Why Does It Feel Like We All Are Fighting a Losing Battle Right Now? It’s Simple: We Have Forgotten Who Our Enemy Is.

Everyone is at war with someone right now, it seems.  Just one glimpse of the news or Facebook feed yields images of battles, fought on our own soil, civilian against civilian.  The enemy?  There are too many to count-the left, the right, the police, the rioters and looters, the media, the rich, the poor, one race or another and many more. The end goals are as numerous as the enemies and the battle plan?  Every plan causes someone pain.  In short, we can’t win a battle we can’t define, so we all just keep on pointing fingers waiting for something undefinable to happen and satisfy this discontent feeling writhing inside of us. 

Anthony Horowitz, and many others, once said, “You cannot defeat your enemies until you know who they are.”  Now, don’t get me wrong, if I ask most people, they will tell me who they think needs to be defeated, one of the above mentioned entities, or several of them.  I would suggest, however, that we, as Christians, are making several dangerous, sinful, and even fatal errors right now, and it hinges on one major problem:  WE DO NOT KNOW WHO OUR ENEMY IS!  In times of peace, when our lives are calm and predictable, we can hear verses like, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against  . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6 12) and nod our heads in agreement.  We learned about the armor of God when we were young.  Yeah, I know that passage, sure.  But, right now?  While we are in the middle of a political, and in some cases, physical firestorm?  I would rather not hear that right now.  It is uncomfortable.  It bothers me.  I just want to be angry.  I just want to blame him or her, this group or that group.  I don’t want God’s perspective right now.  It gets in the way of MY agenda.

The reason we are in such a state of frenzy right now is we have hunkered in.  COVID, violence, riots have caused us to get “entangled in civilian pursuits” as we are warned against in 2 Timothy 2.  Instead, we are supposed to ONLY serve the one who enlisted us, for we are not our own.  We have been “bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), namely the death of Christ.  We are not permitted to serve two masters, or five or six as some of us (including me) are doing right now. 

So, what are you saying?  Should we ignore what is happening in our country right now?  Just bury our heads in the sand and go on as if people’s lives are turned upside down right now for one reason or another?  While we are clearly called to “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15), especially our brothers and sisters on all sides of this fight, we must remember who our field commander is and what He is about, the redemption of souls and the sanctification of his bride, the church-plain and simple.  You see, our commander isn’t of this world.  His mission doesn’t change with the wind like the leaders of various groups right now.  He is the “same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). 

During the 2016 election, my friend posted a meme on Facebook which stated, “Turn off your TV and go out and love your neighbor.”  Just because the world, and our nation, are upside down right now doesn’t mean people aren’t still people-with pain, anxiety, and despair.  In fact, they are probably suffering more right now than ever before.  So, we must resist the temptation to get caught up in the plethora of battles available to us right now, remember the armor of God we were taught from Ephesians 6, and “run the race”, God’s race.  What a relief!  His race, battle, mission is simple and definable.  The enemy is clear.  And He wants us to argue, point fingers, and alienate those who disagree with us in order to prevent the real message from going out-that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23),  “The saying is trustworthy . . . that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners . . . (1 Timothy 1:15), and “the thief (enemy) comes to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

Lord, forgive us all (and especially me) for getting entangled in the affairs of this world.  Remind me that you are my field commander and no one else.  Help me to get out from behind my computer or phone and love my neighbor, whoever they may be. Help me to tear down walls instead of build them in order for my family and others to know where abundant life is found, in y