Part one of this post focused on being tough in a world of fear, anxiety, pain and confusion. I used a very visible and blatant example to illustrate this – the debate in this nation over the qualifications of our current President, Donald Trump.
This is only one example, and I used it because this particular topic exposes many tactics of our enemy, but mainly his lies and deceit. I could have used any number of illustrations meant to encourage us to start acting like the warriors in Christ that we really are, but this issue is in our faces right now and it is capturing everyone’s attention.
The next issue, however, is far more important than that discussed in Part One, and that is the topic of love.
The reason I get so animated about lies and deception in politics and culture is that it hurts people. The primary goal of those who are against freedom, against fairness, against biblical principles being practiced and embraced in this culture, is to promote an agenda that is categorically opposed to God’s truth as revealed in the Bible. And when that happens, people suffer.
As mentioned in Part One, the enemy only comes to steal, kill and destroy. Everything in his modus operandi is geared toward one of these three end goals. He hates people because people are made in the image of God and because God loves them. He can’t hurt God, so he goes after those whom God loves. Everything he does is to hurt people.
The love of God, however, working through willing vessels, can nullify every single tactic of the enemy. Our enemy cannot stand love, praise, worship, sacrifice, giving, caring for others. He is doing everything he possibly can to prevent all these good things from happening, and his most powerful tactic is influencing the minds of people. In fact, that’s the only power he has – to lie and deceive.
In our love for our neighbors, our nation, our world, and everyone in it, we disarm the tactics of the enemy and allow others to see the tender lovingkindness of God toward them.
Again, we can use current events to illustrate this. As of this writing, I am quarantined at home during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis. Every day boatloads of fear are being dumped on everyone through every possible outlet. Many are falling prey to it, and they willingly play along. Many subconsciously partner with the worst-case scenarios being put forth by those using the crisis for political gain, and as a result they live in fear and anxiety, fearing what the future may bring, and in many cases far overreacting to something that God can easily handle (if we would just let Him).
I am in no way suggesting that this virus is inconsequential or that we should not be careful with the way we are living our lives or possibly endangering others. What I am suggesting – no, I’m outright declaring it – is that fear and anxiety have no place whatsoever in the lives of those who trust in God. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose trust is the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:7). I want to get our eyes off the fear and start to think productively and rationally about this situation.
Love and fear are categorically incompatible. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). My goal is to try to reduce the fear factor in the hearts and minds of those who blindly follow everything they hear in the news, encourage them to think for themselves, and most importantly to believe that God actually does have the power and the willingness to accomplish Psalm 91 in their lives.
A warrior fights because of love. We have untold masses of warriors in this country who served in the various military forces because of their love for their country and their loved ones. Many veterans made significant sacrifices because of their love for their families, neighborhoods and cities back home. Love drove Jesus to the cross, and it should be driving the warrior heart to dismantle the lies of the enemy in every area of our culture and indeed in the entire world.
A true warrior loves. He or she loves the truth, and will fight for it. “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). It takes some resolve to fight against the stream of an evil culture, but love motivates us to get tough when it’s necessary. Sometimes that might not look or sound very loving. Do you suppose Jesus looked like a lover when he drove the money changers out of the temple with a home-made whip? His love for truth and for His Father’s reputation drove him to violence. Sometimes that’s what it takes!
Love can look like a lot of different things. In the end, it’s what is in our hearts that counts. 1 Corinthians 13 talks all about the grand and outwardly sacrificial things we can do in our fervor for God, but if it’s done without love it is utterly worthless. Even if it’s doing some good in the world, without love it’s meaningless.
I want to pursue truth. I believe that’s one thing God has called me to do. Jesus is Himself the way, the TRUTH and the life. Sometimes it’ll get a little harsh, but as I said in Part One, if I’m in the process of beating the devil to a pulp, and someone happens to get in the way, well, I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better. But this is war, and I want to encourage everyone and anyone who is interested in fighting for the winning side to take up your armor according to Ephesians 6:10-18.
God is interested in winning souls, but He is also just as interested in winning nations (Matthew 24:14, and Matthew 28:18-19). America is a great nation, and it was founded on the biblical principles of freedom and equality. When those things are threatened, warriors must be compelled to rise up and fight to maintain a nation environment that will allow the full force of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be taught, known and released into the peoples so that they too will be able to experience the love of God for themselves, through the testimony of his willing servants.