The horrific events currently occurring in Israel are a clear example of the reality of evil in the world. The Bible tells us that it is Satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Wherever you see theft, murder and destruction you can know what spirit is controlling the hearts and minds of those who perpetrate such horrendous actions. The rational mind would find it difficult to think of any reason why one would resort to such horrific actions against other human beings. To understand such evil, one must look beyond the rational, beyond the natural, but into the supernatural, from where most of human activity emanates. There are two driving forces in this natural world: the force of good which derives from God, and the force of evil which derives from Satan. There are no other. So when one sees goodness, kindness, generosity, self-sacrifice and such it, derives from God, whether the individual knows Him or not. This is what theologians call common grace; that is God’s goodness shed abroad on people, even those who don’t know or acknowledge Him, personally. On the other hand, when you see atrocities, murders, violence, thievery and such, it derives from Satan and is executed through demons, who are in effect, evil angels. Satan and his demon minions always operate in darkness remaining hidden from even those under their control, lies being their primary weapon. Many of those under this demonic control fall to the delusion that they are their own master. They fail to realize that an invisible someone is actually pulling their strings. As Bob Dylan reminded us,
“You’re going to have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re going to have to serve somebody”
What’s important for us to understand is that demonic spirits have limited control of our natural world. Satan was cast down to the earth with one third of the heavenly hosts, and He roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, (Rev. 12:9, 1 Peter 5:8). Demonic control is the natural atmosphere and power at work in this world in the lives of most people whether they realize it or not. Am I saying that people are possessed by Satan? I will not quibble over the meaning of the word, “possession,” but I will posit that without God, people are influenced to one degree or another, by demonic powers. Whether Satan is actually in someone, on someone or around someone, is not visually discernable, so let’s just call it “demonization” in one degree or another.
Just as individuals can be demonized in varying degrees, so can nations made up of those people. A simple survey of world cultures will show that the more the acknowledgement of God is absent from a culture the more demonic activity will be evident. The spiritual realm abhors a vacuum. This results in what may be called “goat nations,” that are mostly under the influence of godless, pagan and demonic powers. Sheep nations are those that still acknowledge God and Biblical values in their systems and institutions.
So, we see that the controlling demonic spirits that commit atrocities around the world are the very same spirits we see controlling the American left that advances such pagan and demonic rituals as child sacrifice, that is abortion, sexual immorality, lawlessness, and increasing authoritarian control.
As Christians engaged in spiritual warfare we must understand that there are only two forces at work in this world, and we must pray and act in such a way as to advance the forces and power of God upon a world, presently occupied by Satan and his demons. That’s precisely why Adam was given the charge to “rule over” or to take dominion over the natural world (Gen. 2:28). We all know that the first Adam failed in this mission, and so the second Adam came, Jesus Christ, to accomplish that mission through his Church, for he has given to his Church the authority to tread up serpents and all the powers of the enemy, until the enemy is made his footstool, (Luke 10:19, Hebrews 10:13).
Our spiritual warfare must be directed toward those demonic forces causing a living hell in the Holy Land today, with an understanding that it is the very same spirit that is energizing the American left. It must be defeated here as well as in Israel. We must pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on us, because “Everybody’s gotta serve somebody.”
