On Spiritual Combat E-Book

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 375

Beschreibung

Civilization is fighting to survive tragic times. On Spiritual Combat is a spiritual warfare guide for military members, law enforcement officers, first responders, and all sheepdogs. It prepares their hearts and minds for battle, teaching them to identify, understand, and fight evil forces. Each day includes: - powerful readings - encouraging Scripture - meaningful hymns - questions for reflection - recommended reading from On Combat, the seminal resource on physical combat by Dave Grossman.   With God, we will rise as virtuous Christian warriors who defend and protect the innocent, helpless, and oppressed.

Leseprobe

On Spiritual Combat is the most unique guide to preparing for and winning the spiritual battles of life that I have ever read. The old warrior, Dave Grossman, has used his experience and understanding of the Word to write a book that we all need to read and ponder.

—Jerry Boykin, Lt. Gen. US Army (ret.)

Spiritual warfare is so very real, and the enemy is desperately seeking ways to destroy us and our relationship with Jesus. On Spiritual Combat is a great tool that can help equip you for the battle everyday.

—Brian (LTC, Ret, US Army) and Mel Birdwell, authors of Refined by Fire: A Family’s Triumph of Love and Faith

Along with Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman, Adam Davis has written a book, On Spiritual Combat, that has long been needed. It draws from the spring-well of the physical, psychological, and spiritual realms. This book energizes beginners and long-time Christians alike so they may benefit from numerous insights the authors provide through a distinctively biblical approach to overcoming the forces of darkness entrenched around us. On Spiritual Combat is a compilation of weaponry—an impressive synthesis of biblical truths that supply us with the weapons that produce remarkable results when we battle dark forces. On Spiritual Combat is an essential must-read for every believer since it points out what evils we fight against and details how we can emerge victorious.

—Henry A. Harbuck (PhD, ThD), president, AEGA Ministries International and Evangel Christian University of America

I am blessed to count Lt. Col. Dave Grossman as both a fellow servant-warrior and dear brother in Christ. Having recommended his book On Combat for many years now, I can give my highest endorsement for his new book On Spiritual Combat. Just as On Combat is required reading in many police academies, On Spiritual Combat should be required reading for every Christian warrior (and every would-be Christian) and, frankly, every warrior’s spouse. We are fighting a very real spiritual war, and it is imperative that we be fully armed and armored to successfully engage and defeat a very real enemy. This book shows us how.

—Lt. Michael “MC” Williams, police officer and chaplain; founder and director, The Centurion Law Enforcement Ministry; past board vice president, Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers—USA

I love this book! On Spiritual Combat left me educated, convicted, illuminated, and inspired. It relays the marching orders Jesus gives to all of us.

—Dave Eubank, Free Burma Rangers missionary

BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC

Savage, Minnesota, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

On Spiritual Combat:30 Missions for Victorious Warfare

Copyright © 2020 by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Adam Davis

978-1-4245-6007-3 (faux leather)

978-1-4245-6008-0 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2000, 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188, USA. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked WEB are taken from the World English Bible, public domain.

Italics that appear in Scripture quotations are added by the authors for emphasis.

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Cover and interior by Garborg Design at GarborgDesign.com

Published in association with Cyle Young of the Hartline Literary Agency, LLC.

Printed in China

202122232454321

Dedication

From Dave Grossman:

To all my sheepdog brothers and sisters, may this book be a blessing to you as you have been a blessing to so many others in selfless service!

And to Tannin Lee, Kadi Quinn, Emma Bear, and Lia Bug. May this book be a blessing to you as you have been to me. May God protect and bless these little ones and raise them up to be mighty warriors in the kingdom of God.

From Adam Davis:

To every brother and sister in Christ, those with whom I’ve been honored to serve shoulder to shoulder near and far, may this strengthen you, sharpen you, and empower you for victorious living.

