The Cost Of Healing

We Are At War

Every one of us needs to expect that there will be times of spiritual warfare in our lives. This to be expected because it comes with the territory of belonging to Jesus and of being a citizen of Heaven.

And it can be very costly. The enemy can attack you in ways that hurt you--physically, financially, relationally and emotionally. So we have to understand the nature of the battle and take steps to defend ourselves. If we don't, we will most likely end up being a casualty of this war.

The war is not a physical war, but a spiritual one. It is not fought with things like guns, missiles and bombs. You are not fighting some physical country or nation, but you are "at war" with the spiritual ruler of this world. You are fighting to advance God's kingdom, to gain back His rule and reign, and to retake this world for His glory and for His pleasure. Ephesians 6:12 puts it this way: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

You have probably heard this before, but when we believed on Jesus, we were not just adopted into God's family, we were also drafted into His army. The reason for this is because we were transplanted from the kingdom of this world into the God's kingdom--and the kingdom of this world is constantly in conflict with the kingdom of heaven.

The New Testament uses so many military terminologies and analogies, because the "war" is real. That is why God has given us spiritual "armor" to wear, as per Ephesians chapter 6. Verse 11 says, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." And verse 13 says, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

Common Misconceptions About This War

There are some misunderstandings about this war, misunderstandings that can turn people into unnecessary casualties. I'd like to look briefly at two of them.

1) IF WE DON"T BOTHER THE DEVIL, HE WON"T BOTHER US.

One misconception is that "if we leave the devil alone, then he will leave us alone."

That is a lie from the enemy, designed to get you to let down your guard and become an easy target. The devil is a master strategist, and he actively plots and schemes to advance his kingdom. And, as any military expert can tell you, it is a lot easier to move your troops in to occupy territory when then other side doesn't resist or fight back.

Look at it in terms of military strategy. If the other side is unwise enough to let you move in unopposed, the first thing you do is move your troops in and get established--then you go after the enemy and try to wipe them out. The devil wants us to leave him alone so that he can quietly move in and establish a stronghold.

Thus, if the devil can talk believers into "leaving him alone" ( e.g., not resisting him as he moves in to take territory), he may indeed leave you alone for a season. But that season will only last as long as it takes him to get firmly established. Once he has taken the ground and built strongholds there, then he will move in and begin attacking pockets of potential resistance, trying to remove them before they can resist him. In other words, he will leave you alone for a season, while he gets stronger and establishes himself. But he will eventually attack you, seeking to steal, kill and destroy all that pertains to you as per John 10:10. Unfortunately, it will be harder to resist him (fight back and protect yourself) at that time, because he will be more firmly established.

2) IF I AM IN GOD'S WILL, I WON'T BE HARMED.

The other misunderstanding about warfare is this: "If I am in the center of God's will, then He will protect me from all harm or attack that the enemy might launch against me." This is true in the long run (eternity) but not in the short run (our life on this earth).

Having said that, I want to acknowledge that there are times when God supernaturally protects us from harm/attack. But there are also many times where He allows us to suffer for His name's sake. It is not uncommon for a believer to struggle or to go through trial, difficulty and hardship.

In fact, if you look at the heroes of the faith, you will see that pretty much every one of them when through a lot of hardship and trials as they tried to walk out the destiny that God ordained for them. They were in the center of God's will but God permitted a lot of seemingly bad things to happen to them. Sometimes He delivered them quickly (like splitting the Red Sea when Pharaoh's armies chased them intent on killing them). But there were times when God left them in hardship and unfair circumstances for years and years, such as Joseph being sold into slavery and then thrown unfairly into prison. Daniel was very Godly from his youth until the day he died. Yet the Lord allowed him to be kidnapped as a youth by enemy soldiers, carried away into captivity and even castrated (or turned into a eunuch). Talk about unfair treatment! And God did not protect him from these things, even though God was with him and moved powerfully through him.

King David had to run for his life from Saul on many occasions, he had to go into hiding, he had to fane insanity, the had to live among his enemies and pretend to be a traitor. His wife was taken away from him and married to someone else. He was a favorite of God, and yet God allowed him to suffer and to go through all of these things. By the way, who do you think was the one who caused David to suffer? In a sense it was King Saul, but he was being influenced by a demon. The devil was attacking David through King Saul (spiritual warfare) because God had great plans for using David to advance His kingdom.

Throughout history, you can see the devil bringing attack and hardship on those who were anointed of God. The prophet Jeremiah was thrown into prison for prophesying the word of the Lord. John the Baptist was beheaded for proclaiming God's righteous standards. The original twelve disciples were imprisoned, beaten, and many of them executed for proclaiming Jesus. The Apostle Paul endured huge amounts of persecution, including beatings, arrests, stoning, shipwrecks, going hungry, being falsely accused, etc. Many early believers were martyred for their faith, laying down the physical lives to receive a crown of eternal life. In short, God allowed a lot of "bad things" to happen to very godly people. He did not protect His elect from all of these bad things, and He won't always protect you, even when you are in the center of His will.

That is why Jesus asked us to count the cost when following Him. He said, in Matthew 10:38-39, "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

Jesus does not promise to protect us from suffering, hardship and attack. To the contrary, He promises that this will be a part of our lives, but that He will help us to overcome and walk in His victory in the midst of this adversity.

There are so many verses on this that I could not take the space in this lesson to cover them all. But here are some of them:

Matthew 24:9 - "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."

John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Matthew 24:9 - "They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake."

Mark 13:9-10 - But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must be preached to all the nations."

Romans 8:16-18 - "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Philippians 1:29 - "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

2 Timothy 3:12 - "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

1 Peter 4:12-13 - "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy."

1 Peter 4:16 - "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter."

Revelation 2:10 - "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

1 Peter 5:8-9 - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."