I’ve been posting about Spiritual Warfare and I realize that there are some, perhaps many, who think this is all just a bunch of “Hocus-Pocus” while others bewail, “It’s too spooky, too scary.  I don’t want to think about it.”  In the movie Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers, Aragorn and Gandolph are confronting the King of Rohan about the impending danger to his kingdom.  They warn him that the enemy is coming; that they are going through communities murdering, raping, pilfering, stealing and burning those villages to the ground.  They cautioned him that his only chance was to take his warriors out into the field and confront the peril head on before that enemies attack his kingdom.

The King of Rohan responded, “I will not risk open warfare!”  Whereupon Aragorn answered, “Open warfare is upon you whether you would risk it or not!”  I love that line!  I got so excited when I saw that scene that I played it over and over again shouting, “That’s it!  That’s it!”  You see, there are so many Christians who have buried their heads in the sand not wanting to risk open warfare, as if ignoring it could make it go away.  Open warfare is upon you, dear brother or sister, whether you would risk it or not.”

The twelfth chapter of Revelation gives us some insight into this phenomenon.  Let’s take a look at a few of those verses:

1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Now the word “wonder” can also be interpreted as “sign.”  It is an unual occurance transcending the course of nature … something supernatural.  The “woman clothed with the sun” refers to the nation of Israel.  The twelve stars in her crown are the twelve tribes of Israel and the child who is about to be delivered is the Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ.  This should help to set the stage for further information revealed in this passage.

3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The dragon is none other than Satan, the rebellious foe of God and the enemy of our souls.  How do we know that the dragon is Satan?  Verse nine identifies him beyond doubt:

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Indeed, the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself.  If at first you don’t understand something, keep reading!  The Bible will explain itself.  Now we see that Micheal, the Archangel, highest and most powerful of all created beings in God’s Army since the fall of Lucifer (the Devil or Satan) is doing battle with the dragon and his (fallen) angels and Satan and his seditious followers were cast out of heaven.

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

“The accuser of the brethren” is yet another of the many names attributed to our enemy, Satan.  According to this text he stands before the throne of God accusing us night and day.  Oh, so that’s it!  Now it begins to make sense.  How many times have accusations been hurled at me from “who knows where” and I find myself believing, yes even embracing those accusations.  “You’re such an idiot!  You’re an imposter!  You don’t really love God!  God couldn’t really love you!  Not after what you’ve done.”  Need I say more?  Oh, I could add a whole page or a chapter on the thoughts that run through my head, all the while wondering where that could have come from!  It’s the accuser of the bretheren … it didn’t come from you!  The only solution is to “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  James 4:7

Now let’s fast forward to the last verse in Revelation 12:

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Did you catch that, dear friend?  The dragon (Satan) lost that battle and was furious!  Now he has declared war upon those who “have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”  And you thought that becoming a Christian would assure you of a “nice little life.”  Nothing could be further from the truth!  You enlisted into a world at war … a conflict that has been going on since before the foundation of the world!  You are caught up into it and no amount of ignoring it will make it better.  If you have claimed the name of Jesus Christ you have an enemy who hates you with a passion and has declared war upon you simply because you belong to Christ!

“Open warfare is upon you whether you would risk it or not!”