A Note from the Authors

This book is a joint endeavor between Adam Davis and Dave Grossman. Adam had a hand in every aspect of creating this book, but all the personal examples are drawn from Dave Grossman’s experiences, teaching, and presentations. So we have chosen to write from Dave Grossman’s personal perspective, but he gives full credit and appreciation to Adam and all of his hard work in writing this book.

Contents

Introduction

Section 1: Basic Training and Equipment

Mission #1: Identify the Adversary: Rulers of Darkness

Mission #2: The Armor of Light—God’s Plan for a Bulletproof Life

Mission #3: More Than a Stinking Belt

Mission #4: Protecting the Warrior’s Heart

Mission #5: Boots on the Ground: The Great Commission

Mission #6: Take Up Your Shield, Warrior

Mission #7: The Helmet (Blam!) of (Blam!) Salvation (Blam!)

Mission #8: His Terrible Swift Sword

Mission #9: Heavenly Commo: Prayer Is Our Radio

Mission #10: Know Your Mission, Inside and Outside

Section 2: Forward into Battle

Mission #11: Never Grow Weary of Doing Good

Mission #12: Remember Why You’re Here: Teamwork

Mission #13: Knowing the Voice of the Great Shepherd

Mission #14: Sheepdogs, Keep Your Eyes on the Great Shepherd

Mission #15: Combating Intrusive Thoughts

Mission #16: Prayer Drills: Never Ceasing

Mission #17: Peace Twixt Man and God

Mission #18: Striving for Peace Within

Mission #19: Delivered from Evil: Forgiveness

Mission #20: This World Is Not My Home: Distractions

Section 3: Stay in the Fight

Mission #21: An Epidemic of Sleep Deprivation: Resting in the Lord

Mission #22: Count Your Blessings: Defeating Doubt

Mission #23: Where Do We Get Such Warriors?

Mission #24: “Is That You, God?” Training To Be Miserable

Mission #25 : The Hound of Heaven

Mission #26: The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Mission #27: Love and Faith Over Fear! Fuel to Fight

Mission #28: Cast Your Net on the Right Side

Mission #29: This Is Just the Beginning! Advanced Training

Mission #30: Earn This: Tell Me I’ve Been a Good Man

Afterword

Resources

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

Introduction

Did we in our own strength confide,Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side,The Man of God’s own choosing.

—“A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD” BY MARTIN LUTHER (1483–1546)

This is a book about spiritual combat. It is intended to stand on its own, but it can also work in conjunction with On Combat by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. On Combat has been “issued” in the DEA and US Marshals academies, and it has been “required reading” in police academies and fire service academies worldwide. The US Marine Corps’ “Commandant’s Required Reading List” includes On Combat (and On Killing),courses and academies of all branches of the US Armed Forces have the book on their required or recommended reading lists, and publishers have translated it into five languages.

The point here is that On Combat has established itself as a seminal resource in the realm of physical combat, drawing from a host of authors and experts, and bringing together an array of scholars and studies into a useful and valuable resource. It is our hope and intention, we humbly pray, that On Spiritual Combat is to spiritual warfare what On Combat is to the physical battlefield.

At the end of each chapter (or “mission”) in this book, you will find some recommended reading from my book On Combat. This reading is not essential or required. The book you hold in your hands stands on its own. But, by tying in this recommended reading from On Combat, you will gain a greater depth of understanding of this battle that rages around us in the physical, psychological, and spiritual realms.

Highlight lines and make margin notes in On Combat in the same way that you do in On Spiritual Combat. In several cases the recommended reading at the end of each Mission is a repeat. This is intentional, and if you have already read that chapter in On Combat, just skim it again and see how this insight into physical combat can reinforce our understanding of the spiritual battlefield.

Also, it is highly recommended that you work the Holy Bible into this study in the same way that you weave in On Combat, but even more so! Read the passages cited in each chapter of this book, and then read it in your Bible. This will give you the greater biblical context for each passage. I also suggest that you make highlights and annotations in your Bible.

These three resources—the Bible, On Combat, and On Spiritual Combat—will work together to help you understand and effectively fight against the evil spiritual forces arrayed against you.

