Paul tells us in Eph 6 “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand against the Devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places….Pray in the Spirit at all times.. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

You may feel it too, but it is very clear to me that we are spiritually at war in the US and in the world. It is a war primarily unseen as the enemy fights to destroy us, our families, relationships, organizations, neighborhoods, states, and countries. The enemy, the Devil, manipulates people to separate them from God, and and separate them from God’s love and salvation. The battlegrounds are our governments, courts, schools, the entertainment media, the news media, and the internet.

Much of war is about deception, and it is often difficult for us to know which side of this battle people and organizations are on. Paul gives us an idea how to recognize this in Romans 10:9-11 “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

It appears that, in military terms, the enemy has the “high ground,” controlling most of the battlegrounds. It is our responsibility to be discerning, vigilant and true to our faith, particularly in the democracies that allow us to influence these battlegrounds.

Our most powerful weapon in this battle is Prayer which allows us to ask for God’s unlimited power to fight our battles.

Dear Lord, we battle evil, treachery and tyranny in our world. Protect us and those we love, support us and our leaders to be strong and move our world toward you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.