Do you believe the DEVIL exists? (Part 2)

Maybe we DON'T really believe we have an enemy, a real spiritual and personal enemy!  If we did, it would change how we view our lives.

Apply these assumptions to a human war:

· "We don't need to look for our enemy behind every rock."

· "We don't need to focus on our enemy.  After all, through democracy, we already have the victory!"

· "We'll deal with our enemy IF WE ENCOUNTER HIM."

· "We should RULE OUT every other possibility for this landmine being here before we ASSUME it was put here BY OUR ENEMY."

Perhaps human warfare is too far removed from us as Americans.  Perhaps when Peter warns believers to be sober minded and alert because of our adversary “prowling like a roaring lion, seeking to devour,” this too is far removed.  We don’t encounter lions at all…except at the zoo!  So we don’t know the very real alertness necessary to avoid being their prey.  And we live in relative peace in America, as far as war goes.

But we are aware of terrorism!

We do know what a terrorist is!

Terrorism: 1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes. 2. The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

Terrorist:  a person who terrorizes or frightens others.  Dictionary.com

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.  Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV

The devil is the ultimate terrorist!

Now what do we do as Americans, indeed what are we doing RIGHT NOW, when there is a threat of terrorism?  We put ourselves on high alert!  Code red!  Because we believe there is a real enemy, perhaps behind A ROCK if one is big enough to hide him!! We believe he is on the prowl and seeks to attack when and where WE LEAST EXPECT!  So we, like Peter said, must be SOBER MINDED AND ALERT!

Since this is the case for a human enemy, one who is visible and tangible, one with a nature and mind like ours, how much more is it the case for an invisible spiritual enemy, thousands of years older than us, much more powerful than us?

Do you believe the DEVIL exists? (Part 1)

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."  1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

Some movies glorify the devil and the presence of evil. 
These seem very real.
But God is nonexistent. 

Some movies go in the opposite direction with the enemy.  They rarely, if ever, show his schemes in the lives of the characters; they don't want to "see a demon behind every rock."  Naturally explained problems are considered the norm, while spiritual problems are barely acknowledged. 

In an exorcism book I read, for example, psychologists, law enforcement, and medical professionals were consulted to make sure they could rule out the scientifically explainable.

Here is my issue.

I believe the Lord Jesus was, is, and will forever be the ultimate psychologist, law enforcer, and healer.  Yet I don't see him teaching His disciples to "rule all of this out" before casting out demons.  He very much assumed the presence of the evil one attacking people on earth.  The Bible says "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work."

Now am I saying "other factors" shouldn't be "considered?" 
It depends.

I don't assume that the role of skeptic is an automatically trustworthy position.
I don't assume scientific authority is inherently trustworthy.
I believe these assumptions glorify human reasoning.  
They negate spiritual origins and solutions. 
They subtly assume that spiritual reality is an abnormality. 
Rarely experienced. 
Considered only as a last resort.
They assume a certain level of rationality.
But how rational is it to ignore the spiritual when our lives are built on the spiritual? 

As it is written in the scriptures:
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible

"The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

We should START from the spiritual origin of problems!  We should BEGIN by ruling demons out!  If the problem really is demonic, why give an enemy more time to torment?  Wouldn't it be better to briefly delay solving a natural problem if a personal spiritual evil is involved?  We know the natural problems aren't personally out to get the ones afflicted!

THE EMAIL I SHOULDN'T HAVE SENT

I wrote it.  I said exactly what I felt.  I can’t think of a “subject” because no phrase captures the email.  Spell checked.  Ready to “send.”  The moment.

Send or not send.

Sent message or draft.

Leave things as they are.  My words will be a draft.

Or change the course of our relationship with my email, one way or another.

The cursor is on “send.”  But I haven’t put the address in. 

(Maybe this is a sign.)

No. 

I enter the email address.

I send it.

Here is where the father of lies comes to me.

If you send it, he will not respond!  Never!! Ever!!!  Forever you will not know what he thought of your email!!!!

She’ll read it and laugh!  She’ll think you’re too sensitive.  Weak.  You write too much!  You ALWAYS write too much!

Or she’ll respond to your 800 word email in two letters:  “O.K?”  You’ll hear the tone in which people say, “OK,” like they are wondering “Where did all THAT come from?”  They used the “You sound ridiculous” tone in those two letters.

Or, he’ll write words so painfully disconnected to your heart that you will regret you ever met him.

She’ll be so callous to your emotions that you’d wish you were never born.

These are the words of Satan, the master of condemnation and accusation.

But these are the words of the Spirit of Truth who is Truth, who guides you into all truth:

Your words were good and true and real.  It took real strength to be that vulnerable.  Now that you’ve sent it, wait and understand the truth:  You simply haven’t received a response.  You don’t know what the response will be.  Distance breeds deception.  Don’t be deceived.  If she hasn’t responded, it may be because she simply hasn’t checked her email yet.  And if he did, he may be so moved by what you wrote that he is waiting for the perfect time to honor your email.  (True, he could let you know he received it, but you know how he is.)

