“When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ And someone from the crowd answered him, ‘Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.’ And he answered them, ‘O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.’ And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘“If you can!” All things are possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ And he said to them, ‘This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.’” [1]
When the Master responded to a query His disciples raised, it became obvious that He recognised classes of demonic powers. Our text sets the scene of a disturbing situation that had developed while the Master and selected disciples had been on the Mount of Transfiguration. The disciples had been exposed as powerless to help the father of a demonised child. This father had reached the end of his rope; he had nowhere else to turn. This father was desperate to find relief for his tormented son, and no doubt to find solace for his own tortured heart. The boy was demonised, tormented by demonic powers that sought to destroy him.
The father would explain to Jesus that he had brought the boy, hoping that Jesus would do something. Unfortunately, Jesus was unavailable at that particular moment because he was engaged in a revelation of His glory to those selected disciples He had taken with Him. The father explained, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able” [MARK 9:17-18]. That father would explain further that this had begun during childhood. Moreover, that desperate dad explained, “[The spirit] has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him” [MARK 9:22a].
Jesus, of course, had compassion on this father and on the boy. He cast out the demon, commanding that it never enter the boy again. Protesting at his lack of power against the Word of the Son of God, the demon convulsed the boy and came out. Jesus’ power over demonic powers was demonstrated yet again; and the power displayed was permanent. When Jesus cast out a demon, it was not a temporary affair. The one that was freed was freed forever, just as the one who is saved by the Christ is saved forever.
Nevertheless, the disciples were perplexed. The Master had given them authority over demons, and here they had been defeated by a demonic power. You will remember that when Jesus sent the Twelve out, “[He] gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases” [LUKE 9:1b]. Yet, they failed! They were unable to exercise any authority over the demonic power. How embarrassing! How devastating to their professed authority! How their egos must have been deflated!
Naturally, the disciples were perplexed. As soon as it was possible to do so without embarrassing themselves, they asked Jesus, “Why could we not cast it out” [MARK 9:28b]. Jesus’ disciples had been exposed as powerless in front of the crowd, and yet, they knew that Jesus had given them authority. Nevertheless, when it was time to act, they were powerless! What had gone wrong? And Jesus explained that they had only completed Demonology 101; they had not yet completed the graduate course of study. Jesus said, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” [MARK 9:29].
By His response to the question the disciples raised, the Master taught us that there is a supernatural world which, though unseen and generally ignored, is nevertheless real. All living things are classified according to taxonomies, and the world of spiritual powers is likewise ordered in ranks and classifications. Though zoologists and botanists have classified animals and plants, arranging them according to the taxonomic classifications we study, it is not possible for mere mortals to study the spiritual world to arrange the demonic powers into some form of classification. We are unable to compel the inhabitants of the spiritual world to manifest themselves at our command. There is no possibility of interaction with these spirit beings without destroying ourselves.
RANKING THE DEMONIC POWERS — Drawing the Ephesian encyclical to a close, the Apostle Paul provides insight into a world that is veiled from our eyes. He is urging followers of the Christ to prepare for spiritual conflict, writing, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” [EPHESIANS 6:10-20].
At this time, it is not my purpose to focus on the panoply provided to spiritual warriors, nor do I want to invest time in encouraging you to pray—I trust you are already a pray-er. What I do want to note for the purpose of this particular message is the variety of foes the spiritual warrior will face. Note that Paul writes that “we … wrestle against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” One might be inclined to think that he is simply making a list of synonyms describing demonic beings. One might even imagine that the Apostle was being careless in amassing these words. However, Paul is actually exposing ranks of demonic powers, listing their positions in the kingdom of darkness. The Apostle is providing a taxonomic classification of the demonic spirits.
