The Power of God to Defeat Terror and the Power of Evil
The world changed on 9/11/. On that day evil declared war on God’s created order and organization in a new, modern way. Evil said, in effect, no one is safe. This message was driven home in Paris on 11/13/2015. In the face of evil today in the form of terrorism, the natural human response, apart from faith, is fear, helplessness, and hopelessness. Throughout human history evil has had one overarching purpose: to destroy God’s order and organization and leave in its place chaos and disorder. Human beings need order and organization to survive, even more than they need freedom, which is why throughout history the people have asked for Kings, so to speak.
How can the civilized world stand in the face of the type of terrorism we see today? As we live our daily lives making trips to the grocery store, the cafe, school, church, the movie theater, etc. we become aware that there is nothing to stop the terrorists with a gun or a bomb from killing us and our children. We feel helpless; the order that we have taken for granted is being undermined and we can see that in its place this type of terror can only bring chaos. Of course, this is what evil has always done. It is what evil wants.
Our natural response is to go to war. Bullets, bombs, rockets, boots on the ground are all thrown at the ‘enemy’. I believe a case can be made for this type of action. But in the midst of all of this ‘activity’ are we sure we know our real enemy and the power we have to defeat him?
Our real enemy is the same one God’s people have battled throughout their history: Satan and his army of demons. This is the ultimate power we are up against. Defeat this enemy and the earthly expression of evil in the form of terrorism will disappear. I am not suggesting that we do not go to war against terror. I am suggesting that this war will never be won apart from the defeat of the supernatural power that is the force behind the evil we see committed in the world today. This war on evil that we call the War on Terror is being fought in both the real world, aka the natural world, and world of the unseen real. And it is victory in the latter battle, manifested in transformed hearts, that will result in victory in the former.
I saw a news article online today that said the Archbishop of Canterbury has begun to ‘doubt God’ after the 11/13 attacks in Paris. I guess he is wondering where God was during that night of terror, why God allowed these attacks to occur? We probably all asked the same questions after 9/11 or after the bombing in Beirut recently or the destruction of the Russian airliner that took off from the Sinai the other week. Or, after the Holocaust, Rwanda, Columbine, bombings in Northern Ireland or London, World War 1, and on and on. Where are you God? How are you dealing with this plague of evil that is destroying your creation? These are the questions human beings have asked for millennia. My very short answer is “the Kingdom of God is here”. And as we, God’s people, live in and release the Kingdom of God in the power of the Holy Spirit into the kingdom of the world the darkness will be pushed back and the power of evil will be destroyed. But, and this is hard for me to hear and believe, our real enemy is not flesh and blood.
I intended this to be a relatively short post. I have a scripture I want to share from the Book of Isaiah, so I won’t address these questions here. I am thinking about them and am in the process of writing down my thoughts on evil and suffering. But, check out two excellent books that deal in detail with these and other questions about evil. They are: ‘Evil and the Justice of God’ by N.T. Wright and ‘Unspeakable’ by Os Guinness. Apart from these and other very knowledgeable men, I don’t have a lot to contribute on this subject, but largely for my own understanding I am spending time thinking about evil, suffering, the Kingdom of God, and our (the Church’s) role in this battle. I’ll share my thought is later posts.
Facing this global threat, it is normal for us to be fearful and feel helpless. Of course, we could all carry guns. That might save a few lives. But guns are worthless against an airplane or some type of weapon of mass destruction. Our help, hope, and strength is available from another source — the Lord Almighty.
“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass, that you forget the Lord you Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction?”
“The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeons, nor will they lack bread. For I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar — the Lord Almighty is His name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand, I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, You are my people” (Isaiah 51: 12 – 16).
We are His people and He has not abandoned us.His plan is to release His power over evil through His people, the Church. God’s plan to restore His Creation back to His original plan, purpose, function, and condition is God’s plan to defeat the power of evil.
I know that much of the terror in the world is being waged in the name of God. But out of His great love for the world, my God sent Jesus to die for my sins so that, apart from my works, I can know salvation and the abundant life of peace and joy in His Kingdom. My God is a God of order and organization, and although Christians have not always behaved as He commanded and we have much to answer for, we are called to be a people of peace. Our weapons are not of this world — they are prayer rooted in love, for those we love and for those who have sworn to destroy us; prayer to release the Kingdom of God ever the entire world. And these weapons have extraordinary power.
Jesus told us “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt . . . you can also say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea’, and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in My Name” (Matthew 21: 21, 22). The war we are engaged in today is one of our ‘mountains’ and if we ask for victory over evil, we have the promise of Jesus that we will receive what we ask for.
It is during times like these that Scripture seems both reassuring and incredibly naive. But I believe in the power of God and His Word. I have seen Him do miracles through the power of prayer. Let our governments do whatever they will do — and much of what they are doing is good and wise. But let the Church rise up and do what only the Church can do. Let God’s people, even if it is only a remnant, release the Kingdom of God over the world through believing and expectant prayer to defeat the power of the real enemy, Satan. It is only in this way that the world will see a lasting victory which will embrace all of God’s creation. The major problem with this strategy is that, sadly, the Church in the West has been so subsumed by the culture of the world that, for the most part, it no longer operates in His power. But we can turn, repent, and reclaim our rightful inheritance — the indwelling Holy Spirit and the power and authority to participate with God in restoring His creation. The danger is real. In the Book of Revelation John was instructed to write these word to the Church in Ephesus:
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the heights from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” (Revelation 2:4).
I believe that these words are primarily for the Church in the West: return to God your first love; or recommit to worshiping and serving Him, forsaking all the idols that the Western Church now embraces, especially the religious spirit.
For the prayers of the Church to have power over the supernatural forces of darkness and release God’s gracious plan of restoration throughout the world, bringing life to all it touches, then the Church and it’s men or women must repent, believe, and choose to enter His Kingdom. For all who repent and believe the door to the Kingdom has been opened; we have the right and privilege to live with the King for eternity and to participate in His great plan of restoration. And this life begins now, although not yet perfectly. This is the Good News.
(In many of my previous posts I share my views on these issues of repentance, the marks of repentance, the ultimate purpose of God — restoration back to intimacy with Him – and the power of prayer.)