Wake Up to the Real Battle

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." - 1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)

Several years ago, when Lydia and I were celebrating our anniversary, we took a trip to Clearwater Beach in Florida. As we walked around, I noticed a Hulk Hogan store. I found out that Hulk Hogan lived there and came to his store frequently to talk with fans. I got to take a picture next to his life-size statue. Even if you're not familiar with wrestling, you know that name. It brought back memories of my childhood - the glory days of wrestling. My favorite wrestler growing up was "Flyin' Brian" who would jump off the corner of the ring. Don't tell my mom this, but my parents had a king-sized bed that turned into a nice wrestling ring where Flyin' Brian occasionally made an appearance!

You watch wrestling and see the exhaustion, the drama, one wrestler about to be defeated, then mysteriously he gains power and overcomes his opponent. People watch because they see the excitement; something dramatic is happening. There's one bad thing about wrestling, though - it's not real. I'm not saying it's not athletic or entertaining, but it is a fake fight, and you have to detach your brain for a few moments to enjoy that event.

Here's the connection to our spiritual war as Christians: the Bible tells us we ARE in a spiritual war, but God's people often don't take is seriously. They treat it like it's a fake fight. They say, "You don't really believe in a literal devil, do you?" Friend, the Bible tells you there is a real devil, there is a real opponent. He's not a symbol of evil - he is a being and he is your real adversary.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was once asked by a New York interviewer about his beliefs. When he said "I even believe in the devil," the interviewer was shocked. Scalia explained, "Of course, yes, he's a real person." The interviewer asked, "Have you seen evidence of the devil lately?" Scalia replied, "You know, it's curious. In the gospels, the devil's doing all sorts of things - making pigs run off cliffs, possessing people. That doesn't happen very much anymore. It's because he's smart."

"So what's he doing now?" the interviewer asked. Scalia said, "What he's doing now is getting people not to believe in him or in God. He's much more successful that way. That's the explanation for why there's not demon possession all over the place. The devil got wiser."

The interviewer followed up with, "Isn't it terribly frightening to believe in the Devil?"
Scalia finished by saying, "You're looking at me as though I'm weird. My God! Are you so out of touch with most of America, most of which believes in the Devil? I mean, Jesus Christ believed in the Devil! It's in the Gospels! You travel in circles that are so, so removed from mainstream America that you are appalled that anybody would believe in the Devil! Most of mankind has believed in the Devil, for all of history. Many more intelligent people than you or me have believed in the Devil." [Source: Jennifer Senior, "In conversation: Antonin Scalia," New York (10-6-13)]

If you don't believe there is a devil, you will never fully grasp the real battle. Here in America, we've advanced academically and socially to the point where the devil disguises himself and cloaks his presence, making him virtually invisible. If someone believes in a literal devil, we might joke about seeing him with horns and a pitchfork like in cartoons. However, overseas, the devil still reveals himself in ways described in the New Testament, and through the power of Jesus, people are set free and realize that Jesus' power surpasses any kind of demonic force.

Don't be fooled. You do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against rulers of darkness, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). This is not fake wrestling - this is real. We need to wake up to the real battle because spiritual warfare is real. We need to be "sober and vigilant." Praise the Lord, we don't have to be afraid. Satan is no match for the child of God who knows who they are in Christ and knows how to use the Name of Jesus in prayer.

Reflection Question: Have you been ignoring the reality of the spiritual battle, or are you aware of the invisible war happening around you?

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I have treated this spiritual battle as if it isn't real. Open my eyes to see that, although the battle is invisible, it is very real. Help me to be sober and vigilant, recognizing that my true enemy isn't flesh and blood but spiritual forces. Help me stay alert spiritually. Thank You for the victory of the Cross, and my ability to use the Name of Jesus in prayer. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "Victory Over Satan": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/95gmbjy/23-victory-over-satan-1-peter-5-8-14