Author,
pastor and counselor, Bruce S. Campbell received his Master’s of Divinity from
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. His latest novel and companion study
guide, The Beginning: Prelude to the Apocalypse, discuss many of the
paradoxes of the Christian faith. In 2009, Bruce and his wife, Jill, founded The Secret Place to counsel ministers
who are struggling in sin or need to be renewed in their faith journey. For
more information, visit www.BruceSCampbell.com.
7 It
was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And
authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. Rev. 13:7 (NKJV)
Most
evangelical Christians believe the world is headed quickly to its end. There have been many books and movies
depicting possible scenarios of how it might all play out. We have seen many Hollywood versions of
demons and angels fighting for power and dominion at the end of the age. Most depictions I’ve seen don’t seem to take
God’s word into account. We don’t
really know how it will all work out, but we are assured that God ultimately
wins.
In
spite of the ultimate victory, we are told in Revelation 13:7 that the saints
will be overcome by the beast. And Daniel 12:7 tells us that “when the power of the holy people has been
completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.” It is not an easy reality to be told you will
be overcome. In everyday life, I see the
war on the saints as having already begun.
In fact, it has been going on for a long time. The war is being waged for the hearts and
minds of men, women, and children everywhere.
I see it daily in counseling sessions of Christians whose lives have
been overcome by the evil one.
To
make matters worse, the saints that are being defeated often don’t even know
they are in a war. 3 For though we walk in the
flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for
pulling down strongholds, 5 casting
down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor.
10:2-5 (NKJV). We do not know what
the final war will look like as described in Rev.13:7. But, if we open our eyes,
we can fight the war we are in right now.
I am talking about the war over fear, guilt, selfishness, unforgiveness,
apathy, disappointment, lust, fornication, homosexuality and the like.
Recently,
my wife and I were dealing with a single woman that was suicidal. She had taken out a life insurance policy to
leave money to her children and began to make plans to stop her pain and her
life. Fortunately, God intervened in her
plans and we were able to speak life back into her soul. She had been defeated in her heart and had
been overcome by the evil one. In
counseling with her, we discovered that she wanted a husband and began to
resent God for not giving her what she wanted.
She was jealous of other women and relationships, and began to feel
rejected and felt angry at God. She felt
that because she was a Christian, she was entitled to get all of her wants
met. She began to compromise in dating
and then felt the disappointment of the inevitable failures. The disappointment led to emotional pain,
depression, and finally to suicide as the only way out.
The
defeat of this single Christian woman is indicative of the war on all
saints. We must put to death the
desires of our flesh. When we listen to
the voices of selfish entitlement and envy what others seem to have, we become
prey for the evil one. If we could learn
to be satisfied in Christ alone, we would not be filled with disappointment. If we didn’t covet after other’s things, we
would never feel cheated for not having them.
Even though God intervened in this woman’s life and she is healing, I
wonder how many other people go on being defeated in the hidden war of the
heart. We should learn to fight against
our own selfishness by yielding to God through simple trust. This is how we win our war!
Jesus
said that he who sins is servant of sin (Jn. 8:34). In other words, if we turn in our hearts away
from God we can come under the power of Satan.
It has nothing to do with our salvation, but does have everything to do with
our quality of life. Satan went to God and requested to sift Peter. Peter was full of pride and arrogance and the
devil knew it. 31 And
the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may
sift you as wheat. 32 But
I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have
returned to Me, strengthen your
brethren." 33 But he said to Him, "Lord, I am
ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." 34 Then
He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before
you will deny three times that you know Me." Luke 22:31-34 (NKJV). The book of Revelation chapter 12 declares
that Satan stands before God day and night accusing the brethren.
Why
does God allow us to be tempted? For one
thing, it tests our faith and helps us to see areas of weakness in our
lives. His motive is to bring us to
maturity. It is His desire to bless us,
not only in this age, but also the age to come.
My brethren, count it all joy when
you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing
of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have
its perfect work, that you may
be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 (NKJV). Even Christians
will be under the attack of Satan if they sin.
Paul gives many examples of this in Scripture. Paul acknowledges that some Christians in
Corinth are sick and have fallen asleep (passed away) for drunkenness and sin
at the Lord’s Supper. (1 Cor. 11:20-32).
Sin will not take away your salvation, but it will give authority to
Satan.
The
trouble is in misunderstanding the temporal and eternal law. The law still exists in the temporal until
all things are fulfilled. Jesus said it
like this: "Do not think that I came
to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For
assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle
will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever
therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so,
shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:17-19 (NKJV).There is much confusion over
passages like this because people want to make it about salvation. It is not about salvation, but is about
reward. Our sin as Christians not only
gives power to Satan in this age, but also affects our reward in the next age. When I hear a Christian spout off that they
are not under the law, I ask, “Which one are you not under? Perhaps you are not under the law of murder,
or adultery or false witness? Can you
violate any of these laws with no consequences?”
The
law has not passed away in our temporal existence. Even rejecting the Old Testament covenant
laws still has some consequences. For
instance, Leviticus 11 talks about how touching a dead carcass causes a person
to be unclean. The law commanded people
to wash and even break dishes and throw them away where defiled by
carcasses. Now if you should happen to
handle a dead carcass, you could say, “I’m free from the law!” and not wash
your hands, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
The reason God gave the law is still in affect regardless of our
obedience to its commands. God wants obedience from the heart as a matter of
trust.
We should focus on the motives of
our hearts, and get rid of everything that isn’t motivated by the spirit of
love. All works that come from love are
acceptable to God. When love is our
motivator we are being motivated by His spirit.
His Spirit in us produces works of righteousness. Each
one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be
revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If
anyone's work which he has built on it
endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work
is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through
fire. 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God
and that the Spirit of God
dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God,
God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 1 Cor. 3:13-17 (NKJV).
It is not that we are endlessly trying to obey every detail of the law, but
rather that we allow the Holy Spirit to live through us. The Spirit produces life in us. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal 5:22-23 (NKJV)
The
only way we can win this war on the saints is by submission to the Spirit of
God. 56 For sin is the sting that results in
death, and the law gives sin its power. 1 Cor. 15:56 (NLT). We only come under the power of sin if we
yield to it. Satan must have legal
grounds in order to present a cause before the great judge in heaven. Then I
heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the
kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of
our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast
down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the
death. Rev 12:10-11 (NKJV). The Holy
Spirit of Christ (represented as blood) that was in them was the power to
overcome the devil. The saints overcame the devil because they didn’t
have selfish love ruling their hearts.
They were yielded to the selfless, sacrificial love of Christ, regardless
of the cost to themselves.
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