Warfare Spirituality - Part 12
EXCELLENCE IN THE ORDINARY"I smile thinking of what happened when I had my oil changed recently. I knelt down and watched as the mechanic took a section off underneath my truck that I'd never seen taken off before, though I had had the oil changed by other mechanics.
"I asked, ‘Hey, what are you doin' down there?' He looked at me and said, ‘You the owner?' I said, ‘Yup!' He said, ‘Well, this ought to be taken off and cleaned every eight to ten thousand miles.' When he finally got it off, it was gunky-looking underneath. He took a rag and he wiped it all off. Then he put this shield back on underneath where nobody would ever see what he had done. And I said, ‘You always wipe all that off underneath there?' He said, ‘Yup!' I said, ‘Nobody'll ever see it.' ‘I do.' Excellence in his work. And guess where I'm going next time to have my oil changed and a lube job done?"
--Charles R. Swindoll
THE PROMISES OF GOD
Words That Vibrate the Heart Hebrews 4:12
Watch a group of young children at play and it won't be long before you hear one try to alter the lifestyle of another by the power of words: "If you don't give me a cookie, then you're a purple toad frog!" Or, watch a group of adults at play (or war) and you'll see the same thing: "You're dead meat, my friend!" While it's likely that neither children nor adults really expect anything to happen when they express their hopes and wishes verbally, it reveals something deeper-we sense that words are supposed to have power, even if ours have only a little bit.
For instance, we can't turn people into purple toad frogs or dead meat, but we can change the expression on their faces. And we can even prompt behavioral changes. For instance, Proverbs says that reckless words can pierce and wise words can heal (12:19), and that gentle words can calm and harsh words can provoke (15:1). But again, it's not airwaves and vibrating eardrums that cause these changes. It is the personality of one person intersecting with the personality of another via the medium of words. That's about as close as we can come to our words having power.
But God's words are different (because God is different). When he spoke, non-existent things came into being (light, seas, animals; see Genesis 1). And God's Son, while on earth, spoke to inanimate objects like hands and eyes and literally changed their molecular makeup (he healed them). All with a word. God's words have unbelievable power, and they don't lose power when they're committed to paper. Hebrews tells us that God's words in Scripture have the ability to penetrate the deepest part of our person and reveal what is there. God's words vibrate more than the inner ear; they vibrate our whole heart, causing us to hear his voice in the inner man.
If you want to make progress toward spiritual maturity, let the Spirit of God use the word of God in your heart. But be prepared-not only is the word living and active, it's sharper than a sword! But what it cuts, it also heals.
God's Promise to You: "My word is the scalpel that renews and restores the human heart."
WARFARE SPIRITUALITY-PART 12
The Weapons of Our Warfare
After discussing the armor of God, we looked at eight resources in the spiritual warfare in the last issue of Reflections. Here are three more.
9• Disciplined spirituality has a direct bearing on warfare spirituality. The spiritual disciplines of prayer, study (Scripture reading and memorization), meditation, fasting, confession, fellowship, and worship can be significant resources in the warfare against the flesh, the world, and the devil. Remember how Jesus used the Scriptures He had memorized to resist the temptations of the devil (Luke 4:2-13).
10• Many have found that "The Daily Affirmation of Faith" and the "Warfare Prayer" (composed by Victor M. Matthews in Spiritual Warfare and adapted by Mark Bubeck in The Adversary and Ed Murphy in The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare) to be potent resources for strength and renewal.
11• "St. Patrick's Breastplate" is a time-tested prayer that has encouraged millions of believers through the centuries. Patrick, the great fifth-century missionary to Ireland, was inspired by the triune Godhead and the incarnation of Christ when he composed this prayer for spiritual protection:
I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.
I bind this day to me for ever, by power of faith,
Christ's incarnation; His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on the cross for my salvation.
His bursting from the spiced tomb; His riding up the heav'nly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay, His ear hearken to my need;
The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The Word of God to give me speech, His heav'nly host to be my guard.
Against all Satan's spells and wiles, against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles, against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft, against the death-wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poison'd shaft, protect me Christ, till Thy returning.
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One and Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation; salvation is of Christ my Lord.
Balance and Discernment
A balanced view of spiritual warfare does not limit it to evil spirits, or to the flesh, or to the world system, but acknowledges the reality of all three in varying combinations. There has been a tendency in different parts of the church for some to focus on internal personal evil (the flesh), others on external structural evil (the world), and still others on spiritual evil. Any one of these can be overemphasized or underplayed, and this has been particularly true of spiritual evil. Scripture affirms that the war with evil is multidimensional; instead of compartmentalizing it, we should take into account the physical, the personal, the cultural, and the spiritual influences that impinge upon us. A given problem can have organic, psychological, and spiritual components, and it would be a mistake to rule out any of these from the outset.
