The essential reality behind what Rosemay Dunlop has described as :
"This beautiful, but disturbed and chaotic modern world”, is spiritual
warfare between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. This
reality is clearly defined in the words of the Anglican service of baptism
when the baptismal candidate is exhorted to “fight valiantly under the
banner of Jesus Christ against sin, the world, and the devil, and remain
His faithful soldier and servant until the end of your life.” In his letter to
the church at Ephesus chapter 6, verses 10 to 12, the Apostle Paul says
– “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full
armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s
schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world
and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Paul
goes on to describe the spiritual armour necessary to fight in this
warfare, and which includes the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of
God. There is no neutrality in this warfare. We are on one side or the
other, with eternal consequences.
Human resources are useless against the kingdom of Satan. It is a
deception of the devil himself to make us believe that he and his army of
demons do not exist, and that human resources in themselves are
capable of solving the world’s problems. “He was a murderer from the
beginning….for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44. The fact is,
that people without Christ are spiritually blind and lost, as “sheep without
a shepherd.” The only safe place to be is ‘in Christ’ where there is no
condemnation. The Apostle Paul sums it up like this, “I have been
crucified with Christ. It is now no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in
me, and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me
and gave Himself for me.” Without this faith there is no true motivation
for evangelism, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given to humankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Derek Burton
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