* Take off the Blinders

And Elisha prayed, and said , LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. 

And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, 

the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.   

2 Kings 6:17

There is a great war being waged in the world today. It is not the conflict between nations, tribes, or government leaders, they exist, but that's not what I'm referring to. It is not a rebellion or a coup. It is an invisible battle taking place in the spirit world. There is an invisible war in which every believer is engaged. It is a war where no one wears a uniform, yet we are clothed in our spiritual armor, but where everyone is a target. The historical and prophetical record of this war is contained in God's Word, the Bible.

To understand this invisible war, we must first understand the natural and spiritual worlds. Man exists in two worlds: The natural world and the spiritual world. The natural world is that which can be seen, felt, touched, heard, or tasted. It is tangible and visible.

The country, nation, city or communities in which we live is part of the natural world. We are residents in a natural kingdom located on one of the visible continents of the world. We can see the people who are part of our environment. We can communicate with them. We can experience the sights, sounds, and smells around us.

But there is another world in which we live. That world is a spiritual world. We cannot see it with our physical eyes, but it is just as real as the natural world in which we live.  Apostle Paul speaks of this division of natural and spiritual. He says there is a natural (terrestrial) body and there is a spiritual (celestial) body.

 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.     1 Corinthians 15:40

All men have a natural body which lives in the natural world, but man is also a spiritual being with an eternal soul and spirit. Man is body, soul, and spirit. Our spiritual being (soul and spirit) is part of a spiritual world just as our natural body is part of the natural world.

Because spiritual warfare is just that--spiritual--it must be understood with a spiritual mind. In our natural, sinful state we cannot understand spiritual things:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.   1 Corinthians 2:14

It is necessary to have spiritual discernment to understand spiritual things.

Perhaps one of the best examples of natural and spiritual discernment is recorded in 2 Kings 6. It is the account of a natural battle in which troops of the enemy nation of Syria had surrounded a small town called Dothan where the prophet Elisha was staying.

When Elisha's servant saw the great host of the enemy, he became fearful and asked Elisha what should they do. Elisha prayed that God would open the young servant's spiritual eyes so he could see the angelic hosts surrounding and protecting them. On this occasion, God actually opened the natural eyes of the young servant and allowed him to visibly see the superior forces of God aligned for battle.

The account of this battle at Dothan is similar to present spiritual conditions in the body of Christ. There are some, like Elisha, who see clearly into the realm of the spirit. They know there is a conflict occurring, have identified the enemy, and recognize the greater forces of God that assure victory.

Then there are others like the young servant who, with a little encouragement, will be able to open their spiritual eyes and no longer be fearful of and defeated by the enemy. But sadly, there are many people who, like those in the town of Dothan, are spiritually sleeping. They do not even know that the enemy has surrounded them and is poised for attack.  Yet, still, there are others that do not discern that Jesus is never far from us.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.  But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.  Luke 24:13-16

Within the natural and spiritual realms there exists separate kingdoms which are ruled by natural and spiritual leaders.

Natural Kingdoms:  All men live in a natural kingdom of this world. They live in a city or village which is part of a nation. That nation is a kingdom of the world. A natural kingdom is a territory or people over which an actual king or political leader is the sovereign ruler. The Bible speaks of these natural kingdoms as "kingdoms of the world." The kingdoms of the world have come under the power and influence of Satan:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  2 Corinthians 4:4

Again, the Devil taketh Him (Jesus) up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.   Matthew 4:8-9

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.  1 John 5:19 

Spiritual Kingdoms:  In addition to the natural kingdoms of this world there are two spiritual kingdoms: The Kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of God. Every person alive is a resident of one of these two kingdoms.

The Kingdom of Satan consists of Satan, spiritual beings called demons, and all men who live in sin and rebellion to God's Word. These, plus the world and the flesh, are the spiritual forces of evil at work in the world today.

The Kingdom of God consists of God the Father, God the son [Jesus Christ], God the Holy Spirit, spiritual beings called angels, and all men who live in righteous obedience to God's Word. These are the spiritual forces of good.

The Kingdom of God is not a denomination. Denominations are man-made organizations of groups of churches.  Denominations are major church organizations like Baptist, Assembly of God, Methodist, Lutheran, etc. The Bible speaks of the true Church which is not a denomination or religious organization. The true Church is composed of all those who have born again and become residents of the Kingdom of God; also known as the body of Christ.

At the present time in the natural world, the Kingdom of God exists individually within every man, woman, boy or girl who has made Jesus King of their lives. It exists communally in the true church and wherever people make this world the kind of world God wants it to be. In the future, there will be an actual visible manifestation of God's Kingdom.

The invisible spiritual war is a battle which involves all men and women. Because the Kingdom of Satan is a spiritual kingdom . . .

. . . we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Ephesians 6:12

We that reside in the kingdom of God have no reason to be fearful.  Jesus lets us know through a conversation with Apostle Peter that the gates of hell shall not prevail.  He assures us of victory.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.   Matthew 16:18

Spiritual warfare is not a natural battle between flesh and blood. 

It is not a battle of man against man. It is not a visible battle. It is an invisible struggle in the spirit world. It is a battle within and around man. It is not a visible war because spirits are involved and we know that a spirit does not have flesh and bones.

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.  Luke 24:39

Spiritual warfare is "multidimensional," which means it is fought in different dimensions. It is:

v    A social battle between the believer and the world:                    John 15:18-27

v    A personal battle between the flesh and the spirit:                     Galatians 5:16-26

                 

v    A supernatural battle between the believer and evil 

      supernatural powers:                                                                        Ephesians 6:10-27

v    A physical battle, with Satan launching attacks of 

      sickness against our body:                                                                Job 1-2

Every person alive is engaged in this battle, whether he realizes it or not. There is no neutral ground. Unbelievers are in bondage to evil and are held captive by the enemy forces. They are victims of the war. Believers have been freed from the enemy through Jesus Christ and are victors, but they are still engaged as soldiers in the war.  We (all believers) wrestle against evil spiritual forces. 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Ephesians 6:12 

Wrestling involves close personal contact. No one is exempt from this battle. No one can view it from a distance. 

We are in the midst of conflict whether we acknowledge it or not. 

If we believe it will get better, we are wrong. The Christian warfare will not end until Jesus returns to take his body of believers.  

God lets us know that we have a force within us that is greater than anything we may face:  

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in we, than he that is in the world.     1 John 4:4

(Biblical Studies)

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