was to get God’s new administrator to rebel by defying God’s command. The devil tempted Adam’s wife Eve.
1 Timothy 2:14 – And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
The tempting of Eve was to be like god, or to be like Lucifer, and his rebellion. She failed to realize that she was already made in the image and likeness of God. She sucombed to the temptation, Adam then took the fruit so that God could implement His redemptive plan that was already established before mankind was placed on the earth: before the foundation of the world – (1 Peter 1:19-20). God had foreknowledge of what the devil would do, and Adam had that knowledge also. Thus Eve committed and act of lust, but Adam committed and act of love for his wife: just as Jesus did for the church; who is often referred to as His bride.
As a result of Satan’s ploy, he regained his influence and control back over the earth; as he testified to Jesus:
Luke 4:5-6 – And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Since then he has been the evil motivator of man; and at odds with God, and especially with mankind. Man finds himself the object of this spiritual warfare, and most people fail to recognize what it is all about. The devil, now referred to as Satan (the Accuser) tries to get back at God by attacking man, (God’s masterpiece), in order to destroy him and draw him away from God. He has been very successful at this because he is cloaked in his own wisdom, and as such is very crafty and deceitful.
Satan’s ploys have continued to work to deceive and destroy God’s people. That is, until God’s “other man”, Jesus, (the second Adam), came to restore what Satan ruined. Jesus came to redeem man back to God and into the position that He intended. Jesus, the man of God, is also coming back to establish His kingdom on earth, and thus God’s man will again have dominion over the earth.
Thus we see the importance of knowing Jesus, God’s only means of redemption, and obeying the Word and promises of God that are given to us to overcome the devil and his works.
1 John 3:8 – He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The overcoming victory at the end of this conflict is achieved by being faithful to God and His Word through Jesus Christ our Savior unto the end.
Revelation 12:10 –11 – And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
God dearly loves man because He made him after His own image and likeness. This is just one reason why the devil hates us so much. Every time he looks at a child of God, (a believer in Jesus Christ), he sees God’s loved one reproduced in a mortal life form: so he attacks that life form to defeat or destroy the believer by any and all means possible.
John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
You, if you are a true believer, you are a beloved child of God.
John 1:12 – But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
As a child of God, you have a Heavenly Father who cares for you, and has provided for you all that you need to live in victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.
1 John 4:3-5 – and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
The problem is that too many believers are not told about this spiritual warfare, or how to fight and win over this devious enemy who uses evil spirits and captive sinners to war against us.
Ephesians 6:10-12 – Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and against the worldly governors, against powers, against the princes of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Copied from the Geneva Bible.)
Failing to properly engage in this spiritual warfare means many believers are defeated being unaware of who the real enemy is, and how to fight and win, gaining the victory.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Note that much of the warfare is fought in the mind; in our thought life, or how we think, which influences our desires and behaviors. So this war is not about bullets and bombs, but the exercise of our will and thought life.
Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We are not just fighting a spiritual warfare, but we are also dealing with those who the devil has deceived and controls to run governments: national, city and state; as well as businesses, educational institutions, and even many forms of religions: yes, even churches.
This warfare is a fight of FAITH, trusting and believing what God provided; what Jesus did for us; and what the Word of God says! Faith is so important that it will always be tested to see of what sort it is. The devil will always challenge your faith in order to destroy you, but faith stops him.
So think it not strange to have to battle because faith is fight, especially in these last days when there is so much that opposes our faith.
Romans 1:17 – For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
1 Peter 4:12 – Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
Having faith, and being faithful, is necessary to have the victory in this ongoing warfare, as stated in the following scriptures.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 – But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
1 John 5:4 – For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Hold fast in faith and trust in the LORD; because in the end, WE WIN!