Like a learned zoologist, or a well-trained botanist, we who are conversant with the Word must realise that the demonic beings are not creatures that just happen to exist—these malevolent beings were created by the Lord GOD. They were once holy angels, but they rebelled and fell from their position among the hosts of Heaven. The Apostle Peter mentions almost in passing how these beings fell and how some of them have been incarcerated in a dark hold until this very hour when he writes, “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until judgement” [2 PETER 2:4].
What Peter revealed is echoed by Jude when he writes, “The angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, [God] has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day” [JUDE 6]. Thus, the demonic beings were once angels. They were once ranked and ordered according to the divine plan just as the angels are ranked and ordered.
There is in the Apocalypse an enigmatic account of Satan’s considerable power. John writes, “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days” [REVELATION 12:1-6].
The Revelator is providing an account of the history of the Faith, relating in particular the attempt of Satan to destroy the Messiah who was given to Israel. What I want you to note is what John writes in describing the great red dragon. After describing the appearance of the dragon, John informs us that, “His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.” When John writes this, he is informing us that one-third of the heavenly hosts join in rebellion against the Creator Who had given them their being. These beings became the demonic hordes that plague mankind today.
Scripture reveals that the holy angels are ranked, being ordered in a sort of heavenly taxonomy. Peter writing about the Master’s ascension into Heaven, testifies, “[Baptism is] an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” [1 PETER 3:21b-22].
As was true with Paul in the aforementioned passage from the Ephesian Encyclical, Peter speaks of angels, authorities, and powers as being subject to the Christ. As Peter writes, he is informing his readers of the classification of these powerful entities. Among the classifications of angels and of which the Word of God informs us are Seraphs and Cherubs. We don’t precisely know the distinctions between these classes, though we are told of these particular orders. I’m not prepared to invest a great deal of time pursuing this issue. I raise the matter for one reason, and that is because Satan is an imitator. Satan, because he is not God, can only ape the Living God, attempting to mimic Him and His works. Because God has ordered the angels as He has, Satan orders his minions to reflect in a poor fashion that mimics God’s creation.
In the text before us, Jesus speaks of “this kind,” as though to tell His disciples that there are some demonic powers that can be cast out more readily. When the Master sent His disciples out, commissioning them to do the work of the Kingdom, He authorised them to exercise authority over demons. We read in Matthew’s Gospel, “[Jesus] called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction” [MATTHEW 10:1].
This authority over demonic powers is reported in the other synoptic Gospels as well. In Mark’s Gospel, we read, “[Jesus] called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits” [MARK 7:1]. Luke says that when Jesus had called the twelve together, He “gave them power and authority over all demons” [see LUKE 9:1].
I want to take a moment to focus on another passage that is significant in this context. Mark, writing, we may assume, the account that Peter related, informs us, “[Jesus] went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons” [MARK 3:13-15]. What is important to note is that the disciples were specifically appointed—not once, but on multiple occasions—to have power and authority over demons, over unclean spirits. And yet, we see in our text that they were unable to accomplish what they had been appointed to do in this instance.
I know that many followers of the Master in this day want to claim authority to heal and authority to cast out demons. And I don’t deny that we do have some authority. However, our power and authority, given by the Master, is not unlimited. Just as was true with the disciples, we have limits. We are bounded by our relation to the Master Himself. When we attempt to work in our own power, we will discover our limitations, and the discovery can be ruinous.
Paul had authority over diseases, and yet, he was honest enough to speak of his limitations. Writing Timothy, Paul is explaining the absence of some of those who had walked with him through the work he had performed when he admits, “I left Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus” [2 TIMOTHY 4:20b]. Why didn’t Paul heal Trophimus? We don’t know; what we do know is that Paul didn’t heal his companion. He was able to heal, but his ability was not without limits. Paul advised Timothy, who appears to have suffered from some sort of stomach ailment, “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments” [1 TIMOTHY 5:23]. Why hadn’t Paul healed Timothy before this? What had hindered the Apostle? Clearly, he was able to heal when God permitted. However, his authority over disease was not unlimited.
