Do Not Listen To Rose Or Sally

If you are somewhat a student of military history like I am, you are well aware of a couple of enemy propagandists named Tokyo Rose and Axis Sally. These ladies had a regular radio show that tried to demoralize Allied troops. They would talk about home and whether or not the soldier’s wives were being faithful, lies that the Axis was defeating them so just surrender and other topics hoping the troops would desert or be so depressed they would not be at their peak fighting force. Most of the troops found them to be a source of humor and entertainment and they were the ones who gave these ladies their radio moniker. Propaganda can work and is still greatly used in many areas around the world either to start a war or as part of a war effort and even political races.

As a Christian, you know or should know that we are involved in a hot spiritual war with the devil and his minions. Though the enemy uses humans in his warfare, we must see them as prisoners of war fighting with him like those who suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. They have been used and abused by him, but still fight with him as they are under his control. Our fight is with him and we must pray that we can rescue those human pawns through the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 

4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 

If our war were with flesh and blood, we would use earthly weapons of warfare. It is not and we must keep our eyes focused on the true enemy. Like an earthly warrior, we must know our enemies capabilities, tactics and weaknesses. From the beginning, the enemy has used lying propaganda tactics that started the war on earth he had already started in Heaven with his treason and sin.

Genesis 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 

Note the serpent was more cunning than the other beasts, which is why the enemy used it. We still call an evil charmer a snake in the grass. Just as Rose and Sally used what the soldiers could see in an effort to deceive them and question their leadership, the enemy of our souls started talking with Eve seeking to cause doubt. He was looking for her weakness and when he saw that she liked looking at forbidden fruit and then added to what God said about it he worked on that. Whereas our ladies in WWII sought to bring great fear of death the serpent sought to remove the fear of death and thus setting the trap. It looked good, the allure of being like God, wondering what it tasted like and nothing happened when she touched it led to that bite which sprung the trap creating the despair of mankind when Adam willfully followed her lead. Satan’s basic tactics have not changed.

2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

In the passage, Paul is telling the Church to forgive and receive the repentant man that was involved in having sex with his step-mother; not his father’s widow. That was such a heinous sin that not even the pagans condoned it. You know it is really bad when even hedonistic pagans who routinely held orgies in their temples wouldn’t do it. She is not mentioned so she may not have been a Christian as Paul only rebuked him.

He was to be received unless he be swallowed up by overmuch sorrow. The Church represents Christ and they were to affirm their love to him. Because of the sin, I am sure some had a hard time forgiving him in their flesh even though they knew they should. Sadly, many people who have sinned are not in church and overcome by the guilt and shame of their sin because Christians did not reach out to them. They repented and came to church but the members treated them like a leper so they left and are tormented thinking God has also rejected them. They may even be angry at God because of the actions of people claiming to be His.