Rooted in God’s Holy Word

You will find many books on every possible subject that seem to operate in a vacuum. These may be worthy endeavors, but at one level, many fall flat from the very beginning. They are fundamentally flawed by the authors’ failure to incorporate other works into their books.

The best books on any subject are those that “stand on the shoulders of giants” and build on that which others have already achieved. By skillfully weaving past wisdom with new information and new insight, the author creates a book that is greater than the sum of its parts.

That is what the authors strive for in this book: incorporating, applying, and recommending some of the great minds that have previously written great works on this vital subject.

All of this is, of course, ultimately and definitively founded upon and rooted in God’s Holy Word, the Bible. I will bracket each “mission” (each chapter) with a passage and a prayer.

But don’t give up, and don’t give in. We not only prevail; we also overcome every attack. Remember, the flip side of victory is warfare, and the flip side of warfare is victory. Either way, you win.

—The Rules of Engagement by Cindy Trimm

For Such a Time as This

We have never needed this book more than we do now. Our civilization is striving to survive in tragic, dark, and violent times, and ultimately “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12 ESV).

I will be the first to tell you that On Combat and all of our worldly striving are ultimately doomed if we fail to address the spiritual aspect of the challenge that is before us.

Throughout this book, I will include hymns in the form of poetry. Don’t just scan these poems. Read them with new eyes. Read them again, catch the rhymes, and feel the flow. Look at the names and dates of these authors, and get a sense of these wonderful old souls from past centuries. They are looking over your shoulder with pleasure as you are inspired by their words. Take these noble, powerful, beautiful old lines and apply them to your life and to your spiritual battle.

The Jewish faith has the concept of “midrash.” Midrash is (from one very limited perspective) a set of commentary that surrounds God’s Word, established and sustained across the generations to give us a deeper understanding of Scripture. I would humbly submit that these hymns and the poetry within them, which have sustained and survived across the centuries, are a form of Christian midrash worthy of respect. Worthy to illuminate and enlighten us about God and his Word.

I encourage you to say these poems aloud (for poetry was meant to be spoken) or, if in a place where that is inappropriate, to whisper them to yourself. If you know the music for the hymn, then sing that aloud (or whisper), and let these words come alive through your own voice and spirit, and let them bless and empower you.

A good example is the short piece from Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” at the beginning of this introduction. Go back again to that opening piece and read it with reverence and purpose. These lyrics have given strength and solace to believers for centuries. Let these words roll off your tongue and prayerfully dwell upon them as you read them. I encourage you—I exhort you—to do the same with all the other poems and hymns that have been carefully and prayerfully woven throughout this book.

I also encourage you to keep a journal as you read this book. Jot down key thoughts and points that you want to retain and apply. Think of how you can begin to modify your life to fight victoriously in spiritual warfare, and then write down those thoughts. Or, highlight and underline portions of the book and write in the margins. However you choose to do it, find a way to preserve key phrases and Bible verses that inspire you to do future exploration of God’s Word and his place in your life.

“Do Something”—Striving for Spiritual Safety

In Matthew West’s song “Do Something,” he talks about shaking his fist at heaven and asking God to do something about all the bad things in this world. God replies, “I did, I created you.”

Wherever you are as you read these words, you can probably look up and see some of the things our society has done to prepare for the threat of fire. Some form of fire code has influenced the building you are in right now. You can probably see smoke alarms, fire sprinklers, and, possibly, fire-exit signs. A fire extinguisher or a fire hydrant may be within sight.

By some estimates, half the construction costs of a modern building will go into meeting the requirements of the fire code. Fireproof or fire-retardant materials for the structure of the building and internal furnishings versus the cheapest alternative. Bringing the electrical system up to fire code. Doubling the electrical system in some buildings to run wiring to all fire-exit signs and smoke alarms. Keeping the fire sprinkler system under pressure for the lifetime of the building.

