"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Take away the frightening warning sign, and the beach pictured above looks completely harmless, peaceful, and serene.
But when someone planted explosive mines along this beach, they did not post any signs warning people of their presence. That’s the purpose of hiding land mines—to catch your enemy off guard and destroy him.
Such are the pitfalls in the spiritual world—the
unseen realm.
Many Christians will concede that there must be a Devil, because the Bible says so. But most, it seems, fail to acknowledge his existence and destructive presence in their personal lives. And in so doing, many have already lost the spiritual battle, because they failed to acknowledge there is a battle to begin with.
The Apostle warns us:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
Satan is not just an adversary. He is
your adversary. It’s personal with him. He is out to destroy you and yours. Jesus said of Satan:
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:)
However, many people today seem to have forgotten these warnings in Scripture. Since they can’t see the Devil they act like he doesn’t even exist. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Watch out.
Satan has placed carefully hidden spiritual land mines in the areas of your life where he knows he can hurt you the most. And he knows that he will eventually get to you because most people aren’t looking for them. We carelessly stroll along the beach of life, oblivious to the schemes of the wicked one, and the warnings given of him in God’s Word.
Is it any wonder that so many of us are getting our spiritual butts kicked?
The Apostle Paul gives us this stern admonition:
“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Eph 5:17)
Some of Satan’s most effective land mines, carefully disguised to destroy God’s people are: lust, greed, envy, pride, division, idolatry and unforgiveness. In the Garden of Eden, Satan had three primary arrows stashed in his devilish quiver, ready to unleash against God’s people: "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Doubt and unbelief are also very effective weapons Satan is using against God’s people. “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1)
What is the “will of the Lord” that Paul admonishes us to understand?
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph 5:1-2)
Jesus loved us by sacrificing Himself, and by warning people of Hell, and He told us to repent and turn from our sin. He did not condemn people, but He also never told people that their sin was okay. Jesus came to save us from our sin. Love always tells people the Truth of God’s Word.
After telling us what to do, Paul warns us what not to do:
“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partakers with them.” (Eph 5:3-7)
I believe one of Satan’s most effective weapons used against many Christians today, is to deceive them through
empty words—watered-down teaching, diluting and diminishing God’s Word, rationalizing some sin as okay because it is so acceptable in today’s twisted culture. “Well, (that sin) is a gray area, and I don’t want to judge.”
This is the same lie that Satan used in the Garden: “Did God really say?” He convinced God’s people to doubt His Word. And this is happening today more and more. Paul warned us that a time is coming, and now is, when people will no longer endure sound doctrine, but will, because of their desires, find themselves teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. (2 Tim 4:3)
“Everything exposed by the light becomes visible.” (Eph 5:13)
We’re told in the New Testament to expose false doctrine. Light exposes darkness. It’s not “love” to let people go on believing a lie because we don’t want to risk offending them. God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, not on the obedient.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (James 3:13-16)
You see this in so many divorce battles today. Bitter envy and selfishness are accompanied by disorder and every kind of evil behavior and hypocrisy. Someone who is hell-bent on destroying their spouse is usually living the most sinful lifestyle imaginable, and through their greed and disobedience, will bring God’s wrath on their life.
But the person whose life and actions reflect goodness and humility, have demonstrated that they are truly wise and understanding. They know what the will of the Lord is.
“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18)
Peace will be upon everything you do, if you walk in the wisdom of God, which is always pure, peaceable and gentle, willing to yield, and devoid of hypocrisy.
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor 10:3-5)
Part of waging spiritual war, is to first ask God for His wisdom of what spiritual strongholds are present in your personal life, family, and even in the culture of your city and country. And to acknowledge that these strongholds must be pulled down and demolished.
Then, only through using our spiritual weapons which are mighty in God—namely; prayer, love, fellowship and God’s Word—can we begin to pull down and demolish spiritual strongholds that can never effectively be fought against using fleshly or worldly methods.
I recently watched a very moving television special about the many soldiers suffering from serious Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The interviewer asked a large group of men, by a show of hands, if given the chance, how many would want to go right back to the fight? All the men but one immediately shot up their hands. The interviewer asked, “Why?” One soldier said, “Because of the camaraderie; because you were with your band of brothers day and night.” The soldier then said, “But once you lose that, you can never get it back.”
For Christians, we have to get that kind of brotherhood back. We can’t afford not to. Too many guys are going Lone Ranger out there. Suffering from spiritual PTSD, they have pulled back, isolating themselves from fellowship.
Spiritually, we’re in the foxhole of life together. We need each other, to hold each other up. To pray for one another, for our families, and for God’s wisdom. To watch each other’s backs.
As my good friend used to say often:
“This is life or death.”
—God is Love and Love Never Fails.
