Hell, No!
My thoughts are a jumbled mess as my mind tries to process what my eyes have seen in recent days. Our nation has gone from pandemic to pandemonium essentially overnight. As we’ve just started to emerge from quarantine, anxieties are already high as life continues to be vastly different and the COVID threat still exists. But then suddenly that fear and tension have shifted to demonstrations of outrage, hatred, and violence as our country reacts to ongoing racial division.
As I try to make sense of it all, my heart is heavy and I am deeply saddened by many things. And it seems there is no right way to respond. As I’ve come before the Lord, begging Him to intercede, He has reawakened me to the obvious, yet often forgotten reality that what we’re dealing with at all levels here is a heart issue. What we are up against here is sin in its vilest form. And until every one of us addresses that at personal level, change and reconciliation can not occur. What we are battling at ground level is spiritual warfare: good versus evil, God versus Satan, and heaven versus hell.
Considering this truth pushes me from being heavy- hearted and sad to being downright angry. Angry because people are dying. Angry because violence is leading to more violence. Angry because peaceful protesters are being equated to destructive rioters. Angry because people made in the image of God are destroying other people also made in the image of God. It’s absolutely outrageous!
Too many of us are giving the devil a foothold by doing nothing, by saying nothing, by failing to acknowledge this worldly reality. Too many God-fearing people are fearing man more than God right now. As believers, we have the victory! Jesus told us there will be trouble in this world, but to take heart! He has overcome! (John 16:33). In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female (Gal. 3:28). Jesus has permanently eradicated all racial divides, all socio-economic divides, and all gender divides. We are all ONE in Christ Jesus. It’s time we act like it!
It’s time for us to link arms, standing firm in the faith, covered and armed with God Himself. It’s time for us to do battle- not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:10-12). The enemy is working overtime right now to cause chaos and confusion, divisions, hatred, violence, and fear. I can imagine the devil sitting back with his feet up, hands behind his head, flashing his evil smirk and laughing wickedly at his ability to divide our country, our neighborhoods, our churches, and even our own families. I’m sure he quite proud of his recent success.
Hell is rejoicing that another black man is dead and racism continues. Hell is celebrating the fact that reactionary riots and looting have destroyed businesses and towns. Hell squeals with delight at the sight of men and women of all races at odds with one another, intimidating and threatening and harming each other. Hell is applauding those spewing lies, instilling fear, and perpetuating panic. The enemy must be stopped.
Hell itself would love for us to remain divided, stay silent, shrink back, and succumb to fear. I say, “NO MORE!” It’s time for us to look evil in the eye and boldly declare, “Hell, no! Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever, Satan. Hell, you have nothing on people firmly planted in the saving and victorious name of Jesus Christ!” For the sake of Christ and the gospel, we must go to war, spiritually speaking. We must fight for love and unity, for justice and peace. But it must begin within the individual heart. It must include repentance for our own prejudices and ignorance. It must involve a humble and teachable spirit, significant time on our knees in prayer, combing the pages of God’s Word, having hard conversations, clothing ourselves with love and godly wisdom and courage, and daily arming ourselves with the power of the Spirit.
People of God, we are the Church. And Jesus Himself said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” ( Matt. 16:18) Instead of getting angry at each other, it’s time to get good and angry at the primary source of evil and all the powers of hell. We must stand firm together, united in Christ, confident in the strength of the Lord’s might (Eph. 6:10) and say, “Hell, no! Get behind me, Satan. Your reign is over. Your power has been defeated by the cross of Jesus Christ. And the God of peace will soon crush you under His feet.” (Gen. 3:15, Rom.16:20) Are you ready to go to war?
