Enclosed in an empty, bleached environment I stood alone. Suddenly, a large rasping snake lifted its fierce head next to mine and whispered threateningly, “You’ve just lost.”
Unusually bold, I glared at the creature and responded, “No. I. Haven’t.” Then, I awakened.
The dream had been terrifyingly real and for the better part of the day I struggled to rid myself of the frightening image. Maybe I had a bad case of indigestion from the previous night’s pizza or my writer’s impractical creativity provided fodder for fantastic imaginings, but I was reminded that a Christian is at battle against an invisible foe—a spiritual war waged outside of human time and space.
This is the stuff that sometimes seems too Hollywood to believe, but scripture exhorts us—
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Eph. 6:18 MSG)
Alright. It’s plain that you and I, Christian, have an enemy who is more powerful, smarter, and craftier than we. But, we are not left defenseless. In fact, the Heavenly Commander presents us with all of the tools needed for warfare—God-issued, spiritual weaponry grounded in prayer and Bible-soaked-living.
Defensive in nature, these weapons are designed to help us to know the enemy, understand his tactics, and recognize his ploys. These same tools of warfare teach us to align our personal, spiritual compass with the One in charge of angel armies and to remember that the war has already been won.
Today’s battles are merely insurgent attacks by an enemy who knows the end of his earthly rule is in sight. And one day soon, we’ll celebrate the victory of eternal life in the presence of the King of all Kings—Jesus Christ.