The point of this excursus is to remind Christians that the authority we have in Christ is not unlimited. We are not God! We are privileged to be counted as His servants. In some instances we must have a measure of humility when confronting the powers of this dark age. It is wise for us to recall what Jude wrote concerning the archangel Michael when he withstood Satan. Recall how Jude exposes the arrogance of some spiritual wannabes when he writes, “The angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
“Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively” [JUDE 6-10].
Let’s unpack what Jude reveals. Some of God’s angels fell from their heavenly position, becoming demonic beings. Their arrogant self-promotion is a dark picture of the same self-promotion of many in this current age. There are people, even within the churches of our Lord, who brazenly scream out their supposed power over Satan. However, such loud and boisterous noise is not necessary for the child of God. Surely we recognise that Michael is far more powerful than any mere mortal; and yet Michael did not rage against Satan when he contended with him. This holy angel who stands next to God simply said, “The Lord rebuke you,” and it was enough to defeat the wicked one. It is not our words that give us authority over the demonic powers. Neither is it the degree of our faith that empowers us. It is, rather that One to Whom we resort that gives us authority over the demons. It is the Risen Saviour we serve that empowers us.
AUTHORITY OVER DEMONIC POWERS — Immediately before His ascension, Jesus met with His followers. At that time He gave them His final charge. Jesus’ final word to His disciples revealed the activity that is most dear to Him. Charging those who would follow Him, Jesus did not merely command His followers to be witnesses to Him, He reminded them that He possessed authority—all authority. The Master told His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” [MATTHEW 28:18].
Authority belongs to Christ the Lord. Having conquered death, hell and the grave, He is given authority over all that is—and that includes the demonic powers. Have you ever taken note of the continued emphasis upon the authority of Christ the Lord? Jesus Himself testified, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” [MATTHEW 11:27].
Elsewhere, Jesus testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man” [JOHN 5:25-27]. By His own testimony, Jesus, the Son of God, has authority over even those who have died. Thus, He even claims power over death itself.
As I continue, I will be emphasising the authority which the Master has received. Writing the Christians gathered in Rome, the Apostle has taught all who follow Christ, “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living” [ROMANS 14:7-9]. Jesus is Lord of both the dead and the living; He has authority over all mankind, even those who lived before us.
As though in emphasis of this truth, Paul has written in the First Corinthian Letter, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For ‘God has put all things in subjection under his feet’” [1 CORINTHIANS 15:20-27a].
As he wrote to encourage the Christians living in the Meander Valley, Paul wrote, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” [EPHESIANS 1:16-23].
Take a moment to reflect on what was included in the prayer the Apostle offered for the Christians of that day. He prayed that these saints would comprehend in the fullest manner who Christ is and the power that He has received. In emphasis of that power and authority, Paul reminded these saints that the Father has “put all things under [Jesus’] feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church.” And that authority which belongs to the Risen Son of God is revealed through His church, which is His Body. This means that each congregation walking in concert with the Saviour has authority to impart wisdom and understanding of who God is and what He has done. Each assembly is empowered and appointed to glorify the Living God by doing what is good and holy, by offering life in the Beloved Son, and by building the faithful. Amen!
It is one thing to confess Jesus as Master over life, it is another to live as though He is Who He claimed to be—the Son of God with power. Jesus our Master saves us by His Name, and He calls us to live as those who know Him. Christ the Lord calls us to walk with Him, exercising His authority that He might be glorified in us. Paul speaks of this authority when he writes of the Saviour, “God has highly exalted [Christ Jesus] and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” [PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11].
Allow me to point out that it was not only the Apostle to the Gentiles that spoke of the authority which belongs to Christ Jesus, Peter, also, wrote of Jesus’ authority. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him” [1 PETER 3:18-22].
