Spiritual Warfare: Dealing with Doubts and Accusations

Our authority is found in Jesus Christ. He is authoring or writing our life to fulfill His purposes here on earth. But while we remain on earth awaiting our future glory we are often faced with doubts about where is God when trouble afflicts us or whether or not we are saved from the eternal judgment. Sometimes these doubts come though the imaginations of our mind and other times through other people who accuse us of a sin or character flaw. And why is this?

Gustave Dore's Depiction of Satan Being Cast out of Heaven in MIlton's "Paradise Lost"

At the Cross a battle was won. Jesus rose in victory over the strongholds of Satan. The very name of Satan means ‘accuser’. He accuses Job before God regarding the motivation of Job’s righteousness. (Job 1:9-11) He accuses the high priest, Joshua, before the angel of the Lord. ( Zech. 3) Satan uses our own thoughts against us when we do not see ourselves as God see us. And he can use the criticism of others and gossip of our neighbors to heap false judgments upon ourselves. All because Jesus won for us eternal life on Calvary. John in Patmos reminds us, And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!" (Rev. 12:10-12)

Satan’s time is short as he will be thrown into the lake of fire at the final battle. (Rev. 20:10) Until then he is confined to earth trying to bring the saints down with him. And he will if we don’t put on Jesus for our salvation. When we believe that Jesus did die for our personal sins paying our debt to the Law, our names will forever be written in the Book of Life. (Rev. 21:5-8)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits  of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:8-15)

Remember, when Satan brings up your past, remind him of his future!


Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The strife is o'er, the battle done,
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions hath dispersed:
let shout of holy joy outburst.
Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
The three sad days are quickly sped,
he rises glorious from the dead:
all glory to our risen Head!
Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
He closed the yawning gates of hell,
the bars from heaven's high portals fell;
let hymns of praise his triumphs tell!
Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death's dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee.
Alleluia!

---

Words: Symphonia Sirenum Selectarum, 1695;
trans. Francis Pott (1832-1909)

What Really Happens on Halloween Night

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (John 3:19-20)

When I was growing up, Halloween was no big deal. I was taught it was All Hallow's Eve or the evening before All Saints' Day, a principle feast of the Church in the Anglican tradition. My understanding is that as missionaries came to the British Isles, they took pagan customs and reinterpreted them for the new converts. Because of the growing influence of neo-paganism and the desire for more and more kids to act out stuff that is not wholesome, I, as a pastor, have begun to downplay the trick or treat aspects and have begun observing Reformation Day as October 31st is the date of Luther's nailing his 95 thesis on the Wittenburg Church door. And the Reformation seems to be a forgotten history of Anglicanism as well in many quarters of our various denominations. 

But why is Halloween so popular? My answer is that deep down we know we are the monsters we portray. In Anglicanism we believe in original sin (Article 9 of the Articles of Religion). Somewhere inside our soul lurks an ax murderer. And somewhere deep in our soul we know we are supposed to live forever hence we dress up as zombies or vampires and the like. Of course these living dead have to eat off of other living souls which means that in order to live they have to take a life. So we are conflicted human beings wanting to live forever but never able to escape our evil nature. And so when we dress up with masks and costumes, we are not really disguising ourselves inasmuch as we are revealing ourselves. It is in real life that we wear the masks.

When Jesus uses the word, 'hypocrite', He is actually saying to His audience, "You mask-wearer!" Hypocrite means in Greek 'actor'. And actors in Jesus' day wore masks to portray their characters. This is why we see the double masks, "comedy and tragedy" on theaters and playbills. Much of the Sermon on the Mount is devoted to the condition of the heart. If we hate someone we are murderers. If we lust after someone not our spouse, we are adulterers. Is it any wonder then, that when given a choice, the people asked Pilate to release Barabbas? So what if he has killed someone? He is just like one of us! Our outward appearance hides our true nature. Our outward appearance is our mask. So on Halloween, we are actually taking off our masks when we put on our costumes!

Christ came to rip our masks off and show us our nature. "You Hypocrites" is also followed by a warning of God's judgement. God's wrath will fall on all murderers, thieves and adulterers. The light of Jesus Christ shines on our dark nature. It is then we can see our need for a redeemer, someone to stand in our place and take our punishment upon Himself meeting the legal demands of the law. When we see who we truly are deep in our souls, we can with authenticity plead for God's mercy. We then die to sin and live in Him who washes us of our uncleanliness giving us eternal life, something we have always wanted deep in our souls.

The Power to Save is God's Alone!

The Raising of Lazarus, Rembrandt

When [Jesus] had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus come out!" (John 11:43)

By what power did Lazarus come out? How could he hear the voice of the Master when he was four days dead. He had no faculties such as hearing and seeing. He was dead. His body was decomposing. Lazarus came back to life not of his own will but only by the will of Jesus.

And so it is with us. To say we are born again implies we were once dead. We come into this world as cute cuddly babies but infused with the stench of sin that leads to death. (Eph. 2:1) We have no power to revive ourselves from the spiritual death that is in us.