The fire alarm in many buildings is an amazing expense all by itself, with a separate network of wiring running through our communities from every building to the local fire station. Don’t even get started with the cost of that fire hydrant and all those huge pipes running under every city. From our youngest days, we did fire drills, and perhaps someone taught you to “stop, drop, and roll” in case you ever caught on fire.

Vast amounts of money, time, and effort go into preparing for fire. In the United States every year, around thirty-four hundred people are killed by fire, but approximately seventeen thousand are murdered in acts of violence. If we can spend all this money and time to prepare for fire (and we should), how much more so should we prepare for violence?

And yet, the comparison between fire and violence completely breaks down when we consider the psychological effects of this virus of violence, because it is man-made.

During the 9/11 attacks in the United States, terrorists murdered over three thousand citizens. The stock market crashed, the US invaded two nations, and our world changed dramatically. That same year, over thirty thousand Americans died in traffic accidents, and it didn’t change anything. Because they were accidents!

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (the Bible of psychiatry and psychology) tells us that whenever the cause of a traumatic event is human in nature, the degree of psychological trauma is “usually more severe and long lasting.”

Ask yourself how you would respond to these two scenarios:

•A tornado (or earthquake or fire or tsunami) hits your house while you are gone and puts your whole family in the hospital. How do you feel about that? Most people would say, “Thank God they survived!”

•A gang breaks into your house while you are gone and beats your whole family so badly they end up in the hospital. How do you feel about that one?

Most people would have to admit that there is a vast difference between these two scenarios, and we have to recognize that preparation for violence is essential if we are to protect our families, our houses of worship, and our nation. Indeed, the very existence of our civilization is hanging in the balance.

Across America, working with an amazing team of experts in the field, I help teach “Sheepdog House of Worship Safety Seminars” (www.SheepDogSeminars.com). These seminars began before nine of our precious brothers and sisters in the Lord were murdered in Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; before twenty-six worshipers were murdered in Sutherland Springs Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas; and before eleven dear souls were murdered in Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Carl Chinn is the president of the Faith Based Security Network (FBSNAmerica.com), and he is our nation’s foremost researcher in the field of violence in this community. He tells us that every year in America, more people are murdered on faith-based properties than are murdered in schools.

Still, even after all these attacks, we hear people say: “Don’t you think God will protect you? Don’t you have enough faith?”

So I ask, “Don’t you think God will protect you from fire? Why do you need those fire exit signs or that fire extinguisher? Don’t you think God will protect you from fire? Throw away that fire exit sign! Throw away that fire extinguisher! Show us your faith!”

No. It doesn’t work that way. Please don’t curse God when bad things happen. In the end: We. Will. All. Die. Physical deaths. And very few deaths are truly easy. Most people gasp for just a few more seconds of life. The body does not let go of life easily.

God’s greatest achievement (far greater than a few more days on this weary world) is his promise of eternal life through his Son, Jesus, who paid the price for our sins so that we could be adopted into God’s family. Corrie ten Boom, a Christian, suffered as a prisoner in a Nazi prison camp during World War II. Even after such a horrible experience, she was able to write: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.” Our hope is in God, and he has an amazing future in store for us, especially after we leave this world. His promise of eternal life is just one of the many reasons we can find our rest in him no matter what this world throws at us.

In the meantime, as Jimmy Meeks, the founder and one of the trainers at the Sheepdog Seminars, tells us: “God loves us, and he has every intention of doing something in response to these tragic times. He sent you.” We believe, as it says in the book of Esther, that God has put you here “For just such a time as this.”

The Old That Is Strong Does Not Wither

Take a moment now to consider the threat, in addition to the church massacres mentioned above:

•The attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, with 2,996 dead. Generally considered the most horrendous terrorist attack in history.

•Over six hundred massacred, many of them children, in the Lutheran Church in Liberia in 1990, possibly the single worst church massacre in modern history.

•Sixty-nine murdered and 120 wounded in Utoya, Norway, in 2011 in the most horrendous massacre by a single individual using only firearms.

