Many thanks to JJ for his sermon Sunday.  As JJ reminded us, many of the problems our Nation is facing now can be traced directly to Satan.  The hatred that we see displayed all over our television screens every day is him, and he is delighted with his handiwork.  You can just picture him reviewing his "to do" list: "Hmm, let's see: Steal - check; Kill - check; Destroy - check.  Another good week!"  You might even picture him as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, inimitably played by the great Robert Duval in "Apocalypse Now", saying, "I love the smell of [burning police cars and buildings] in the morning...it smells like victory."

Is it starting to smell and feel like victory for Satan?  I mean, it's bad out there, y'all!  Even some of us, who have already flipped to the last page and read the ending, might be wondering if maybe we've gotten it wrong.  Even with "2020 Vision", it's tough to see "Victory In Jesus" right now.  In fact, right now doesn't feel very much like "winning", does it?

I wonder if maybe that's kind-of the point?  We weren't promised a world of sweetness and happiness.  Instead, Jesus told us that we would have trouble in this world - John 16:33.  He promised that He would win, not that we would win.  So, unless we're really connected to Jesus, it's not going to feel much like "winning" most of the time.

One of the verses that's easy to skip over as we study about putting on our spiritual armor in Ephesians 6 is verse 12.  But this verse is there to remind us of who the enemy is NOT.  It is so easy to get caught up in anger and rage and even hatred when terrible things happen, or when things we believe and hold dear are challenged or insulted or attacked.  And often we direct our anger and rage and hatred at the person or the group we believe is responsible.  But Ephesians 6:12 tells us that our fight is not against people at all; it is against the spiritual rulers of this present darkness.  Directing anger and hatred against any person, no matter how provoked we feel, actually amounts to nothing more than more "winning" for Satan.  It's like we've joined his team.  

I'm sorry; that's wrong.  It's not "like" we've joined Satan's team when we act like this - we actually "have" joined his team.

So, what does this mean for us as we face this continuing time of national darkness?  Recognizing that this is a spiritual battle is the first step.  Spiritual battles are fought on our knees.  The people on the "other side" - whatever side that might be - are not enemies to be defeated, but brothers and sisters who need Jesus.  

And the words of Jesus - "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do" - might be some of the best words we could say from our knees.  And once we get back on our feet, words like, "God loves you, and I love you, and I want to listen to you", could help bring some light back into the darkness.

Shepherd Ambrose Ramsey