I see you

If our faith in God looks for a visible face, does our understanding of the devil look for the same?

The use of symbols, buildings, statues or golden calves to depict God and make Him more accessible to humans, has led to dangerous distortions and a corruption of real faith. It is a powerful ruse of Satan to vest our ignorance in symbols and images. For although they make one feel warm inside they do nothing for the war of the soul.

It is no less futile to try to put a human face to the devil. We often allow bad or horrible people to become the target for our fears and superstitions, but we then end up beating the air.

Paul said in Galatians 5:7 that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in heavenly places”. When we use human instruments of darkness, regardless of our pretexts, we merely fight the instrument, not the force or logic behind them. That is analogous to warring against shields or swords or guns, which are quite incapable of spontaneous action and devoid of any will of their own.

So when we find ourselves in conflict with individuals, we are really wasting time. The problem is behind them. The objective of Chess is to take out the King, not to eliminate the opponent’s resources. I accept that a war of attrition against the other player would render the King very vulnerable, but in spiritual warfare the “men” at Satan’s disposal are innumerable. Attrition would only favor his cause as it would bog us down in a highly inefficient and pointless distraction. We must target the King or more specifically the spiritual forces behind what we see on the ground.

I am not about to advocate that we run off wildly berating or rebuking the devil, for as the seven sons of Sceva found out, such naiveté is foolhardy. But I am saying that unless you understand what is behind your struggle, you will be quite ineffective.

So blaming your parents, your boss, the schoolyard bully or other oppressors in your life is not going to cut it. It will just frustrate you or turn your own feelings into instruments of your spiritual enemy.

Joshua and David were two great Old Testament warriors. Their approach to war was first to inquire of God and ensure that His favor was with them. That sounds quite routine, but it isn’t. Satan’s pretexts against us are significantly linked to our own position in God. If we are in sin or have opened up a spiritual door through past activities, Satan will exploit our spiritual vulnerability. When Joshua or David found battles going against them, it inevitability pointed to some sin or offence that had to be corrected before they could advance.

So if we are to win against an unseen but virulent force we must restore our divine position in the greater unseen force. We must know God and walk with Him if we are to see our enemy is perspective and we must obey Him if we want to walk in His authority. Then, in His timing, God will lead you into a meaningful engagement and deliver the enemy into your hands.

(c) Peter Eleazar at www.bethelstone.com