•Fifty-nine murdered by a single person with firearms in the Las Vegas Mandalay Massacre in 2017, the worst such crime in American history.

•Fifteen murdered by a seventeen-year-old student in Winnenden, Germany, 2009, in the worst massacre committed by a juvenile in human history.

•Seventeen murdered in Erfurt, Germany, in 2002, and seventeen murdered in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, both crimes committed by nineteen-year-old high school dropouts. (That is not an error. An identical crime to Parkland happened in Erfurt, and these crimes by nineteen-year-old perpetrators do not qualify for our juvenile hit parade.)

•Twenty-six murdered in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, twenty of them first grade students with ages ranging from five to six years old.

•Thirty-three murdered at Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Virginia, in 2007, and twenty murdered at Kerch College in Russia in 2018.

These are not some ancient history. Not some distant land. This is us. Now!

In the United States, the FBI tells us that the number of mass murders is doubling every decade, and the average body count is going up. And you do not have to go any further than the front page of your newspaper to find similar examples in your own part of the world.

There is a new twist to terrorism. It’s called body count. Whether the perpetrators are school killers, workplace killers, or international terrorists, they are not interested in negotiating. Their only goal is to kill as many people as humanly possible.

The defining challenge of the years to come is to protect our loved ones, our students, our customers, our employees, our civilization, and our very way of life from violence in the same way that we protect them from fire.

But wait. The sky is not falling. It is within our ability to meet this challenge. Through God, his Holy Spirit, and his divine Word, we will rise to the challenge, both spiritually and physically, and he will guide us on virtuous paths to defend our civilization in these dark hours.

J. R. R. Tolkien was a contemporary of C. S. Lewis. Lewis wrote his series, The Chronicles of Narnia, as a Christian allegory from a Protestant perspective. Tolkien’s classic warrior epic, The Lord of the Rings, was also written as a Christian allegory but from a Catholic perspective.

In Tolkien’s book, we find these classic words of hope in the darkest hour:

All that is gold does not glitter,Not all those who wander are lost.

The old that is strong does not wither,Deep roots are not touched by the frost.

Now, in this dark hour, let us tap the strength that is drawn from our deep, Christian-warrior roots, roots that have indeed endured the bitter frost. Let us seek out the strong godly guidance that will never wither. Let us embrace the old ways, the ways of the virtuous Christian warrior, to answer the challenge of the age with the power of God’s word.

Proclaim it now throughout the land: I am a sheepdog under the authority of the Great Shepherd! He that is in me is far greater than he that is in the world! I am a child of the one true King! Endowed by my Creator with unalienable rights, empowered by my Constitution as a free citizen, inspired by my forefathers to fight for this land I love. I am a sheepdog under the authority of the Great Shepherd, and this is as far as the minions of hell are going!

Now unto him that is able to keep you fromfalling, and to present you faultless before thepresence of his glory with exceeding joy, To theonly wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty,dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

—JUDE 24–25

Basic Training and Equipment

Be not overcome of evil,but overcome evil with good.

—ROMANS 12:21

A mighty Fortress is our God, A Bulwark never failing;

Our Helper He amid the flood, Of mortal ills prevailing:For still our ancient foe, Doth seek to work us woe;His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;Lord Sabaoth His Name, From age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

—“A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD” BY MARTIN LUTHER (1483–1546)

All around us every day, an unseen combat rages. It is invisible, yet we feel it in every aspect of our lives. It is a spiritual war. It is a battle for our souls and a desperate struggle for the survival of everything we love, from our children to our nation to our very civilization.

You cannot avoid this battle. You are in this spiritual combat whether or not you want it, because the enemy will most definitely come for you and yours. There is no escaping this enemy. There is only victory or death. Salvation or damnation.

Our enemy is evil. Indeed, our enemy is the very definition of the foulest conceivable evil, and this demonic foe never stops hurting, fighting, deceiving, cheating, and killing in an endless effort to destroy all that is dear to us.

