by Jon R. Welker

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:7-9

I wish to here share the importance of spiritual warfare and understanding the spiritual realm about us.

George Barna, a Christian researcher and pollster, has stated that the church for the most part is really oblivious or very skeptical about the spiritual realm, even though we talk about it, see it manifested in the Scripture and encounter a lot of popular movies relating to it. Yet those popular Christian movies, if not properly understood, can create a haze or a callousing of our understanding about spiritual warfare. Many people are left with the impression of end-time prophecy and spiritual warfare as a fantasy, much like the Star Wars fantasy. The Anti-Christ is often characterized as nothing more than a Christian version of Darth Vader. Yet, the Scriptures state that the realm which we cannot see manifested with our physical senses is more real than the seen world around us. But Satan, the Serpent, has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:9) and blinded the minds of men and women (II Cor. 4:4). What we see with our physical senses is not as real as the spiritual (II Cor. 4:18).

DECEPTION & MANIPULATION

It has been shown scientifically that each of our senses can be deceived or tricked into believing something that isn't true. Consider, for example, how someone can manipulate photos so as to make them look like something that is really not true or is a distortion of reality. That process is so perfected now that it often takes an expert to determine whether a photograph has been manipulated or not. That illustration is with regard to the realm of sight. Yet we know that the sense of taste can also be tricked or manipulated in order to respond in a certain way to a particular product. Taste is often tricked through artificial flavoring, i.e., our sense of taste can be led to accept that we are tasting a banana when a banana has never come near the substance we eat. And the same can be observed with reference to the sense of smell. We employ various fragrances, odors and perfumes to mask or manipulate our sense of smell. We now even have what is called "aroma therapy."

And, obviously, we are aware of the many drugs that alter or mask our sense of feeling and pain - both emotionally as well as physically.

So every aspect of our sense nature is capable of being manipulated.

"…The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them." II Corinthians 4:4

Satan is the ruler of this world. He is the controller of this realm, and its environment. And, regardless of whether we think in terms of it being evil or good, men and women are constantly manipulating our senses. Of course, we don't realize such ability to manipulate our senses as being the opportunity for Satan to deceive and destroy. Yet it is in this realm where spiritual warfare is waged.

NO TRUTH = CONFUSION

In Genesis 11 we are told of the tower of Babel. There commenced a confusion of the language of the people. People began to speak differently and lost the ability to communicate accurately. Confusion resulted and truth was distorted, hence, paranoia and distrust increased. That was the fragmentation of that realm.

Yet the Scriptures reveal a non-carnal weapon, a spiritual weapon, which is the Word of God. By it we can speak the truth. The realm of truth is the realm of Spirit and God is a Spirit (Jn. 4:24), and God is the Truth, the Way and the Life (Jn. 14:6). The realm of truth is more real and powerful than the realm of our senses. So if we speak the truth to our neighbor, we have a very powerful weapon.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)…." II Corinthians 10:3-4

But the enemy knows if he can get us to twist or manipulate truth, he can bring about confusion. He is the father of lies (Jn. 8:44) and the author of confusion.

"…If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." James 3:14-16

Where there is contention, where there is strife, there is confusion. The Enemy asked Eve,

"Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Genesis 3:1

He implied or insinuated another meaning to God's word, which brought about confusion.

Why do we get confused? Because we enter into the realm of wants and desires. We begin to trade with what we've been given. All of Creation is built upon truth. But Satan was a liar from the beginning. He manipulates truth, and seeks to develop another reality apart from God's Truth. He desires to be like the Most High and to set his throne above the throne of the Most High (Isa. 14:14).

Let us consider another example: the manipulation of truth in order to lead to a conclusion other than what God intended. The children of Israel complained to Moses, saying:

"Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." Numbers 21:5

Their implication was false. The truth was that God, through Moses, had brought them into the wilderness in order to deliver them from the confines and the bondage of Egypt. That distortion of truth provoked God. And so, the truth was manipulated, distorted and twisted. Again, God is Truth. God cannot lie.

"God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" Numbers 23:19

It is foreign to God's nature to lie, but it is not foreign to the nature of Lucifer, since he is the "father of lies."

When someone says or implies something against God's Word, His leadership manifested in chosen vessels, or against the word of truth that comes forth, that person becomes a "child of the devil." When you enter into the realm of contention, strife and confusion, you align yourself against truth. Therein you enter into worldliness - carnality. Let us read the Scriptures again:

"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" I Corinthians 3:3

God is one.

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." James 3:16

"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth." James 3:14

When you are involved in such problems and difficulties you are carnal, worldly, lying against the truth.

"By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35

We are to be disciples of the truth. Jesus said,

"…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6

Herein is where we often fail. Therefore, we need to better understand the weapons of our warfare:

"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Romans 7:23-25

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1

Now that "flesh" word has to do with the carnal aspect of ourselves, the unspiritual aspect of us.