Spiritual Warfare
Jul
4
Written by:
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Spiritual Warfare
Pastor’s Column
14th Sunday Ordinary Time
July 4, 2010
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name!”
“I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.
Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions,
And the full force of the enemy, and nothing will harm you.
Luke 10:17-20
If there is one thing that scripture teaches us, it is that life on earth is a battleground, and the battle is being waged over your soul. Jesus makes it very clear throughout the gospels of the reality of both angels and demons in our lives, and of the influence they can have over our actions if we permit this to happen.
The first mistake many people make is to discount the reality of angels and demons, simply because we can’t see them, but this is a cardinal error. While we are in life, we are by God’s design temporarily unable to see the very real spiritual world around us and the beings that inhabit that world, but they are very aware of us and all our words and deeds. These things are hidden from us now so that we will be able to make a free choice for or against God in this life, which is nothing more or less than a brief time for choosing for or against God.
Jesus speaks constantly of angels and demons and the necessity of keeping watch. If we disbelieve in his words in the scripture, we might as well throw out all the rest of it as well! If we don’t take advantage of the weapons Christ has given us, we will be left completely disarmed against an enemy who has an overwhelming advantage over us. What are some of these weapons against the devil?
Scripture. Do I know my scripture? Do I listen attentively at Mass and read the bible every day? I can place a copy by the bed stand and read a passage before rising and retiring, and take it with me through the day. Scripture is the weapon Christ used when he was tempted!
Confession. Did you know that a good confession is actually a kind of exorcism? There is no better way of throwing the evil one out than by an honest admission of our sins to receive absolution. The next step is to replace those sins with good habits and all the fruits of the Spirit, so that the evil will not return.
Prayer and Fasting. Daily prayer and an examination of our conscience at the end of the day are essential if we are to make spiritual progress in this life. Fasting of food, television, or, even better, my own will in favor of God’s will or someone else is also a great tool with which to do battle. Christ did not leave us disarmed or ignorant of how things really are in this world, but we do have to listen to him and actually use the weapons he gave us. Then we too will see Satan falling like lightning.
Father Gary