We repeatedly witness the emphasis of Christ’s authority over the demonic powers throughout the Word. Peter boldly proclaimed that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. [This Jesus],” Peter testified, “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” [ACTS 10:38]. Each Christian who is obedient to the Saviour, those who are followers of the Risen Saviour and who are filled with the Holy Spirit, are empowered with the same Spirit of God to honour the Lord and to do those acts that glorify His Name.
We know that Jesus’ authority is unlimited, and we know that He has given to His disciples the right—dare I say the responsibility—to appropriate His authority over the demonic powers. However, we must never imagine that the authority entrusted to us is unlimited. I can’t stress this fact enough since there are always some who imagine that they are special. Christ’s authority over the powers of hell is not something with which we dare trifle or treat as though it was incidental. We are facing an implacable foe who is capable of harming us, even to the point of hindering us from serving the Saviour.
You may recall an incident that is recorded in the Book of Acts. In the nineteenth chapter of that book, the following account has been recorded. “God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’ Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’ And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded” [ACTS 19:11-16].
There is need for balance in the Christian life, and nowhere is such balance called for more than when we Christians are called to confront the demonic powers. We must not cower in fear because the wicked one or his minions rage against us and our Great Saviour, but neither may we imagine that we are so powerful in our own right that Satan cowers before us. Satan is a powerful enemy, and the demons who fell from their sacred estate were holy angels. Though fallen, they are yet powerful and capable of doing great harm to the unwary. If the Apostle to the Gentiles was wary of being outwitted by Satan [see 2 CORINTHIANS 2:11], then we are well advised to be cautious about exalting ourselves in this business of spiritual warfare. We know that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” [1 PETER 5:8].
I would have each Christian understand that as one who is known by the Saviour, you have authority over the powers of this darkened world. I don’t want you ever to imagine that you can treat this divine authority casually—this is not actually your authority! You have no authority in your own right! As a twice-born child of the King, you are authorised to wield His authority over the powers! Your standing in Christ the Lord gives you the right to wield His authority to the praise of His glory. This gracious concession is not given in order to exalt you; rather, Christ has entrusted this authority to you so you can glorify His Name. We must not become like the sons of Sceva, exposing ourselves to defeat; but we must not shrink from representing Christ as Victor over the dark powers of this fallen world.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE — I do not want you to merely know there is a structure that identifies the demonic powers; I want you to know that we have authority over those powers because we stand in Christ. We who follow the Saviour face an implacable foe. The prince of this world seeks your destruction if you are a Christian. You will recall Jesus’ words, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” [JOHN 10:10a]. That thief of whom Jesus spoke is the evil one, Satan.
Jesus warns His followers that the devil wants to destroy God’s work, and that means destroying those who dare follow the Risen Saviour, killing them if possible. Your life is in constant danger if you are a follower of the Risen Christ. However, because you are a child of the Living God, the Son of God protects you. He loves you and He rebukes the devourer for your sake. You have been equipped to overcome the evil one, and the Holy Spirit is training you throughout the days of your pilgrimage. Nevertheless, you will always be in a battle; and sometimes that battle will be intense, requiring your full attention.
Early in the first missive penned by John that has been included in the canon of Scripture is a powerful affirmation given to the people of God. Listen to what John has written in 1 JOHN 2:12-14.
“I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.”
[1 JOHN 2:12-14]
As young saints, we have overcome the evil one! Hallelujah!
Perhaps you will recall this encouraging promise given through the Apostle of Love. John writes, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” [1 JOHN 4:1-4]. Did you see that powerful promise? “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!” No wonder we have overcome the evil one! Christ is greater than all the powers of evil, and He dwells in us!
There is also this great encouragement given to us as well. Again John writes, “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” [1 JOHN 5:4-5]?
Numbered among the membership of the congregation in which I held membership and in which I served while living in San Francisco was a woman named Miss Baker. Miss Baker, a Jewess, was faithful in sharing in the services. I suppose that many people would have thought that this dear lady was odd, but though she was definitely eccentric, she was dedicated to serving Jesus as her Messiah. She didn’t dress fashionably, always distinguished by wearing a dark maroon felt beret whenever she left her house. Miss Baker didn’t drive, choosing to take public transit for her travels through the city. On occasion, my wife and I would offer her a ride home from the services, or if we saw her walking to a store, we would stop to offer her a ride.