It is possible he may not respond, or respond insensitively.  If he does, you won't die.  You may cry, but you won't die.  But consider this possibility:  she could completely understand  you and affirm you.  He may give you what you gave him.  Either way, whatever happens, I love you.

Listening Sincerely

“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity.”  George Orwell

When I first read it, I thought this quote focused on speakers (and writers.)  But speaking assumes listening.  No matter how clearly I speak, if the listener is insincere, the language will be unclear.  Yet it will be based on a decision of the listener, and not the fault of the speaker.

People hear what they want to hear.  The speaker cannot go beyond the barrier of will.  To listen sincerely, I must want to hear what is said, and to understand from the speaker’s perspective.  This is harder than speaking with clarity for this reason:  If I want to express myself, all I have to do is “let it all out.”  Just say exactly what’s on my mind.  Yet it is all coming from my head and my heart.  But the listener has to decide if he wants to get out his own head.  She must choose to hear with the speaker’s ears.

Communication then rests on the sincerity of the listener. 

If the speaker chooses a willing listener, a sincere hearer, then he can guarantee true communication:  The exact message she sends is the exact message he receives.

To Rick Warren and Family

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."  

Romans 12:15 NIV

I mourn with my brother in the Lord, and with his family.   

God help them.   

God comfort them. 

God be with them. 

Please. 

Why is it so hard for the church to be the church?

 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.

Matthew 18:20 NLT

I notice that some who believe in the Lord have a hard time talking about Him. 

They seem to feel uncomfortable unless it’s formal.  If the discussion isn’t at a certain place during a certain time with a Bible out, they feel awkward. 

After the certain time at a certain place the conversation goes back to “normal.” 

Football.  Fishing.  Politics. 

This is fine of course.  Christians can and should talk about “unspiritual” things.  But their ASSUMPTIONS should betray them as Christians.  Not Bible verses necessarily.  But a clear connection to Christ that cannot go unsaid. 

This is because of a false definition of church. 

We all seem to know the church is not the building. 

Theoretically.

  

We believe Jesus is with us by His Spirit.   

Theologically.

But imagine two or three believers in a grocery store.  Friends. Neighbors shopping together.  They talk about problems at work.  Without thinking, they ask each other Bible verses dealing with the problems.  They apply the Bible verses to the problems and encourage each other. 

Is this church? 

Is Jesus actually with these neighbors in the grocery store?

According to Jesus Himself, He is!

He made it clear to a Samaritan woman that location was no longer an issue.  (It never was.)  God is Spirit.  His worshipers worship in spirit and truth. 

So why is it so hard for the church to be the church? 

Please don’t mishear me. 

This is not another rant or criticism from one believer against other believers.

What I’m saying is this:  Church is easy to have!  To experience.  To be. 

If believers simply say what’s in their hearts, church reality will happen naturally and effortlessly.

Jesus taught that what we say without thinking reveals our hearts.  For example, I know someone who loves talking about God all the time, all day, everyday.  No matter the topic, God will naturally come up.  Not so that he may “witness” to an unbeliever.  Not so that he may encourage a believer.  He simply can’t help it.  The same is true in terms of his wife and children.  At some point in talking to him, you will hear about them.  They are his life on earth.   How can they not come up?

In the same way, how can the very source of our lives and salvation not come up in normal conversation?  How can there NOT be church when two or three believers get together…whenever, wherever, however?

The EASIEST way to directly ENCOUNTER GOD!

“The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”   

Psalms 145:18

What is the easiest way to directly encounter God?

PRAYER!

Make no mistake.

Not just any kind of prayer, but praying with total honesty and very specifically.

As Jesus said,
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”  Matthew 21:22

Many make Jesus’ promise a blank check written to heaven.  Not so.  The assumption of Jesus, as seen in “The Lord’s Prayer,” is asking that which agrees with God’s will. 

Having said that, I believe there are two specific things we can expect when we pray with total honesty and very specifically:

1. God’s Presence.
2. God’s Peace.

As it is written, 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”

God’s presence feels like someone attentively listening, and not like the feeling of thinking out loud.

God’s peace transcends comprehension.  You will have an intuitive sense that God has given you exactly what you asked for, or a peace that God will NOT grant it, and the ability to be content WITHOUT what you asked for.

I have experienced this.

Once I wrote a vulnerable email to a friend and was anxious for a response.  I asked God to inspire a response THAT NIGHT, or to give me indescribable peace if I got NO response.  I knew that if I was OK without a response, it could ONLY BE GOD! 

As I prayed, I felt indescribable peace.  But I wasn’t satisfied.  I knew the test would be whether I continued to feel peace if my friend didn’t write back.  But I sensed the Spirit's assurance of a response. 

Sure enough, I checked my email, and read a beautiful response!

So, what should you do to easily and DIRECTLY ENCOUNTER GOD?

Before today ends, set aside 10 minutes.

1. In the first 5 minutes, think out loud about the most pressing issue on your mind.  How does this feel?
2. In the last 5 minutes, talk directly, specifically, and honestly to God about the pressing issue.  How does this feels?
3. Leave a comment about this experience.  (Or leave a comment about your own God encounter through prayer.)