I posted this about three years ago, and thought I would re-publish it:
Stop. Don't. Come Back
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).
Every time I read Ephesians 6:12 I am crushed in Spirit at how many times I fall for the dark side.
Sometimes that dark side poses as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), but not always.
Sometimes it claims victory by using us as its agents by tapping into our self-righteousness.
Think about it: every time we have “run-ins” with people, ongoing conflict, thorns in our side—be it in the form of individuals, groups, families, political parties, or situations—what has our motivation been? More precisely, what has our motivation which is driving the attitude been?
Look at motivation and we quickly discover why all of the components in the above scenarios become, and often remain, life-long nemeses.
And oh does society ever make it easy to hit the repeat button in this modus operandi!
In fact, we’ll notice that the general public even desires it from us, because it is how most of them operate too.
Just take the “high road” some time, and discern the almost resentment-like response of those around.
Try to defend the person being gossiped about and we will often be met with immediate defensiveness from the person originating the gossip. Initiate the gossip ourself and notice how readily another person joins in on the dump-fest.
Try to keep any conversation positive and we are frequently met with “yeah, but” or “but what about…?” Or the other person may stop talking entirely and we’ll be met with a perpetual chill in all further interactions.
It seems that the pits of animosity, begrudgement, divisiveness, character-assassination, finding fault, and a superiority complex are as prevalent as the potholes in many cities. We’re going along, and suddenly, unbeknownst, wham!, our front end is now out of alignment due to a gaping hole we didn’t see coming.
It’s the same with spiritual battle.
We will be going about our day, and all of a sudden we are hearing our very own mouth form and speak aloud criticizing words and feel our hearts possessing selfish and partisan attitudes (or we’ll be on the receiving end of such and retaliate in our own inner thought-life).
Over time, and with cultural acceptance, we get to the place of autopilot, and only when confronted with God’s Word, or a Godly example of God’s Word in action, are we—if we know Christ—convicted (and if we’re on the receiving end, we’ll see the attack for what it really is).
Ephesians 6:12 explains why we let it happen in the first place: because we failed to recognize it as a spiritual battle (whether we are the perpetrator or the receiver: oftentimes, as the receiver, we quickly morph into perpetrator mode via our passionate defense of our self).
Ephesians 6:12 is the “out;” the antidote to spiritual attack which we, in Christ, can control by simply recognizing it for what it is, and committing to not going there.
It is like the words of Gene Wilder, playing the character of Willy Wonka, when he tells the little boy who is about to embark on a very unwise course of action, “Stop. Don’t. Come back.”
That is what Ephesians 6:12 is telling us.
The first thing to recognize in order to turn off the auto-pilot on our illicit shooting from the hip is that these interactions, and the motivations behind them, are enlisted to bring the dark powers of this world into play.
Using another movie example, why do so many people like the Star Wars movies?
Because there is a dark side and a light side.
Everyone loves the light side in these movies, and sit on the edge of their seats almost yelling at the movie screen for Luke Skywalker to not go to the dark side:
“Don’t go over to it!” we want to scream.
“Don’t let the dark side win!! Resist it! Tap into the Force! Stay the course!”
It’s right there in front of us in these movies—a constant presence—and we all get it. It’s no big mystery. The battle is clear, and it underlies everything.
But in real life?
We act like we have no clue.
We let ourselves grow ignorant and dense toward the dark side—some even saying it doesn’t exist!!
Some people, bless their souls, say deep down everyone is good. But they are confused: the truth is, if anyone is good at all, it is only because God Himself is the only Good (Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19), and we can have His goodness instilled in us via His Holy Spirit when we believe that Jesus is who Jesus says He is (Luke 13:34-35; John 1:9-13; John 3; John 8:12-47; John 14:16-17; 2 Peter 1; 1 John 5:1-4).
But the dark side still beckons (John 1:5; John 3:19; Acts 26:18; 2 Timothy 2:26; Peter 1:19).
Certainly Christians are not exempt from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12-14).
That is why 1 Peter 5:8-9 says,
“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world."
Unlike the Star Wars movies, with their beautifully human-created metaphors for darkness and light, in Scripture darkness and light are not metaphors. They are clearly spelled out: Jesus is light (John 1:1-5; John 3:19-21; John 8:12; John 12:46; Colossians 1:13;) Satan is dark (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 1 John 5:19)
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit who reveals all things to us (John 14:26), we come to see Jesus and Satan clearly and are given the warning and wisdom to know the difference, and to respond (not react) as the Christ-followers we are.
The point is, when we miss the reality of darkness--of it lurking like a lion waiting for someone to devour--we fall into its snare and are now the very perpetrators of darkness.
The Bible warns that if we think we stand, be careful that we don’t fall (Luke 18:9-14; 1 Corinthians 10:12).
Not to say we cower and become paranoid. No. We go out in confidence that, though evil is surely there, we are at peace in Christ that, since He has overcome it (John 1:5; John 16:33) we in the Spirit can, and will, also (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
It means carrying Christ’s discernment, not ours, with us, so that we resist the attempts from the rulers, powers and forces of wickedness mentioned in Ephesians 6:12
So, going forward, when we see that infuriating person coming down the hall, that nosy neighbor out walking their dog, that car cutting in front of us, that waitress not performing to our self-righteous standards, that political enemy on television...whoever it is that justifiably or unjustifiably provokes us—instead of seeing a person, neighbor, car, waitress, politician or provocation, we see darkness and wickedness—not in them but in us—in our reaction, in our take-away, in our attitude and our hate.
We have that “aha!” moment in which we quickly surmise that we are about to be punked by the devil himself.
Is that what we want? To be a pawn in the pull-strings of darkness?
Do we like seeing Luke Skywalker go to the dark side? No!
So let’s not like it when we go there either.
The key is to stay in the Light. Jesus is the light.
If Christ alone is our portion, and we allow His life to rule in us, then we will resist the devil and the devil will flee (James 4:7).
Copyright Barb Harwood
