Spiritual Warfare: A Primer

Occasionally I get an email or Tweet that says:

"Why is your blog so "Battle" themed? It isn't like we are in spiritual warfare all the time with our faith - you need to find peace. There are good things in the Church and you should focus on the good."

Now I would agree that there are good things in the Church and that we all need to find peace. What I disagree with is that we aren't locked in an ongoing battle for the safety of our souls. An example of what we face on a simple walk through life:

We get in our car to go to the store, we face the choice of what to listen to, the pop station with the songs and ads all dealing with sex, drugs, and sex or maybe something else? So as we drive and we fill our minds with something we head to the store to buy a few things. We need eggs, milk, and a few other things. When we get there, the jerk in the red car takes our spot and we are forced to park way out in east-Egypt, what a horrible thing to have to walk on such a nice day. 

As we enter the store we see a girl that looks, well... you know how she looks, and we think to ourself: "What I would..." wait? What do we think to ourselves, in our own mind where no one knows, safety right? So we continue on, thinking (or not thinking) about that girl. We get the eggs, milk, and get up to the checkout counter and see the magazines that fill our eyes and minds with so much. Again we either have thoughts or don't have thoughts about all sorts of things. As we exit the store we see that lady from Church, you know the lady the one that is just so.... or maybe we offer up a prayer for her? I don't know I guess it just depends on our... mood? that day. 

As we walk to the car we look at the electronics store and think of that new things we just want need want soooo bad! Wouldn't it be so cool? It would make us feel so something, this object would make us feel? Such an odd thought, or maybe not, maybe it is exactly what we need,  ah well that is for another day. So we get in our car and turn on the radio... to something again. On the drive home we think about the radio, the red car, the girl, the electronics store... or we don't. 

Whether we like it or not we are faced with things around every corner that force our minds and thoughts into a battle between good and evil. It isn't usually our fault that we face these things, but it is up to us how we deal with these battles. Life is a constant battle with the faith. The Devil is literally around every corner and we have to accept that and deal with it. We don't get to say, "but I dont want to..." Whether we want to or not we face him. 

So when we are faced with a decision there is usually good and bad. The radio, the red car, the girl, the things, all of this is part of the spiritual warfare that we engage in... and it is up to us how we deal with it. Luckily by the grace of God we have some pretty awesome help, but it still comes down to the that internal compass. 

Spiritual warfare is a part of everyday life, we are the Church Militant and we must remain on guard and ready... lest we get tangled in the wickedness and snares of the Devil. So let us pray, and may God rebuke him, and Do thou, o' Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell...Satan.

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