In spiritual battles, God is only on the offensive, never defensive
I believe in the devil.
Not, of course, in the sense of having confidence in him. Rather, in the sense of acknowledging that he exists.
To begin with, Genesis teaches me. At its beginning the reader is introduced to God (Who later turns out to be Spirit), and told about God’s creation of the cosmos we inhabit. Fifty-six verses over two chapters are spent on that, and then we are introduced to a contrary spirit. Presumably a spirit also made by God. After all, everything was made by God.
But since God made one creature, man, in His image, and to show how much God’s “image” includes freedom of will – we learn that man is tempted by that contrary spirit to swerve away from God.
And swerve man does. And so the Gospel story begins, right there in Genesis.
God’s “image” includes freedom of will – we learn that man is tempted by that contrary spirit to swerve away from God.
And so we are made aware of the necessity for the story to be accomplished and published.
Yes, I believe indeed in that contrary spirit – his reality, his presence among us, and his works. And, “for the Bible tells me so”, I believe in that contrary spirit’s ultimate defeat. Defeat by God’s love – God’s essence – in action. For my God is a belligerent God.
“Belligerent”: a word with two roots, “bellum” meaning “war” and “gerere” meaning “carry”. My God carries the war, takes the battle to the enemy and engages that contrary spirit, the enemy.
Aggressively. Can you find a scriptural passage, Old or New Testament, in which God is defensive? (Let alone on His back foot or off balance?) An instance of God’s Son, Jesus, retreating or shying away from directly addressing and contending with the enemy? Anywhere between Our Lord’s nativity and His ascension?
My God carries the war, takes the battle to the enemy and engages that contrary spirit, the enemy.
Au contraire! Jesus seeks out the enemy and the enemy’s agents, including many not in uniform, serving as spies, subversives, saboteurs and scouts – and, as noteworthily today as during Jesus’ earthly years, under false flags. And He also seeks out agents and forms of warfare that we might recognize as being alike to disabling and dispiriting battlefield devices, active even on folks of initial goodwill.
Do you think you have ever encountered the enemy? Comic strip author Walt Kelly’s character, Pogo, had and was disturbed: “Yep, son, we have met the enemy and he is us.” The infection of mankind by the evil, contrary spirit – the Devil – is universal, with the sole exception of our Lord, Jesus Christ, God’s anointed one.
Happily, we are called by God to serve Him (nourished by, alongside, and within Christ) by doing battle with the Devil. On God’s behalf and on our own.
Jesus seeks out the enemy and the enemy’s agents, including many not in uniform, serving as spies, subversives, saboteurs and scouts.
So let us rejoice! No, really! We are surrounded, and should have no trouble in coming into contact with the enemy.
Even better: as members of Jesus’ body in the world today, we’re vastly outnumbered. Every good deed and good wish is highly likely to wound the enemy somewhere, in someone.
Certainly we Christians, and that’s us as individuals and in groups big and small, are going to be able to exercise our arms at all bearings of the compass.
Really now, does anyone among us, or do any field units in the Christian order of battle, need help with target identification? Our biggest problem is more likely to be in repelling the enemy’s resistance. That is, maintaining our humility, patience, and charity, even as we remain mindful of this from the principles of warfare: “Maintain the aim.”
And, as John Wesley is said to have observed with his last breath, “The best of all is, God is with us.”
Next Week: Suggested coaching notes and specific directions for being aggressive in fighting the devil.
Photo Credits: Google AI images
