At yesterday's baptisms Pastor Joe encouraged those of us gathered to remember to pray for the ones just baptized, but it wasn't the ordinary run-of-the-mill 'pray for them' kind of exhortation. "We've stormed the gates of hell today," he shouted over the cacophony of the waterfall. "The Enemy doesn't like losing, so he'll be attacking these new believers, and we need to pray God's protection for them." It was a word of wisdom, a reminder that events such as this are not just nice ceremonies; they are spiritual warfare, and the battle rages.
It's what Joe didn't say however, that has my attention. He encouraged us to pray for these new believers, but didn't remind us to pray for ourselves. The best way to take out new believers is to take out the seasoned Christians to whom they look for an example. This morning I woke up to a feeling of malaise that I haven't felt in months; a vague and diffused ennui that refused to go away. I tried praying even before I got out of bed, but couldn't get my thoughts together. I read my Bible, was encouraged by the stories of Joseph's trials and God's purposes, but the dark cloud persisted. It was evening before the truth dawned on me. The spiritual attack was not directed only to the new believers, but to all of us who witnessed and stood by them. I'm guessing I'm not the only one to feel the pressure, although I may be the only one who experienced it in this way. I would bet however, that others who were there witnessing the mystery of baptism and praying for these new Christians are today experiencing the onslaught of the Enemy.
St. Paul said that we do not struggle against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual authorities and rulers of this present darkness, and he commands us to take up the weapons of the Spirit in our resistance to them. Truth, Righteousness, Salvation, the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. He then explains where and how we use these weapons: in prayer. That's where the battle lines are drawn. Prayer is impossible apart from the tools God gives us; the resistance is too strong, the Enemy too powerful for mere human effort and determination. So we take up the entire armor of God and get on our knees to fight. It took me nearly a full day to recognize what was happening, but once I did, the battle was won. James tells us that if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. But in order to resist him, we must first recognize him. Operating as he does under the cover of darkness, he prefers to stay in the shadows. It is the light of Christ through his holy Word that exposes him so we can resist. Tonight he's on the run, and I am praising God for it!
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