If every Christian would arm themselves with the armor that the apostle Paul describes, our local congregations would be able to make a real difference in the community. Added to the imagery provided by Paul, Jesus taught a simple message during one of his parables, And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come (Luke 19:13), we are supposed to be an occupying army. After World War II, the United States occupied post-war Germany and Japan. Our soldiers were visible on every street corner, in every school, governmental building, and anywhere else large numbers citizens from the defeated nations were gathered. Just as those soldiers occupied those defeated nations until they were relieved, we are also supposed to occupy where we are. As Christians, we are to visibly be in the schools, in government, in our neighborhoods, and even where we work. Instead of remembering that Hell’s gates cannot win against the body of Christ, we have allowed Satan to put us on the defensive.
Instead of taking the battle to the world, we have allowed the battle to be brought inside our sanctuaries, Sunday school classrooms, and even our efforts to reach out to the community. Instead of boldly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and setting moral standards according to the Bible, Christians have chosen to remain silent and avoid confrontation. In other words, instead of marching forward, we have been steadily in retreat. Take a look at our communities and you will see people who are hurting; they are searching for the peace and joy that only the Lord Jesus can bring into a shattered life. We see young men and women who are giving into the temptations of drugs, alcoholism, sexual perversions, premarital sex, bodily mutilation and tattoos, all to fill the emptiness in their lives. Satan has offered them psychology and the justification that there is no God, no moral absolutes; all that matters is how they feel. The church has remained silent while withholding the only real message that has the power to heal, to save souls, that brings meaning to life, and that can heal even the most shattered life.
I often wonder why we, as Christians, have surrendered so much to the world. Is it because we are afraid of the battle? Are we unsure of the armor of our faith as discussed by Paul? Have we forgotten the command from Jesus to go forward and spread the gospel but instead have chosen to focus on the size of the gates of Hell? Have we lost our desire to be active in our faith because we perceive the gates of Hell are too great to overcome? The church has not been restricted to a defensive role, but is made a body of believers that have the capabilities to literally change their communities and the world if we would just believe the teachings of Christ, accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and put Satan and Hell on the defensive. After all, Christ has empowered the church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
