It’s War

Talk of war surrounds us.

War in the Ukraine. China, North Korea, Russia – war talk and saber-rattling. War against COVID, and now Monkeypox. The culture – race – political – ethnic – generational – gender wars. The war against hunger, human trafficking, crime…the list is endless.

Think of a cause and there’s probably a war going on about it or over it. I’m not making light of any of these conflicts. There are serious warring factions in our world that should alarm us all, and issues that deserve our attention, our support, and our involvement.

I don’t know about you, but war talk makes me want to turn off the news, silence the radio, unsubscribe from the news feeds, and snuggle up in my favorite chair with a hot cup of coffee and an uplifting book.

The war that I’m talking about isn’t one that anyone gets to sit out. It is an all-out, winner takes all, battle between good and evil, a battle between God and Satan. It is the war that eclipses all others.

Here’s the headline! We are in a war. If you do not already know this or come to this realization, you have already lost.

Whether you are aware or not, the battle rages.

Whether you are engaged in the fight or not, the conflict is all around you.

Whether you have picked a side or not, you are part of this fight.

There are no sidelines.

No timeouts.

No conscientious objectors.

No Switzerland.

We. Are. At. War.

Friend, this is not a cold war; it is an aggressive, ground war of hand-to-hand battle.

It is the epic battle of the ages that began in the Garden of Eden and has continued through the centuries to this day. It is the battle that will continue down through the ages until the time that God says “enough.”

Spoiler Alert! The outcome of this battle has been written; we know who wins!

Revelation 20:7-10, picks up the story of this war at the end of Christ’s one-thousand-year reign. Satan will be loosed from his prison and will gather his army for one final stand against God. The passage says the number of his forces is like the “sands of the sea.” The satanic troops will surround the saints and the beloved city of God; that is when the fire of God will be released from the heavens and will annihilate Satan’s army. Satan – the devil – that ancient serpent will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur. The enemy defeated.

His story is finished.

The End.

BUT until that day comes, we must be on our guard. Between now and “the end,” Satan is not going down without a fight and he will do everything in his power to nullify the effectiveness and impact that Christ-followers can have in this sin-ravaged world.

The Apostle Paul says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand an evil day, and having done all to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:12

In this verse, Paul is talking about the unseen, but nevertheless very real, spiritual battle that is taking place between believers and the forces of Satan. Paul’s use of the words “rulers”, “authorities”, and “cosmic powers” are references to Satan’s hierarchy of evil supernatural agents that war against the children of God. (see Daniel 10:10-21)

Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 10:3, 4 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.”

Around 506 B.C. a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher by the name of Sun Tzu wrote a book called “The Art of War.” Considered a brilliant treatise on war and military strategy, his writings have influenced military minds and philosophers through the ages.

There is wisdom in his writing for us as well. Tzu says that to win the war, you must know yourself and you must know your enemy.

My version of Sun Tzu’s maxim says that to win this war:

You must know your enemy,

You must know yourself,

But above ALL else you must know your GOD.

Know your enemy:

Satan’s names tell you all about him: Satan – accuser, adversary, opponent, archenemy of good, prince of evil spirits; Devil – false accuser and slanderer; and Serpent – snake, emblematic of cunning and wisdom, artfully malicious

Scripture gives a clear picture of Satan’s character: 

• Liar – Father of all lies John 8:44
• Deceiver (Genesis 3:16-19; Acts 5:1-11; Revelation 12:9; 20:2, 10)
• Instigator (I Chronicles 21)
• Accuser(Job 2:4,7) 
• Thief of truth (Matthew 13:3-4,19; Mark 4:15)
• Tempter (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:1-13)
• Enslaver (Luke 13:11-16)
• Agitator of faith (Luke 22:31)
• Unforgiving spirit (2 Corinthians 2:11)
• Opportunistic, (1 Corinthians 7:5)
• Blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4)
• Condemner (1 Timothy 3:6, 7; 2 Timothy 2:26)

Know yourself:

The Apostle Paul provides a great summary of our identity in Christ Jesus in this passage from Ephesians:

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith–that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”  Ephesians 3:14-20

• You are God’s creation, His adopted child in Christ Jesus; you are His daughter, His name-bearer.
• The power of His in-dwelling Holy Spirit is now the source of your strength.
• You are rooted and grounded in love – standing firm and immovable in Christ.
• God’s nature is immense beyond all measure as is His love for us. 
• God wants to fill you with the fullness of His presence – He wants you to have ALL of Him; His power, His mercy, His grace, His love, His compassion, everything that He is, He wants you to have it and to be filled to overflowing with it.
• It is beyond your wildest dreams, your boldest imaginings, what God can and will to do in you, for you, and through you, if you surrender your all to Him.

Know your GOD:

If you truly want to know God, you have to be in His Word. Saturated. Soaked. Surrounded by it and Immersed in it. Can you tell? I am passionate about God’s Holy Word. I encourage you to read Deuteronomy 11. Moses’ strong encouragement and reminder of God’s command to the Children of Israel to love God and keep His commandments – reminding them of all that God has done for them and Who He Is…it is a wonderful reminder to us and model for living a life of victory in the midst of war.

Here are some of the names of God – there are many others. Take a look at these names of God* and what they say about His character and about Him:

Elohim: Mighty Creator (Genesis 1:1)

Jehovah-Jireh: God My Provider (Genesis 22:13-14)

Elohim Shama: The God Who Hears (Exodus 2:24)

El Roi: The God Who Sees Me (Genesis 16:13)

El Shaddai: The All-Sufficient One, God Almighty (Genesis 17:1)

Jehovah Ezrah: My Helper (Psalm 27:9)

El Yeshuati: The God of My Salvation (Isaiah 12:2)

Elohay Selichot: The God Who Is Ready to Forgive (Nehemiah 9:17)

Jehovah Uzzi: The Lord My Strength (Psalm 28:7)

Immanuel: God With Us (Isaiah 7:14)

Jehovah-Ra’ah: The Lord is My Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-3)

Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord Who Heals (Exodus 15:26)

Jehovah Gibbor Milchamah: Mighty in Battle (Psalm 24:8)

This is the awesome God Who loves you, Who Saved you, and He is the One Who brings victory into your life.

Like it or not, if you are a Christ follower, you are in the battle.

Recognize the enemy.

Acknowledge your identity in Christ Jesus.

Know your God.

When you understand that it is God Almighty fighting for you, you will believe the words written in Deuteronomy 11:25 “No one shall stand against you.”

May Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, encourage you as well:

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6: 12

And when we stand before our Lord and Savior, may these words be true:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

2 Timothy 4: 7

* 100 Names of God, Christopher D. Hudson, Rose Publishing, 2015, pp. 8, 20, 22, 26, 28, 29, 30, 36, 44, 46, 64, 66, 56