Things that are Obvious and not so.

You may know that I recently went to Haiti with other Pastors and lay leaders from Southbrook Church where I serve as Life Groups Pastor. We had a two-fold purpose, to encourage and equip Pastors at a 2 day conference and to support our Pastor as he spoke at a 3 Night Crusade. This trip was really hard work. Why? Because of the obvious spiritual battles there. Demon possession was out in the open, as well extreme poverty and a lot of hopelessness. As we were driven around Port Au Prince, all I could see was extreme poverty and a lot of hopelessness. Dirty water, sewage rivers right in front of houses that were at best tents, tattered, and butted up against each other with literally no space between. It was crowded, the air was smoggy and the roads were not nearly wide enough for 3 cars wide let alone the 5-6 that somehow managed to pass each other without lines, lights or traffic cops. You get the picture, well you'd have to go there to do that. The Presidential White House was the symbol of Haiti for me, no one had done anything to repair it, it lay broken for all to see.

Over in Haiti they are used to people being possessed and therefore knew how to exorcise demons, they would come right out in the open, taunting us. Here in the States it's not near as obvious, what is anti-God can actually seem subtle and that's the danger. Spiritual warfare is here, that's for sure, it's just subtle. It shows up in apathy, in-difference and being sucked into the vortex of media. I got rid of cable because, frankly what shouldn't be funny was. It was worldliness seeping into my pores and I was becoming okay with it. When I was in Haiti I could smell, see and hear the spiritual forces that battled me and other followers. Here in the good ol' USA, I can recognize the warfare, but I am afraid far too many people who call themselves Christians, who go to church, give and serve, don't even recognize it. What seemed so obvious in Haiti is the same dark forces battling us here, it's just that methods that our enemies use to disengage us from God and move us toward worldliness and eventually evil are different and maybe even subtle.

In I Peter 5:8 we are told that the devil prowls around like a hungry lion seeking someone to devour. Lions are smart, they don't waste their energy running around going after the strongest and fastest prey, they wait and find the sick and injured animals and then have them for a snack. Satan will not necessarily go after the strongest believer, but he will go after the one who has let their guard down and let the world seep in. It shows up in not spending time in God's word and skipping church or Life Group here and there, watching TV shows and reading gossip magazines. Verse 9 is key, "Resist him, stand firm and he must flee." Under the canopy and power of Jesus' name, the devil has to leave. Many times I say aloud, "in the name of Jesus, the victor and exalted one, be gone Satan, you must leave this place." I believe it, do you? Finally in Ephesians 6:10-18 we are given very specific instructions and weapons in this battle. Several times we are instructed to put on the FULL armor of God, meaning, don't forget any, wear them all. "For we wrestle/our battle is not against an obvious foe, but against rulers, authorities and principalities of this dark and evil world." There it is!!!! It was not meant only for the early church 2000 years ago as they were getting started. It's real and here and recognizable. Be aware and alert! I felt it, saw it and heard it in Haiti, don't let this lesson be lost on you, the devil is prowling around and he does have the keys right now! But they will be snatched away when Jesus comes again and Satan will be vanquished forever, in the mean time he is doing his best to disrupt and destroy!