The two basic approaches concerning the spiritual forces of darkness have tended to be neglect and denial on the one hand, and paranoia and sensationalism on the other. Those in the first camp need to reexamine their theology in light of the ongoing experience of a growing number of Christian workers both here and abroad, and those in the second camp need to evaluate and interpret their experience in light of biblical truth. A better approach to this issue affirms the reality of Satan and unclean spirits, applies the weapons of the warfare, and balances this with the other facets of spirituality. While the church is indeed an army, it is also a family, a hospital, a school, a mission center, and an organism.
Another issue that requires balance and discernment is the relatively new practice of confronting territorial spirits, that is, demonic forces that have authority over geopolitical areas (e.g., cities, regions, and nations). This practice is based on such accounts as the spiritual conflict between the archangel Michael and the powerful princes of Persia and Greece (Daniel 10:12-21; 12:1), Old Testament references to "high places" and regional deities (Deuteronomy 12:2; 1 Kings 18:18-19), and the worship of the goddess Artemis throughout the province of Asia (Acts 19:24-37). "Spiritual mapping," as it is sometimes called, involves research on spiritual obstacles to revival (the sins of people groups-e.g., racism, pornography, terrorism, and drug abuse) as well as intercessory warfare prayer for strategic kingdom advancement in cities and countries. This growing movement has been criticized for centering its energy on an approach that is not warranted by Scripture and for an excessive emphasis on the demonic. Clinton E. Arnold provides a better perspective in 3 Crucial Questions about Spiritual Warfare by distinguishing between prayers against demons afflicting individuals and prayers against territorial spirits. In the former case, believers can pray to God and command evil spirits to leave the afflicted person; in the latter case, they can ask God to hinder and thwart territorial spirits, but believers do not have the authority to command territorial spirits to leave a geographical area. In both cases, the primary emphasis is on practicing the presence of God, not the presence of demons.
The Work of Angels
God's elect (unfallen) angels also play an important role in the spiritual warfare that includes and transcends the human race. The Lord uses His angels to minister to us in a variety of ways (e.g., protection, provision, and answers to prayer).
The existence and work of angels is not a matter of speculation. The word for angel appears over 270 times in Scripture, and angels are mentioned in 17 Old Testament and 17 New Testament books. They play a role in so many biblical stories that they cannot be dismissed without seriously distorting the historical narratives as well as the teachings of Christ and the apostles.
Before the earth existed, angels were created by God as perfect spirit beings (Job 38:7). Since they do not procreate (Matthew 22:28-30), all angels were simultaneously put to the same test: rebel with Satan or remain loyal to God. Those who fell made a deliberate decision and cannot be redeemed. They are confirmed in their depravity and destined for "the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). Those who acknowledged the Lord's rule are confirmed in their holiness and will serve Him forever as His messengers and ministers.
The elect angels are an innumerable host (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 5:11) that is highly organized to reflect the wisdom and power of God (e.g., the ranks of thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities; Colossians 1:16). They are personal beings with intelligence (Matthew 28:5), emotion (Job 38:7; Isaiah 6:3), and volition (Hebrews 1:6). As creatures, they are localized (Hebrews 1:14) and limited in power and knowledge (1 Peter 1:12). Angels are immortal (Luke 20:36) and accountable to God. They appear in the Bible in the form of men (Genesis 18:1-8; Luke 24:4) and in unusual forms characterized by majesty and dignity (Ezekiel 1:5-21; 10:1-22; Daniel 10:5-6; Revelation 4:6-8). In our mortal frailty, we are lower than the angels (Psalm 8:4-6), but in our position in Christ we are above them, as will be evident when we receive our glorified resurrection bodies (1 Corinthians 6:3; Philippians 3:21).
The Hebrew and Greek words for angel, malak and angelos, both mean "messenger." Other names for angels are sons of the mighty, sons of God, elohim, holy ones, stars, ministers, and host. Scripture alludes to three classifications of angels: cherubim (Ezekiel 1:5-8; 10:18-22), seraphim (Isaiah 6:2,6), and living creatures (Revelation 4:6-9), and mentions two angels by name (Gabriel and the archangel Michael).
Angels worship God and serve Him by carrying out His will (Psalm 103:20-21). During Christ's earthly life, they predicted and announced His birth, protected Him as an infant, and strengthened Him after His temptation and after His ordeal at Gethsemane. In similar ways, angels serve, protect, strengthen, and encourage those who trust in the Lord. God used angels in Scripture to mediate His word and will to His people, to direct His people, to provide for His people, and to deliver them from physical and spiritual dangers. They are "ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). Few of us realize the significant work angels do on our behalf.
FIDELITY TO YOUR CALLING
The story is told of an eleventh-century German king, King Henry III, who, having grown tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch, applied to a monastery to be accepted for a life of contemplation. The religious superior of the monastery, Prior Richard, is reported to have said, "Your Majesty, do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king."
Henry replied, "I understand. The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you."
"Then I will tell you what to do," said Prior Richard. "Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has placed you."
When King Henry III died, a statement was written: "The King learned to rule by being obedient."
Like King Henry, we too often tire of our role and responsibility. Like King Henry, we too need to be reminded that God has placed each of us in a particular place to be faithful there. Whether it is as a plumber, accountant, mother, father, or whatever, God expects us to be faithful where He has placed us.