10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-17)
In this text Paul speaks with pen about “the wiles of devil” (Vs. 11). He also mentions “all the fiery darts of the wicked one,” (Vs. 16). Subsequently, in 2 Corinthians 2:11 Paul asserts: “We are not ignorant of his (the evil one’s) devices.”
I believe Satan has continually been conspiring in this way: “If I can get people to distance themselves from the idea that there is a God, I will be the victor. I will wipe out holiness forever. So, how can I get people to distance themselves from the idea of God? I shall offer a replacement which appeals to their fallen ideals.”
The replacement for God (theism) is “atheism.”
Now, in order for atheism to take off we will need a substitute cosmogony, a theory for the beginning of the universe and all of life. “I shall suggest the “Big Bang” theory, the devil muses. In 1859, Charles Darwin comes under the tempting influence of Satan with thoughts of evolution “Origin of the Species;” chance existence is an acceptable exchange for Creation to those who do not want anything God. If evolution were true, then I suspect that we should expect to see life in various stages of evolution throughout the immensity of the cosmos. One of the missions of space travel has been the exploration of life form somewhere else in the universe; anywhere else.
Well now, if we all got here by happenstance, strictly accident, then there is no God, no supreme legislator, and no absolute judge. There are just communal models of morality which change as the community changes; no moral rules, and no absolutes. This has become the goal of a worldly general population running far from God.
The aspiration of secularism, (satanically inspired), is to purge the world of all things holy and hallowed. Satan brings that through a post-modern thinking. No God! No right! No wrong! There are no moral truths! No absolutes! Our society is currently importing an old way of life: Epicureanism. The Epicureans quit trying to find any meaning to life through wisdom; their maxim became: “Let’s and eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!”
Paul refers to that mentality in 1 Corinthians 15, contending, 12 “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have [c]fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable . . . 32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” (I Corinthians 15:12-19 and 32). In other words, if Christ was not raised from the dead, then we have a dead Savior and nothing makes sense. So, let’s join with the Epicureans and do our own thing and then die.
Enter 2020. We did not simply wake up after New Years and discover we may be on a path leading toward Socialism. Socialism is a rather transitional governmental structure between capitalism and communism marked by the unequal distribution of goods and wages. This system of government has failed all over the world, and yet many believe it is to be admired and desired.
Well, how did we arrive where we are socially and spiritually? First of all, I personally blame a gradual slide into a comfortable, even evangelistically lazy American Christian church. Consequently, it has become so easy over a period of perhaps 50-60 years for our culture to cause us to fall into a kind of spiritual apathy. Secondly, many of our universities are filled with scholarly thinkers, professors, who are persuading the post modern-philosophy that rejects that there is a God Who holds us responsible.
Our only solution to the pressures of this world is to seek God consciously, consistently, and openly in every part of life’s decisions, words and actions. And beloved church, it must incorporate a broken heart and contrite spirit of repentance and submission toward our King of kings and LORD of lords, Jesus Christ. There must be a revival of church, worship of God, and a life of prayer. It must begin now!
13 “When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)
Once the church is right with God, revived, and freshly empowered, she must then actively stand in the full armor of God. Church, weep, energize fully in the Spirit, and Pray On!
