Mentoring Manna:  The Invasion of Christ

© 2003 Pastor Keith Hassell

MM00096

Isaiah 59:16-19 (NKJV) “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.  According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay.  So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against Him.”

            The coming of Christ is nothing less than an act of war against the kingdom of darkness. It is an invasion against the gates of hell. Its purpose is to redeem lost souls held behind enemy lines. 

In the chapter entitled “Invasion” of his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says, “One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe---a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin. The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees . . . this universe is at war.”  The truth is that we cannot understand what is happening around us until we understand that we are at war.  Unless we understand that we have an enemy, we will misinterpret most circumstances in our life. It will be very hard to believe that God has a good plan for our lives.[1]

            If we do not realize that we are at war, then we begin to believe some very terrible things about God. What about that son who was killed by a drunk driver?  What about the four-year old girl who was molested by her daddy?  What about the faithful wife who died of the AIDS that was transmitted to her by her unfaithful husband?  What about victims of murder, rape, and terrorism?  What about that ugly divorce that devastated an entire family? What about that plane crash that took so many lives?  What about the destruction and death caused by violent acts of nature?  What about the famine where thousands of people are starving?  What about the horrors of war?  Were all of these things God’s will?  Is God the author of evil?

            In the beginning of God’s creation all that God made was very good.[2] There was no death, sickness, crime, pain, hate, adverse weather patterns, sin, or curse.  All was good until the adversary, the old Serpent the devil came on the scene.[3]  Through his deception, the problems and evils caused by sin, death, and the curse came upon our world. The effects have touched our bodies, minds, emotions, marriages, children, society, and nature itself. All creation longs to be delivered from the bondage of corruption.[4]

            Jesus came into this world to destroy the works of the devil, the power of death, and our bondage to fear.[5] Our deliverance was secured through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Our deliverance is enforced through Christ’s exaltation to the right hand of the Father.  One day all things will be put under His feet.  Praise God for His invasion upon the kingdom of darkness in order to set us free!

Application:  Remember that you are in a war.  The victory is sure although the battles of resistance are sometimes fierce. War is not pretty. The devil does not play fair. The fallout of sin and the curse have taken their toll upon us all. Do not be shaken by Satan’s missiles.  Put on your armor and fight for others as Christ fought for you!

Prayer:  “Heavenly Father, I want to thank You for invading this earth to rescue my soul. I realize that I am in a war and that the fallout of sin has produced casualties all around me.  Help me to be a faithful soldier and to fight to save others even as You fought for me. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

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[1] Jeremiah 29:11; John 10:10

[2] Genesis 1:31

[3] Revelation 12:9

[4] Genesis 3:14-19; Romans 8:20-23

[5] 1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14-15