War – “a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state.” Oxford Languages
Haven’t we historically thought of war as a physical battlefield with uniformed men in battle array who shoot at each other with bullets from guns? And don’t we tend to think of church as a physical place with congregants who sit in pews in Sunday garb, sing songs, give money, listen to a preacher in a pulpit, and hope to live a quiet and peaceful life?
BUT WHAT IF. . .
But what if there is warfare in the heavenlies that is displayed on the earth as God works through His Body, the Church, to engage Satan’s evil with His righteousness in a battle that will only end when Satan is cast into the Rev. 20:10 lake of fire?
And what if guns and bullets are only distracting symbols of the “wars and rumors of wars” that Jesus spoke of, and in our age of science, technology and unleashed spiritual darkness Satan’s weapons of war are lawless social, political and governmental forces with their lies that create the conflicts and suffering that now capture the headlines and the soul of our nation as they destroy our Biblical and moral foundations and the society that they created?
What if we believed Eph. 6:12: “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” – – and then armed ourselves accordingly to engage the enemy?
FINALLY. . .
Finally, what if we admitted to our failure as the institutional-church to be the overcoming Mt. 16:18 Church comprised of those who abide in Christ in the spiritual Kingdom of God, and thus bear and proclaim His John 1:1-13 Light and Life which would drive out darkness, as part of Eph. 6:10-18 spirit-warfare in these Last Days?
https://biblia.com/bible/esv/john/1/1-13 and
https://biblia.com/bible/esv/ephesians/6/10-18
What prevents that? Is it that we have made peace with the enemy and laid down our weapons so we can indulge in the worldly benefits that he, deceiver and liar that he is, offers us?
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
July 24, 2021
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