Our enemy murders, physically and spiritually. He wishes to deprive us of our lives here on earth and (far worse) eternally in heaven. Our evil, eternal foe desires to widow our spouses, orphan our children, and fill our lives with sin, death, and despair. Our hearts, our homes, our families, our nation, even our entire civilization are at stake.

Ah, but fear not! Rejoice! For however evil and powerful our enemy may be, on our side is a force of sacrificial love that is far greater than any other force in the universe. Our Supreme Commander in this war is the one who created the universe. And he loves us.

Do you believe there is evil in this world? How can anyone deny it? Then you must believe there is also a powerful force for good at work in our lives. Isn’t it odd how some people can accept the presence of evil in this world, but they cannot accept God and his heavenly forces of good?

All that is necessary for the triumph of evilis that good men do nothing.

—EDMUND BURKE

I Want to Believe

Some of you at this point are saying, “I want to believe. I wish I could believe. I wish it were so. But I just can’t accept it.” Take that wish and recognize it for what it is: a tiny seed of belief. Belief is a choice, and you now recognize that part of you would choose to believe. Find within you that small seed of belief, then plant that seed, invest that seed, and ask God for more. I tell you now (and you will hear it again later) that it really is ok to say, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NIV).

C. S. Lewis, one of the greatest Christian writers and thinkers in recent centuries, talks about this doubt that perhaps everyone feels at some level. He put it like this in his majestic Christian allegory The Chronicles of Narnia series. (I’ve changed “Narnia” to “God’s kingdom” and “Aslan” to “Jesus” in order to make this quote flow here, but I encourage all Christian spiritual warriors to read the whole series, and then read them aloud to your children and grandchildren, a chapter a night, as I did with my three sons!)

“Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things… Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that’s a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We’re just babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That’s why I’m going to stand by the play world. I’m on Jesus’ side even if there isn’t any Jesus to lead it. I’m going to live as much like a citizen of God’s kingdom as I can, even if there isn’t any God. So we’re… setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for God’s kingdom. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that’s a small loss if the world’s as dull a place as you say.”

—Puddleglum in The Green Chair by C. S. Lewis

Some would say, “Well, I’m a person of science, science has explained everything, and I cannot reconcile this with science.”

Science has explained everything? I am an avid science geek, and I like to point out, when I am interviewed on a podcast, that:

•Consciousness is a quantum state. Our mind truly could be a quantum computer.

•Quantum entanglement (what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance”) says two particles can be connected across vast distances. Could that be some aspect of our connection with God and that spiritual realm in which we wage spiritual combat?

•Dark energy makes up 68 percent of the universe, and dark matter makes up 27 percent of the universe, adding up to about 95 percent. Scientists have absolutely no idea what that 95 percent could be. But they think it might be all around us, and some scientists have said it could be a vast quantum soup. (The remaining 5 percent, one-twentieth of the universe, is the only part that we can see and touch.)

•Could dark energy be God’s angels? And perhaps dark matter is heaven?

The point is this: No. One. Knows. We cannot know.

Belief is a choice, and you can make the choice to believe in God. You can create a tiny seed of belief from your desire to believe. Then you can invest that tiny seed of belief in prayer for more belief. You can walk that path of faith and prayer, and in the end, you can reach a place where you are empowered to fight, effectively and triumphantly, to defend all that you love in this vast spiritual battle that rages around us.

If we are wrong, we lose nothing, and we have led a good life, one that has meaning and is worth living. The kind of life that has been proven across the centuries to build good, strong, happy families and nations. The kind of life that can help ensure freedom, prosperity, and peace across the generations.

If we are right, then we gain everything. Everything!

Thus we dedicate ourselves to casting off evil, to seeking out God’s will, to fighting for what is good in God’s eyes, to living the full, rich life that our loving heavenly Father desires for us, and then to dwelling with him forever. As one of the ancient psalmists said, “Depart from evil and do good; and dwell for evermore” (Psalms 37:27).

