How To Fight
Warning: You might not need to fight who you think do or how you think you should…
Modern fighting looks like modern relationships: online instead of in person.
We spar over Facebook. We only watch the news channel that agrees with our beliefs and use the logical fallacy of the “ad hominem” attack to call the other sources names: biased, inaccurate, unreliable. That way we can dismiss what is said and never address the opposite opinion.
Fighting in the church is even worse. I’m more dismayed by the division between Believers than divisions in the country — and that’s saying something. A whole group of “more enlightened” church people are stepping away from the churches and communities where they were raised and publicly criticizing, mocking, and name calling.
Then, the “church" looks at any Christian who goes on a questionable TV show, or dresses differently, or acts outside of the “norm” and goes to social media to shame and point out error.
(The over use of “quotation marks” anticipates the tendency to look for offense. There are always exceptions to every statement. And there are serious question of theology. Yep. I get it. But I’m making a different point, so please don’t get offended.)
We fight each other.
Nice job Satan. I have to admit, your strategy is brilliant. We no longer need to examine our own sins, or engage in the battle against you, because we are too busy attacking somebody else.
What’s my point? We have an enemy. AND IT’S NOT EACH OTHER.
How Not To Fight
First, let’s recognize what fighting our enemy is NOT. That will help sweep the clutter away and bring clarity so we can form a deliberate battle plan. I will use the abortion issue as an example, but these points apply to any issue.
-Not on Facebook or other social media posts.
I am as guilty as the next girl of posting my opinions on Facebook with pro-life posts. That isn’t political to me. It’s my marrow. I could no more be silent about the unborn than I could cease breathing. I’m sad the conversation has devolved to such a Democrat/Republican one.
HOWEVER- my posts really just preach to the choir. I find nothing convincing from posts originating from the other side, and I doubt they care about mine. It feels like I’m standing up for life, but posting only replaces actual activity.
-Not by picketing or marching.
I attend the March for Life and am thrilled to participate. But that is more like a rally to encourage like-minded pro-lifers to keep pressing on. It doesn’t attack the problem. The media usually ignores it, so the opposite opinion or the silent undecided will probably never know it occurred. Once again: it’s not a bad thing, but it’s not fighting.
-Not through letters to editors or new legislation
I am all for pro-life legislation. Writing editorials and opinion pieces can reach some who might be open. BUT, neither of these will ever hit the enemy where it hurts.
Let me be clear: None of the above actions are bad. I’ve participated in every one of these. They just aren’t offensive spiritual warfare.
And, I can’t win spiritual battles with fleshly weapons.
Whether abortion, or the deterioration of the family, or the shrinking church, or human trafficking, or drug addiction, or the moral compromise that pollutes our churches and our society, or …, or …, or…. -there are just too many battles to name.
WHATEVER THE BATTLE — as Believers we have a powerful stealth weapon that we should use. Why do we only use it to defend ourselves? Why don’t we use it IN the battle?
How To Fight
What’s our stealth weapon? Prayer. Prayer is our most powerful OFFENSIVE weapon.
We face an enemy who kills, steals, and destroys. He’s a liar and he lies to us about ourselves, about each other, and especially about our Heavenly Father.
He even lies by painting prayer as something to use for traveling mercies, or health issues, or to bless our food. What a big, fat liar.
Let’s Shut Him Up!
Over the next two months I am going to be exploring the idea of Offensive Prayer: Prayer that aims at the battle and shoots its ammunition at the enemy (once again- we are not each other’s enemies!)
Prayer
Here’s just a little introduction about what the Lord says about prayer. Come back next week for more!
Psalm 65:2 - O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.
God HEARS. EVERYONE’s prayers reach the Ears of the Most High.
Acts 6:4 - But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
The early church FIRST devoted themselves to prayer and THEN to ministry. Do we devote ourselves in that order?
Psalm 102:17 - he regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.
We are never too messed up, sinful, or useless to be heard. Being destitute doesn’t close the Lord to us. He loves us and desires our prayers.
Romans 12:12 - Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
CONSTANT. Enough said.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 - pray without ceasing,
WITHOUT CEASING. Yep, exactly as constant and continual as it sounds.
What are ways you have been fighting? Has it been you frustrating? Do you struggle with hopelessness? Share you struggles below and any prayer requests. Let’s start fighting for each other!