The Devil's Real Weapon (#36 of 365+)

Yesterday was Halloween and I had a chance to spend a couple of hours in front of the TV with my son and niece. We watched a show about haunted places in America, including the scary
Shanghai Tunnel in Portland. The kids ridiculed eyewitness stories of paranormal activity and I was impressed with how easily they invented ways to fraudulently replicate those same experiences. They reminded me of the meddling kids who solved mysteries and unmasked villains in the old Scooby Doo cartoons. I’m also a skeptic and don’t believe human souls can get stuck here for very long after they leave their bodies. However, I was quick to make this a teachable moment for my son and niece. I reminded them there might come a time in their own lives when they will encounter something authentic, either from God or from the enemy, and they need to be prepared with the right mindset.

While being a skeptic about reports of paranormal activity I believe in God so of course I believe in a spiritual realm. I also have firsthand knowledge that the spiritual realm is very real. I’ve experienced the presence of God in many ways. I’ve heard his voice speak to me, and I’ve heard the sound of rushing wind in a room with no open doors or windows. An angel from God walked into my life briefly to offer words of hope and comfort. I’ve seen visions while being fully awake, and one while my eyes were open. Sounds crazy, huh? But that’s not all. On the flip side, I’ve felt an enemy attack so real that I couldn’t breathe and it didn’t flee until I prayed in my mind to God.

Joni said, “The devil’s most damning weapon is not… evil spirits, ghostly appearances, weird sounds, green flashing lights, levitation, or chairs scooting around a room. The devil’s most powerful weapon is unforgiven sin… With it, he can accuse us, belittle us, strip us of confidence and, finally, he can rob our joy and peace of mind.” The bible says “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15)

There really is no unforgiven sin because they were all paid for by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. It is when sin goes unconfessed and we’re trying to hide if from God that the devil will use it, as Joni said, “to defeat and discourage” us. But the word says Jesus Christ “disarmed the powers and authorities” (the strongholds of the enemy forces) and “he made a public spectacle of them.” Let’s confess our sin to God, he already knows about them anyway, and laugh at his enemies because they're powerless when we know we're right with our God.

Lord, thank you for revealing your presence in my life in such profound ways. Shine your light on my heart and reveal every corner of darkness that may be within me. I don’t want the enemy to ever have a semblance of control over any area of my life. Amen.