Miss Baker was convinced she was in a war, and her conviction startled me on a few occasions. I still remember the first time we offered Miss Baker a ride home from a worship service. Lynda sat in the backseat with our two girls, and Miss Baker sat in the passenger seat. Of course, I was driving. As I started the car, Miss Baker shouted, “Stop! Don’t move! I need to pray!”
Well, that got my attention. However, I took my hand off the gear selector and bowed my head as Miss Baker prayed. She reminded the Lord that the devil wanted to kill us and we were dependent on His mercy to get to where we were going without incident. She reminded God that Satan wanted to kill me or at least injure me so that I would no longer be a threat by preaching the Word of God. Accordingly, she asked the Lord to protect me and to rebuke the evil one so that I would not experience harm. When she finished praying, she sat back and calmly said, “Okay, now you can go.”
Yes, I understand that by the standards of this world, Miss Baker was eccentric. However, just because a person appears eccentric doesn’t mean they are wrong. She was correct in her understanding that the devil wants to hinder those who serve the Lord. She was correct in her understanding that we are all utterly dependent upon God’s mercy. She was correct in her understanding that even in the most mundane matters, God watches over His people. I have come to realise the truth of the Psalmist’s words,
“He Who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.”
[PSALM 121:4]
Christians, we who follow the Saviour are at war! We are fighting a total war. The forces of evil are determined to destroy all that is holy, all that is good. When the gay choir of a major city sings a song declaring that they are coming for your children, what can this mean other than total war for us who seek righteousness? [2] When teachers unions defy parents in order to teach that Christians, and especially white Christians, are not only evil but the source of all that is evil, what can this mean other than total war? When politicians promote immorality and depreciate righteousness, what can this mean other than war? When the populace is more committed to their own comfort than they are to pursuing righteousness, what other conclusion can we draw than we are at war?
Do not misunderstand, we Christians must understand that we are not to employ the weapons of this fallen world. If we will honour our Master, we who follow Him must hear the words of the Apostle, who has instructed us as followers of the Saviour, “Though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” [2 CORINTHIANS 10:4-5].
Each parent must accept the responsibility to pray for her or for his children, teaching them of Christ and modelling the love of God before their eyes. Grandparents must ensure that they provide wise guidance for their grandchildren, always pointing them to the Saviour even as they pray for God to turn each one to faith in the Son of God. Those who are set in opposition to righteousness must be met with facts, sound arguments designed to persuade rather than mere polemics and angry outbursts. Above all else, we who serve Christ must so live that the grace of God is revealed through our lives. Christ must be seen in our daily walk. It is high-time that Christians were filled with the Spirit, speaking in His power and testifying to the grace of God.
There is no such thing as a little bit of sin. There is no such thing as tolerating just a little bit of deviation from righteousness. The most innocuous event, the television shows with which you fill your mind, the literature upon which you feed your imagination, the music that dulls your deadening routine, all must be reviewed to ensure that it builds character and ministers to grace. The instructions we receive through the Apostle must now guide our lives. He has written, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” [PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9].
It may be that I now speak to someone who has yet to put faith in the Son of God. Christ died because of your broken condition. The Good News is that He rose to life. And He now offers you forgiveness of sin if you will receive Him as Ruler over your life. We invite you to believe this message of grace. Amen.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2] “We Are Coming For Your Children (San Francisco Gay Choir),” YouTube, 7 Jul 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj4UffoHcjo, accessed 8 July 2021; see also, “‘We’re coming for your children’: San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus pushes woke agenda,’ PM, Jul 7, 2021, https://thepostmillennial.com/were-coming-for-your-children-san-francisco-choir, accessed 8 July 2021
