Two of my favorite fictional novels are This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. In the former, Peretti weaves together a very realistic storyline with a backdrop of the supernatural to form a cohesive plot that reveals the existence of the spiritual realms and the spiritual warfare occurring behind the scenes. It is an exciting page turner that I encourage you to read if you haven’t already.

Likewise, Lewis draws for us a behind the scenes picture of the ways the devil tries to manipulate events in our realm to his advantage. The Screwtape Letters is, essentially, a collection of 31 letters written by Screwtape, a devil, to his evil and rather incompetent minion, Wormwood. The book is both humorous and eye-opening. As I read it I started visualizing how some of the letters could be reflective of my own circumstances at the time.

Both of these literary works are fictional, yet they reflect a certain aspect of reality we all too often ignore….that there truly is a spiritual battle happening in real life. Behind the scenes, one could say, because we do not see this battle occurring with our eyes; but intrinsically, I think most of us at least suspect it is occurring. And if our suspicions aren’t enough to convince us, then the Bible certainly should; Paul tells the church in Ephesus about it: “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)

This is not the only reference in the Bible to the battle that occurs in the spiritual realm. In the book of Colossians, Paul mentions how Jesus’ resurrection disarmed and publicly shamed the spiritual rulers and authorities: “In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” (Colossians 2:15) And Peter tells us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Clearly, there is more to life than what we see with our eyes. I honestly think even those who don’t believe in Jesus sense the spiritual realm, too, and some of them even try to tap into it through such evil practices as séances, Ouija boards, psychic readings, consultations with mediums, etc. While occult practices are nothing new, we see them condemned in the Old Testament (ie: Leviticus 19:31), there has been a rise in their practice in recent years. For example, those practicing Wicca have increased dramatically in the last 30 years. I would propose to you that this fact also supports the reality of the spiritual warfare that is occurring in the heavenly realms.

My perception is that the tumultuousness we see this year is a direct reflection of the battle occurring in the spiritual realm. Satan is mounting an offensive and we see the direct results in our current events such as the Covid 19 pandemic, the rioting and looting that occurred after the tragic incident in Minneapolis, the extreme political division that has found its way into our family relationships, our friendships, and even our churches. All of this points to the reality of Ephesians 6:12.

So what are we to do? Paul had the answer for the Ephesians and this answer is the same for us today: “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:13-18)

The battle is very real, though we do not see it directly. But victory is assured for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Do you belong to Christ? If not, why not make today the day of your salvation? God desires that you be saved and he longs for you to ask him. It is easy, start by getting alone. Take some time to truly reflect on your life and your need for God. You probably sense the spiritual battle already so you know this is real. After you have reflected and you feel it in your heart, say a prayer something like this: “Dear Lord, I know I have sinned and I know you are real. Please forgive me. Thank you for Jesus and help me make him Lord of my life that I might start living as a child of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

If you said that prayer today, the next step is to find a strong, Bible-based church you can attend regularly. Contact us and we’d be happy to help. Just drop us an email at: ReignDropsBlog@gmail.com

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.