Spiritual warfare
Ephesians 6: 10-12
Video games can be a good illustration of what Spiritual warfare looks like. Although spiritual warfare is a lot more serious…..Let me explain.
When I was about 5 years old, I received a super Nintendo as a gift from my older brother. Since then and up until my early 30s, I loved playing video games. Unfortunately, but also fortunately, I do not have as much time for it now as I used to. There was a game I loved to play called Kingdom Hearts. I played the first, second and third one, the game boy versions and even on my phone. So, yea it was my favorite. Maybe I was into it a little too much, lol. The game was a mixture of final fantasy and Disney characters (weird I know, but it worked). This was a game that I, my twin brother, one of my close cousins and one of my older sisters, enjoyed playing together. We all played the game when it was first released and talked about it.
Now if you know anything about video games, you know that there is usually a main story with a final boss, and a few side missions. If you complete the main story and the side missions, this will bring you to 100% completion of the game. One of the side missions was to beat a character from Final Fantasy named Sephiroth. This boss was 10x harder to go up against and beat than the final boss of the main story. My family and I, who played the game, finished the main story and some side missions. Yet, none of us had beaten Sephiroth.
Regardless of that, I was determined to beat him. I fought him and died like 100s of times. Then I started to notice something after every lost. I was getting his life meter down a little more than I did the previous time I went up against him. Realizing that he had a pattern. He would give a certain number of strikes. Do some mega powerful play, retreat, then repeat. It was the same pattern every time. As I noticed this, I started to study it. This let me know when I needed to retreat, defend or even run and when were the perfect times I could strike. As I learned more about this enemy, I started to get closer to beating him.
One day, I spent all day playing, for probably about 12 hours noticing I was getting closer and closer. So now I was hooked. I was barely eating, very determined and then finally…. Victory!!! My brother, cousin and sister who also played this game were there with me at the time and we all celebrated. We did not think beating this guy was possible, but it was. I did that!
Out of curiosity, I kept going back to see if I could beat him again. And I did. Again, and again. I started to defeat him even faster, quicker and with more ease than the second or third time. Why am I telling you this story? Because I think this is a perfect illustration of how life is. We will at different times in life be faced with a seemingly huge and impossible challenge. When this happens, we have 1 of 2 options. To quit and not bother or go after it and try.
Before I succeeded, I died 100s of times. In life we would have seen those as failures and then stopped. Many times, it is the thought alone of failing that causes people to not even begin. However, I do not see failure the way most do. Every time I died, I did not see it as failure because I realized I was learning something. I was learning in a way that helped me progress every time I went up against what I thought was impossible. Failing is when we stop, or do not even begin. Ironically, people will say "I don’t want to try because I am afraid, I will fail", not realizing that they have already failed because they have not started. Starting would be success and then learning there after even if mistakes are made, is success. By not starting you are already living in the place that you feared. If we see “failure” more as learning, how much more would you have tried to do in your life?
Moral of the story KEEP GOING. Learn, make mistakes, have fun with it and try again.
Once I became victorious the battle became easier. Once you get the business running or the ministry started. Once you’ve enrolled in that class or program, keep moving and it will get easier. Now there are new challenges you will face but the parts you have worked on already will be easier. Then you have another choice. Become complacent, or level up and try something new. This can help you to not get bored. Life is filled with choices and the choices we make determines our destiny and future.
This is how our spiritual life works as well.
Now what does this have to do with spiritual warfare.
Many Christians have been getting beaten down in the spiritual warfare we are in because we are very ignorant about it. Many who are saved are still powerless. We have not learned how to fight the enemy. We have not learned enough about the God who fights on our behalf and the angels he created to fight on our behalf.
Hebrews 1:14 NIV “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”
We also haven’t learned enough about ourselves and our weaknesses that hold us back and get in the way. We are ignorant of the enemy’s patterns that consistently show up in our lives and how he combats us. Most importantly, it is as if we forget Jesus already defeated the enemy and gave us authority over the enemy, through His name and the power of His blood.
There's a saying in medicine that says it is dangerous to not know what you don’t know. Ignorance is not bliss. Staying ignorant about this won’t protect you, it will make you more vulnerable.
Hosea 4:6 NRSV
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge!,
My hope through this series is
· To share the knowledge, I have learned that has helped me overcome the enemy.
· That you will prevail during spiritual warfare
· Fight depression, anxiety and live the life God designed for you. The way my faith did for me.