And so it is with Jesus who does not want to see His friends remain in death. He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10) Our dead souls come alive when we hear His voice. To think we had anything to do with our salvation means the stench of pride still remains in us and we have not fully awoken to the life giving Spirit. Our conversion belongs to God and God alone. (John 6:44) The lost sheep does not find his way back to the sheepfold because he is lost and does not know his way back. If this were not so, he would have journeyed home. The sheep is brought back by the shepherd who cares for his sheep. (John 10:7-18)

Like Lazarus coming out of the grave, our conversion is new life, a new birth. (John 3:3) Flesh cannot give birth to flesh. Only spirit can give birth to spirit.

So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. (Rom. 10:17)

Jesus, Our Teacher

The word 'disciple' in Greek means a learner, a student. In order to be a disciple one has to have a teacher. As Christians we understand we are disciples of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus is our teacher.

Let us look back upon the days we were students. We went to school, received instruction, studied and made our grades. If we did not listen to our teachers or behaved in class, there were consequences such as low grades and the unwanted correction from our teachers. Is it any different being a student of Jesus Christ? To say we are students of Jesus Christ means we have to listen to His teachings and accept His correction. But Jesus is no ordinary human teacher. After His death and resurrection, He ascended to His Father in Heaven. He has poured into us His Holy Spirit. Wherever we are, He is there also. Which means wherever we are, Jesus is teaching us something.

The story of the sisters, Mary and Martha, illustrates how Jesus will teach us something even if we think we know the answer. Jesus enters a village and Martha invites Him into her home. This was a common practice in accordance with middle-eastern hospitality. In other words, Martha did the right thing. She was busy fulfilling what she thought was expected of her so much so she expected her sister to help out in the kitchen. Jesus teaches her saying, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”  Mary had chosen stillness and being at the feat of Jesus. Martha learned something about herself, she is anxious and troubled and she learned what Jesus expected of her, to sit and learn.  (Lk. 10:38-42) If Jesus did not love Martha he would not have bothered to teach her anything. In fact Jesus loved Martha so much that when He heard the news of her brother’s illness, Jesus made a point of staying where He was two days longer! I am not being sarcastic. The text actually says that! So Jesus comes to Bethany after Lazarus has died. It is Martha who greets Him. There Martha learns from Christ, Himself, that He is the Resurrection and the Life! Mary runs to greet Him and like her sister, assumes Jesus is late. But she gets to see Lazarus raised from the dead. Jesus is such a great teacher, that one can be assured, Mary, Martha and Lazarus knew without doubt, death has been conquered in Jesus. But they still experienced their natural emotions of loss, grief and despair. Their classroom was their life. Their teacher was their Lord. (John 11:1-44)

And it is the same with us. Our life is our classroom. Things may not go our way. But they always go God’s way, like Jesus waiting two days to see His friend, Lazarus.

“...He saw a great crowd and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.” (Mk. 6:34)

REPENT!

"...therefore I despise myself  and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:6)

"If man does not repent, God will whet His sword; He has bent and readied the bow" Ps. 7:12


"Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." (Matthew 3:2)

The word, 'repent' in the English language means to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscious-stricken about a past action., attitude, etc. (Dictionary.com)

In Hebrew the word repent is often used to translate the word 'shuv' which means 'to return' and the word 'nicham' which means to feel sorrow. One would feel sorrow for an action and seek or desire to go back to a previous state of innocence. In Greek 'metanoia' is used for repent. This word means to change a thought or to change one's mind about a given action. When we put together the biblical nuances of the word, 'repent' we can understand that God's desire for us is to have a changed heart about who we are and what we think and do.  Perhaps the most famous example of a changed heart is when David was confronted with his sin of coveting Uriah's wife which led to adultery and murder.  He writes in Psalm 51 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God,  You will not despise. (v. 17) A changed heart is a heart that has the knowledge of the person's true character brought to light. It feels sorry for the sins committed against God and neighbor. (Luke 15:18)

The prophet Ezekiel understood man to have cold hearts of stone. No feeling, no sensitivity that in thought, word, and deed, we hurt God. Man is lawless not keeping the commandments God gave us. But God can and will change man's heart as it is written, "...I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my statutes..." (Ez. 11:18-20) A changed, godly heart is one that can follow God's laws. (Heb.8:10)

In order for us to enter the Kingdom of God, our hearts have to be broken. Disciples of Jesus are broken-hearted people as we see how we have been sinners since birth. When we come to the knowledge of our sins, we will have heartfelt sorrow towards God who gave us life.  We will understand that we are lawless in God's sight. (Ps.51.3) But we have Good News! Jesus, the spotless lamb of God, met the legal demands of the Law when He died upon the cross. (Col. 2:14) When we have this knowledge our hearts will change, broken as it were and we can rejoice as we can be assured that we are a forgiven people. "Thus it is written, That Christ should suffer and that on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Lk. 24:46-47)