I recently read a poll from the Barna Research Group which indicated that perhaps as few as 40% of Evangelical “Born Again” followers of Jesus believe in the literal existence of Satan. 40%??? Really??? Forget about the exegetical implications, that is, how can you possibly make sense of the Bible if its numerous references to Satan are not literal…
What about the day to day realities of this life. How can we fight the spiritual battles we are called to fight if we have convinced ourselves that we have no enemy? We have gladly minimized the reality of biblical doctrines like Hell and Satan in an effort to make the Gospel more palatable, easier to swallow.
Rather than equipping the saints for the spiritual battles we face, we smile, offer cliché’s, pat answers, and in the process pave the wayto Hell (sorry, eternal separation from God), with marble, polished granite, and usher in the masses to eternity without hope. Ignorance of the battle that we fight doesnot alleviate the pain and suffering induced from the fight. Ignorance of Satan and his attacks is not bliss.
Josh Billings, the pen name of the 19th Century American writer Henry Wheeler Shaw, wrote that “The trouble ain’t that people are ignorant: it’s that they know so much that ain’t so.” In other words, the trouble is not that we are ignorant. Rather, we are absolutely sure of things that are not true.
Satan is a metaphor for evil in this world? Satan is a word device for selfishness? Word devices don’t prowl looking for who they can devour. Metaphors don’t lead men astray or assault the brethren. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NASB) When we ignore or deny the spiritual battles that are waging, we are like a man asleep at the wheel in traffic or casually playing solitaire as the enemy charges the camp!
Our enemy is alive and well but praise God, his defeat has been secured. God tarries in crushinghis influence in this broken world in order to allow us more time to gathersouls into the Kingdom. The fiery arrows of the enemy assault us but we have all of the tools at our disposal to be ultimately victorious in the battle. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. “ (Ephesians 6:12 KJV)
Trust in Jesus, get equipped for battle, and fight in the power of the Almighty! “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. “ (II Corinthians 10:4NASB)
Pilgrim Pastor… staying awake in the midst of the battle…