You may not believe in the evil one, but he believes in you. And he most definitely believes in God. But satan will be defeated if you are dressed for the occasion with the full armor of God! Those spiritual warriors who show proper fashion sense (all of us, men and women, need a dose of God-given fashion sense!) would rather be caught naked than to be without the panoply of armor and weapons that God has given us.

Now you will be receiving your basic issue. This is not just an inventory of equipment. It is an action plan for a victorious Christian life. It is the only way to defend all that we love, and to emerge triumphant in the end.

From this point on, we will refer to you as brothers and sisters in Christ, as fellow Christian warriors, and as sheepdogs in service to the Great Shepherd.

Choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house,we will serve the Lord.

—JOSHUA 24:15

Mission #1

Identify the Adversary: Rulers of Darkness

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,but against principalities, against powers,against the rulers of the darkness of this world,against spiritual wickedness in high places.

—EPHESIANS 6:12

Fear not, O little flock, the foeWho madly seeks your overthrow;

Dread not his rage and power;What though your courage sometimes faints,His seeming triumph o’er God’s saints

Lasts but a little hour.

—“FEAR NOT O LITTLE FLOCK” BY GUSTAYUS ADOLPHUS (1594–1632)

“We wrestle not with flesh and blood.” Thus we are told, and thus we establish from the very beginning, without any doubt or hesitation, that we are in a spiritual battle against supernatural forces of unspeakable evil and depravity. To firmly establish the baseline between the villain and the hero in our story of life, look at Derek Prince’s work Spiritual Warfare for the End Times: How to Defeat the Enemy. Prince tells us: “The thief here is the person of satan. The role is contrasted clearly with Jesus’ role: satan is the life-taker; Jesus is the life-giver.”

As Christians, we understand the enemy is satan. But in our modern world, how do we identify him? The enemy, satan, is a thief. He is here to take life, to steal, to kill, to destroy. This is evident in the untold number of massacres on religious, school, and business properties in recent history. This is evident in the violent crimes across our nation. We can also see it in the murderous, tyrannical, and oppressive governments of many nations across the globe.

While we understand and accept that the enemy is satan, we must also recognize that he regularly uses human beings to execute his plan to take innocent lives. Jesus said as much when he spoke to individuals who were plotting to kill him: “‘You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I speak the truth, you do not believe me!’” (John 8:44 NIV). We only have to scan the daily news to find proof that the evil one will use mortal tools, human beings engaging in horrendous evil acts that can daunt and paralyze us. We must prepare to defend what we love in the mortal realm, just like we prepare for fire with smoke alarms, fire codes, fire extinguishers, and fire exits. But it is absolutely essential that we always remember this: ultimately, the battle will be won or lost in the spiritual realm.

Identifying the enemy allows us to prepare our minds and hearts to overcome the overwhelming fear of deadly encounters with evil, both physically and spiritually. Becoming a spiritual warrior will make us vastly better in physical combat. But the lessons of physical combat (which we will be following in On Combat) can also assist us in our spiritual endeavors.

We must accept this challenge to fight evil, physically and spiritually. We must choose to be the light, in the darkness of a fallen world.

The Darkness Hideth Not from Thee

When I teach my “Full Armor of God” class, I begin by telling my students to close one eye and to cover that eye with their hand. (Do that now as you read this. Close an eye and cover it with your hand.)

Then I tell them about staying focused on God through studying his Word and remaining in prayer. “The things of the world will blind you if you do not keep a part of yourself focused on God. You will be blindsided by the evil one because you have no ability to discern the things that are of darkness.” (Keep that eye covered, or you will miss out on something pretty amazing.)

When a soldier puts camo on his face, he takes the areas that would be in shadow (like the eye sockets and around the nose) and makes them a light color. And the things that would catch the light, like the nose, chin, cheekbones, and forehead, he covers with a dark color. (Keep covering that eye.)

In the same way, the evil one will take bright and beautiful things, like the loving and pure sexual relations within a godly marriage, and make them dark and vile, as with pornography. Our foe will also take things that are dark and ugly, like addictive drugs, and make them look bright and attractive. (Don’t uncover your eye yet.)

