Having just returned from a 3rd world country (Uganda), I have become more aware then ever of the unseen battle that rages around us. In a country where people struggle each day to find food, water, and shelter, I could see the battle. In a country where death was rampant among the poor and sick who could not afford medicine or medical care, I could see the battle. In a country where people are so easily led astray by false teachers and empty religion, I could see the battle. All of these things you can see with your eyes. But when you unplug long enough from the American society and submerge your mind in the bible (as I had the opportunity to), you can begin to see a battle that goes deeper than the obvious.
Ephesians 6:10-13: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,”
In this life, it is the obvious pressures that we struggle with each day. Financial pressure, relational stress, rejection, job loss, abuse, neglect, pain, death, confusion, and hopelessness are just a few that we can see with our eyes and feel with our spirit. These are real and genuine struggles that should not be ignored or minimized. But what they truly are goes much deeper than what the eye can see.
The battle that is being waged is for the control of our mind, heart, and soul. This is The Unseen Battle. When pressure and tension rise over the struggles of life, we must plan for and remember the essence of this conflict prior to its inception. The essence is a spiritual one. The bible has so much to say about person vs. person and situation vs. situation struggles. It says that our enemy, the devil, has command over the unseen rulers of darkness, wickedness, and evil that are in this world. And he will use every ounce of control and power that he has been given to draw us away from Jesus. His goal is to distract us with these seen struggles, so that we will move from a life of dependence on Jesus to a life of reliance upon self. He knows that it is through dependence on self, that we will lose the battle ten times out of ten.
To win the battle we must: First, give Jesus control. Our life is one of control. Either we will fight in the power of self or we will let God do the fighting for us. Jesus is the only one who can defeat the devil’s schemes/attacks. It is through the power and name of Jesus that we will have victory. We must first give Jesus control of our entire life, before we can even begin to take a stand. Second, be prepared. Submerge your mind with the Word of God. A victory cannot happen if we do not know the battle plan. The bible not only gives us the battle plan, but it also exposes the attacks of the enemy. By reading and meditating on the bible, we will know how to fight and defend ourselves against every struggle. Third, move forward. The plan of attack is spelled out in Ephesians 6. It is a multifaceted plan that is clearly spelled out. To move forward, we must pray for Jesus to equip us with the armor and lead the charge for us. To conquer todays struggles, we must allow Jesus (not ourselves) to be the one who helps us overcome The Unseen Battle behind the one that we can see.
This is awesome Rob- well written and to the point. God has and will continue to use you in His battle....thanks for sharing this today.
Posted by: Joanne Morin | October 15, 2010 at 07:03 AM
Good work, bro. Enjoyed ministering with you in Uganda!
Posted by: Josh Via | October 15, 2010 at 11:31 AM