“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Ephesians 2:1-3

There is continual debate on what those things are that will open us up to the Prince of Darkness, but we see here in this passage that our disobedience is what opens us up. When we follow our own ways and not that of our Creator, we are open to whatever the Prince of Darkness has for us in leading us astray from our inheritance. Some of those things are subtle and some of them are boldly known, but it is in the subtly of issues that I am going to discuss. I know many of you are thinking: YOGA! But I am not going to talk about that, many other people have gone on that road and I think that you’ll see here that it’s not even necessary because the enemy is after us in ALL things that we do, and as you grow in your relationship with Jesus you will distinguish those things for yourselves. I am on the same road as so many others: learning discernment, distinguishment, and finding my way.

If Satan is ruler of the earth, as Adam gave up his authority to Satan in the Garden, then how do we live? Well, those who are in Christ are under the authority of Jesus and we can know that we have salvation from this world and eternal life in Heaven. (WOW did that just sound so churchy!) And it means we are in a spiritual battle every day. Now, since I wake up daily to this war, how do I go to battle?

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Ephesians 6:13-17

So by knowing God’s word, I can use that to respond to the ways of this world in a way that depicts who I am in Jesus. The jerk on the road who cuts me off? Let him go. The people who gossip about me? Walk away. But what about those subtle things, like the coworker who is the office gossip? The employee that is insubordinate? The boss who is a tyrant? I loved the book Thriving in Babylon by Lawrence Osborne, as he reminds us that Daniel suffered all of this and more, and yet he thrived. How did he do it? He was brought to Babylon as a captive with his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego under King Nebuchadnezzar when the King conquered Judah. Daniel was put into service to the King and promoted because he and his friends had wisdom and understanding above others, and the King found none equal to them. Then Daniel was called upon to interpret a dream for the King and Daniel was able to interpret the King’s dream correctly. Daniel and his friends were later thrown into a furnace to burn to death for refusing to worship an image of the King that had been decreed for all to worship. Daniel then interprets the writing on a wall as a message from God. Next up for Daniel is he is thrown into the lion’s den for refusing to pray to the emperor and again is miraculously spared.

Can you imagine? Does life feel like you are entering the lion’s den daily? Some days, it feels like that for me. As a homeschooling single mother, I feel like I barely come up for breath, and that is my lion’s den. If I wallow in the difficulties of that, the enemy will exploit my weakness, and I will find myself short-tempered, easily upset, and distraught.

“People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.”

Proverbs 14:17

Isn’t that the truth! And who is it that feels that wrath? My son? The driver on the road next to me (or in front of me???) So when I don’t remain focused on who I am meant to be, I am easily and readily susceptible to the Prince of Darkness, and how will that lead others? What will become of those I influence directly and indirectly?

We often think of satan’s power of being over people like Hitler and Stalin, or Manson and Bundy. But how did any of these prolific murderers come to be? Over time, and with the subtleties of our passiveness, we allowed the Enemy to enter and change us and those around us.

So, friends, armor yourself in God’s Word! Be the light in the darkness and the example of love in an unlovely world. Because the true test of our character is who we are in a bad situation and not a good one, and the Enemy is always lurking.

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