.png)
The spiritual thriller--Nefarious--hit the big screen last week, and it has already made large waves by grossing $1.3 million in its opening weekend.
Based off a book entitled A Nefarious Plot, this horror flick is the story of a convicted psychopathic killer on death row, possessed by the demon, Nefarious. The demon manifests itself and works on the inmate's psychiatrist, even to the point of causing the doctor to believe himself to be crazy.
The point of the movie is to demonstrate the reality of spiritual warfare. As our world becomes ever-increasingly dark, the more we are exposed to attacks by the enemy. For those who might be new to the faith, however, you may be wondering just what spiritual warfare is?
The Apostle Paul wrote about it in Ephesians 6:10-12 when he said, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
In other words, there are battles happening all around us we cannot see. The Bible does not mince words when it says our enemy is on a mission. John 10:10 reads, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy."
He wants to see you hurt. His desire is for your total destruction, and he will stop at nothing to get it. Fortunately for us, we have a glorious God who has insurmountable legions of angels to fight on our behalf.
Take for instance the example in Daniel 10 when Daniel is standing alone by the Tigris river. A man in brilliant linen appeared. He said, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come (Daniel 10:12-14)."
The angel was telling Daniel that God had heard Daniel's prayers and the angel was bringing the answer. However, in his journey to Daniel, he was delayed by a demonic force until Michael, the archangel, came to assist.
We may or may not face extreme forces of evil, but all of us will at some point feel its grip on our person and our family. Whether through discouragement; unexplained illnesses; doubt of God's goodness; distractions; temptations; disharmony in our marriage and home; some mental disorders; suicidal thoughts; etc., the enemy can rob us of our peace and even cause us to doubt God's love.
According to Paul in Ephesians 6:13, we are to daily put on the full spiritual armor. Meaning, to stand firm with the truth of God's Word wrapped around us; to have Christ's righteousness through salvation as our breastplate; to be sure-footed with the gospel of peace; to have a strong faith ready to defeat the enemy's tactics; to have a sound mind through a continuous relationship with Christ; and to be able to effectively wield God's Word (Bible).
Having others praying with you on your behalf is also another great way to defeat the enemy (James 5:16). There is strength in numbers, and the Bible tells us that the prayers of the righteous are effective.
Yes, the enemy's tactics are real but also yes, you and I can withstand through the power of Christ and the knowledge of His Word.
Stay the course,
Kristi