Tuesday, April 11, 2023
The Reality of the Unseen World
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)
Some people dismiss the idea of Satan’s existence altogether, believing it’s a fanciful myth. Sometimes they’re reacting to a caricatured version of him, a being with red skin, pointed ears, horns, and hooves.
We won’t find that description of him in the Bible. But the Bible does talk about a spirit being known as Satan, or Lucifer, who opposes Christians and wants to bring them down.
In a letter to the followers of Christ in Ephesus, the apostle Paul wrote, “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12 NLT).
As surely as there is a God who loves us, there is a devil who hates us. And whatever God wants to do, Satan will be there to oppose it.
As I look at the things that humanity is capable of, wicked and horrendously depraved things, it frightens me. Yet when I realize there’s a God who loves us and has a plan for our lives as well as a devil who is behind the wickedness and depravity in our culture today, it explains a lot.
C. S. Lewis made this observation in the preface to The Screwtape Letters: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an unhealthy interest in them.”
We do need to understand our adversary and how to prevail against his power and temptations. However, we don’t want to go overboard in this area.
We must recognize this is a spiritual battle, and we must fight it with spiritual weapons.
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