Today we remember hatred and zealotry for an evil
cause. 9/11/01 is a day of death and
destruction from which began a cycle of the same. Who’s celebrating? The Evil One who hates you, and me, and life,
and light! This day of sorrow is often
chalked up to political and/or religious aims of some young Islamic men. In fact, it was part of a larger conspiracy
that has stretched through human history, the work of a spiritual being of
great power who is determined to oppose and destroy all that is good and godly.
Only about 50% of Americans believe in either the Devil or the Holy Spirit,
dismissing them as superstitions left over from a time of lesser knowledge. I
don’t!
In the 12th chapter of the Revelation, John uses ‘sign
language’ to tell his readers about God’s plan to save His Creation from the
Devil. John’s words help me to understand the way the world works and to see
what’s really going on in the invisible realm that is as real as the one I
perceive with my five senses. He saw an ‘enormous red dragon’ (a
picture language symbol) who was poised to destroy the Messiah at his birth,
who rebelled against the order of Heaven, who was kicked out of the Presence of
God, and who now has "had a great fall; He’s
wild and raging with anger; he hasn’t much time and he knows it."
(Revelation 12:12, The Message) Evil has a name and a personality! "This great dragon—the ancient serpent
called the devil, or Satan, the one
deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels."
(Revelation 12:9, NLT)
If you think that all of the suffering in this world comes only from ignorance, poverty, religion, or pride; consider this. The Bible presents us with the fact that Evil is an organized conspiracy, orchestrated by the Devil, who works through the demon spirits, with the ultimate goal of destroying all that God has created and loves. Hitler, Pol Pot, wife-beating husbands, and rebellious teens who hate their parents share a common inspiration – the Devil! When a man cheats on his wife, he isn’t just led astray by an excess of testosterone; he is deceived by lying spirits who exploit his desires, to light a fire that will reduce his life to ashes. If we fail to understand this, we risk fighting the wrong battles, trying to solve problems by focusing only on symptoms rather than the real disease. As important as education, eradication of poverty, and behavior modification might be in the effort to make the world a better place in which to live; their ability to change a human heart is limited. Only Christ Jesus can set us free from slavery to Satan and depravity. Only the Holy Spirit can transform our minds and hearts so that we are able to live whole and holy lives.
I do not fear Satan or his demons because I live under the authority of Christ who defeated evil at the Cross, and ultimately triumphed at the Resurrection. But, I have real respect for the power of evil, and so should you. Christ Jesus restores my identity as a ‘child of God’ and the Spirit of God live in me. I am secure. John says of Believers, "they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony." (Revelation 12:11, NLT) He alludes to the Exodus story, where the Israeli people who obediently responded in faith by putting the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts escaped the death angel’s judgment. Christ is our Passover, our Protector from spiritual destruction. And yet, we face the attacks of the Devil. He (and his forces – spiritual and human) come at us. We walk in a world ‘with devils filled,’ that ‘threatens to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.’ (Martin Luther)
If you think that all of the suffering in this world comes only from ignorance, poverty, religion, or pride; consider this. The Bible presents us with the fact that Evil is an organized conspiracy, orchestrated by the Devil, who works through the demon spirits, with the ultimate goal of destroying all that God has created and loves. Hitler, Pol Pot, wife-beating husbands, and rebellious teens who hate their parents share a common inspiration – the Devil! When a man cheats on his wife, he isn’t just led astray by an excess of testosterone; he is deceived by lying spirits who exploit his desires, to light a fire that will reduce his life to ashes. If we fail to understand this, we risk fighting the wrong battles, trying to solve problems by focusing only on symptoms rather than the real disease. As important as education, eradication of poverty, and behavior modification might be in the effort to make the world a better place in which to live; their ability to change a human heart is limited. Only Christ Jesus can set us free from slavery to Satan and depravity. Only the Holy Spirit can transform our minds and hearts so that we are able to live whole and holy lives.
I do not fear Satan or his demons because I live under the authority of Christ who defeated evil at the Cross, and ultimately triumphed at the Resurrection. But, I have real respect for the power of evil, and so should you. Christ Jesus restores my identity as a ‘child of God’ and the Spirit of God live in me. I am secure. John says of Believers, "they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony." (Revelation 12:11, NLT) He alludes to the Exodus story, where the Israeli people who obediently responded in faith by putting the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts escaped the death angel’s judgment. Christ is our Passover, our Protector from spiritual destruction. And yet, we face the attacks of the Devil. He (and his forces – spiritual and human) come at us. We walk in a world ‘with devils filled,’ that ‘threatens to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.’ (Martin Luther)
Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it. Let the Truth
give insight into your behavior and that of those who are around you, then pray
to be holy and to be part of the Divine
Conspiracy to save Creation!
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.
This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:4-8, NIV)
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.
This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:4-8, NIV)
____________
Jesus Shall Reign
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun,
Does His successive journeys run.
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore
‘Till moons shall rise and set no more.
To Him shall endless prayer be made
And princes throng to crown His head.
His name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.
Blessings abound wherever He reigns,
The prisoner leaps to lose His chains.
The weary find eternal rest
And all the sons of want are blest.
Let every creature rise and bring,
The highest honours to our King!
Angels descend with songs again
And earth repeats the loud Amen.
Isaac Watts | John
C. Hatton
Public Domain
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