"We must understand that for as long as we profess faith in the saving grace of the Lord Jesus and embrace the salvation package that’s ours in Him, satan can only reach us through devious schemes as in using men and women, including, sometimes, people who love us and want the best for us, like Peter was to Jesus".
I have stated that we agree with those Christian leaders who have publicly called on our brothers and sisters constantly under attack by people of other religious persuasions, to rise up in self defence. I have, however, also denounced any resort to physical force as in wielding, guns, machetes or any other man-made weapons of war. Instead, I have advocated the use of the spiritual ammunitions provided for in the Bible.
This, I predicated on the position so eloquently articulated by the Holy Spirit through one of Paul, the Apostle’s letters to the church in Corinth. He had told them us (and them) that though we are no different from other people in that we are as flesh and blood as everyone else, yet, we are not expected to “war after the flesh”. We are never to depend on physical arms and ammunition, because, in his words, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”
This theme, I explained last week, can be clearer understood though a close look at the sixth chapter of the apostle’s letter to the Ephesians, which reads: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 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. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (verses 10-17).
I had posited that those eight verses “offer great insight into the Kingdom concept of warfare” and that, “verse 12 is very fundamental.” In that verse, Apostle Paul said in contemporary English: “We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world (CEV)”. As I said last week, this means that we do not go after “the men, women, boys and girls armed to the teeth bating for our blood; we recognize they are tools of the enemy; so we set our sight on the enemy, which is a spirit and can only be fought in the spirit.”
An incident recorded in two of the gospels will aid a proper understanding of this concept. Let’s take the Matthew account in chapter 16: “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men (Matthew 16: 21-23).
Notice, the Bible says, the Lord Jesus spoke to Peter, but addressed satan. Did Peter suddenly transfigured into satan, or did satan become another name for Peter, like Cephas, for instance? The answer is neither. The Lord, in reacting to Peter’s well-meaning rebuke, saw beyond him; he recognized the one speaking through him. In other words, satan was the enemy, not Peter.
This is how we are to see all attacks on us, if we are to live the kingdom life to which we have been called. We must understand that for as long as we profess faith in the saving grace of the Lord Jesus and embrace the salvation package that’s ours in Him, satan can only reach us through devious schemes as in using men and women, including, sometimes, people who love us and want the best for us, like Peter was to Jesus. And, of course, as in the frequent cases of bloody, mindless attacks against our brothers and sisters in parts of Northern Nigeria and many other parts of the world, he will also raise individuals and groups in whom he would deposit hatred for us, just as God deposited His love in us.
A second principle we must learn from this incident is this. Jesus knew who the enemy was, satan, a spirit. He knew that a bazooka won’t dislodge it. So, what did He do? He used the appropriate weapon: the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (see Ephesians 6: 17). He used “the weapons of our warfare”, which “are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” He resorted to the word which the Bible assures us is, “is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
God intends that words should be a major weapon of our warfare. It was for the Lord Jesus. That’s why in the book of Revelations, it was said of him that …”out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword” (1:16), and was later described as “he which hath the sharp sword with two edges” (2:12). What is true of the Lord is true of us, after all, didn’t the Bible also declare that, “…as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17)? (CONTINUES)
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