Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Holy War

I'm not sure I have my head and heart around what I'm going to write about today.  I guess that's okay since this is a blog which by definition is an ongoing conversation.

I've now read six of the thirty-seven Time/Life books I have on WWII.  The human cost of that war was incredible and the conditions that people suffered through during the fight were horrendous.  The cost of the war in financial resources was also beyond belief.  The Allies lost over 33,000 planes alone in the war.  The economies of the countries at war were shifted toward supplying materiel to the war effort.  No wonder subsequent politicians have entered wars to bolster their economies.  But that's a whole other subject.

What I can't seem to get my head and heart around right now are the implications of the model of war to the spiritual realm.  Is the intensity of the fighting and focus on the enemy something the body of Christ needs to adopt toward evil spiritual forces?  I don't see the passion and focus on the enemy among the Christians I know with few exceptions.

I do know several persons who are on the front lines of the battle for those who have been severely emotionally abused and controlled.  They are daily fighting battles in the heavenlies for the lives of those who have been so severely abused.  They are selling out for the victory over evil in the lives of those they touch.

It is obvious to me that we have fallen asleep at the wheel as the body of Christ in stemming the tide of evil.  Pat brings home stories of the kids who are victims of a lack of sound parenting.  Their parents are floundering and fighting but they don't know what they are fighting against.  They are just fighting and the kids are casualties of the war.  Some of these parents may be involved in churches but my guess is that many have either given up or ignored the invitations of the churches because they don't see them as relevant to the issues they are facing.

What does it look like (compared to a world war) when Christians go to battle against the enemy?  Do we make sacrifices, accept food rations and do with less to promote the war effort?  Do we seek to undermine the war effort of the evil one who is destroying our world or do we succumb to the "nice" words of the enemy to get us to put down our arms?  Are we using subversive tactics to thwart the efforts of the forces that are attempting to overpower us?  Are we putting all our financial, human and other resources toward the war effort to see evil defeated and the kingdom of God expanded?

I know that I am not.  As I said, this is a work in progress for me.  I'm not sure of the implications for what I am doing and who I am yet.  I am expecting them to become clear to me as I continue to read and listen to the Spirit interpret them for me.  Am I going to be part of the resistance or capitulate to the apathy that surrounds me?  What does being part of the resistance really look like in today's world?  As I have seen in the past I believe our warrior God will make this clear to me in practical terms.  I need it nice and simple...and clear enough to work.