My revelation on war

If I were to use the term warfare, I would imagine that images of tanks, air strikes or soldiers would flash through your mind. Pictures that come from the news, or places on a map such as Iraq or Afghanistan.

But how many of you would imagine a legion of angels? Or an army of enemies desiring your soul?

We tend to forget about the spiritual warfare that rages all around us. Warfare we cannot see the same way we see pictures, videos or, for some, live action of the war going on around the world. Satan thinks he's pretty clever that way.

 And, I hate to admit it, but he is clever.

Satan has us so distracted by the things of this world that we rarely think about the war for souls. Yes, the war against the things of this world hold extreme importance, but Satan can use them to take the thoughts of our minds and hearts off of the battles that last through eternity.

My purpose is not to discuss the theology of spiritual warfare or rant on how Christians need to provide more awareness for it. In fact, I think discussing this subject too often gives the devil a foothold for fear in our minds.

My purpose right now is to simply share a moment when the Lord showed me another aspect of His character.

The way God chose to reveal Himself to me last month was through an intense spiritual battle. I can honestly say I have never felt such an attack on my soul before this.

At the time, I had just told a friend how I was drawing strength the past few days from placing a few things at the foot of the cross. I explained to her what I had been holding on to and how I had finally released my grip on these things that were overwhelming me.

Not 24 hours later, Satan began to test me, asking me through the situations around me if I had truly handed over what I had verbalized earlier that day. Was it really worth letting go of forever?

The worst part was, it wasn't even as if he dangled a cookie in front of my face to see if I would snatch it. He showed it to me just before smacking me again and again with it, allowing it to crumble before my eyes.

What I had just given over to God was presented in front of me to tempt me moments before the rug was pulled out beneath me. While this situation may not have been as dramatic as it is in writing, the enemy intensified every moment, every emotion, to make this weight heavy upon my soul.

It wasn't until that night when I realized what was going on here. Satan hated the decision I had made, and he would command his cohorts to make me as miserable as possible for as long as possible.

Waking up the next morning, I felt exhausted and drained. I knew there was a battle underway. I also knew I was not strong enough to fight.

In His loving kindness, Christ revealed to me that I was never strong enough. I could never win a battle over evil on my own. That is why I left my burden at the foot of the cross.

In that moment, I saw the Lord as my Shield, as my Protector, as the One who goes to battle for me.

While that week proved extremely difficult, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Christ fought for me. Not only did He die for me, but He continues to fight for me. How could I possibly be satisfied with holding on to anything but Him?

So here it comes. The question to leave you thinking. What are you holding on to as Christ fights to protect you? He died for you in the past. He carries your burdens in the present. He will fight and win against the enemy in the future. Does anything compare to a love like that?

Ecclesiastes 3:10-11

As I read through Ecclesiastes, I have mixed emotions as I connect on different levels with what Solomon says.

Part of me thinks how right he is when it comes to the meaningless acts of work, pleasure and what we acquire in this life. The other part of me, a wild guess being the Holy Spirit, reminds myself that when we act for the glory of God, everything holds meaning.

These two verses brought about similar pulls as I saw both sides to the argument.

Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 ~ "I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Solomon creates quite the contrast here. He attributes God with giving men a burden to carry, a burden of the longing for something greater – eternity – only to discover we cannot possibly understand this longing.

Sandwiched between these two revelations sits an expression of God's beauty.

In Matthew Henry's commentary on these verses, he says that we need to patiently wait for God to reveal what we cannot comprehend.

For Solomon, this proved frustrating. For myself, I can't help but grow excited.

God set eternity in our hearts. That thought alone brings comfort and amazement. We can rest assured that this life is not our permanent home. We were created for something so much more. And we will not be completely satisfied until we are home.

I don't see this as a burden. I see it as a reason to find the beauty that God created while I live out my time here, knowing that if I cannot even fathom what God has done, then the future holds more than I could possibly imagine.