These are simple examples, but many things are far more complex and difficult to discern. The evil one cannot create anything. He can only camouflage, distort, and pervert what God created. It is through prayer and reading God’s Word that we can discern these things. (Keep covering that eye.)

God’s Word tells us, “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” (Psalms 139:12).

It is by our relationship with God, through prayer and by studying his Word, that we keep ourselves protected from the things of darkness. (Keep it up, almost there.)

After a few minutes of instruction, we turn off the lights, and I tell everyone to take their hand off their eye and open their eye. (But don’t take yours off yet!) There is always a chorus of “Ooo!” and “Wow!” from the audience. With the light turned off, the eye that was covered now has far better night vision than the other eye. For those who have never done this, the effect is remarkable.

Do that now. Turn off the light or move into a dark room or closet. Allow for a little ambient light so the room isn’t completely dark; perhaps leave the door cracked a little. Then take your hand off your eye. (If you protect that eye for five or ten minutes, the effect is astounding. To get the full effect, you really need to keep that eye closed for up to thirty minutes.) This is what it means to not be blinded by the things of this world and to be focused on God and his Holy Word in order to wage war against the evil one.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6). We must resolve to rely on the power and strength found in God’s word and not in our own strength, might, or power. If we ask him, God will give us the tools we need to be triumphant in spiritual combat.

If we are to be sheepdogs, those men and women who are willing to “protect the flock and confront the wolf,” ready to defend the innocent, helpless, and oppressed, we must first prepare our hearts and minds for the moment of decision in combat. Today is that day of preparation. This moment is required of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is your moment to decide whether you will be a coward and run in the face of the life-taker, satan, or if you will be an extension of the hand of God, his Son, Jesus, the life-giver.

Will you not only identify the adversary but also prepare your heart, mind, and body for battle against the evil one? Will you, in the moment of decision, choose to act with wisdom, prudence, and courage? This is the challenge at hand.

Advance in your mission today with the knowledge and truth of God’s Word, knowing you are fighting for a noble and worthy cause, and that you are prepared and equipped for victory. This is your moment.

Heavenly Father, I know that I am in battle against a supernatural force of evil, and the only way I can be triumphant in this battle is through an even more powerful force. I know that you are that force. Thank you for giving me the wisdom, courage, and strength to be your hands and feet in this world. Thank you for the opportunity to stand between oppression and freedom. Today, I cast down every fear, every thought that doesn’t align with your Word. I ask you today to give me the discernment to identify the strategies of the enemy and the wisdom to respond. Grant me the courage to act based on my training, preparation, and level of skill. In Jesus’ Holy Name I pray. Amen.

Next Level Battle Prep

1.On Combat describes the Universal Human Phobia as a powerful fear and dread of interpersonal human aggression. What are some ways you can prepare your heart, mind, and body to overcome the Universal Human Phobia and be ready for a physical threat of violence as a Christian?

2.Explain the importance of identifying the real enemy we are facing in spiritual warfare and in our society. How does our response vary between the physical and the spiritual aspects of this battle?

Put on the full armor of God, so that you cantake your stand against the devil’s schemes. Forour struggle is not against flesh and blood, butagainst the rulers, against the authorities, againstthe powers of this dark world and against thespiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

—EPHESIANS 6:11–12 NIV

Read the Introduction and Section I, Chapter One of On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace.

Mission #2

The Armor of Light—God’s Plan for a Bulletproof Life

The night is far spent, the day is at hand;let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,and let us put on the armour of light.

—ROMANS 13:12

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,With the cross of Jesus going on before!

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;Forward into battle, see his banner go!

At the sign of triumph, Satan’s host doth flee;On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!

Hell’s foundations quiver at the shout of praise;Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!

Like a mighty army moves the church of God;Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod;

We are not divided; all one body we,One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

Onward, then, ye people, join our happy throng,Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song;

Glory, laud, and honor, unto Christ the King;This thro’ countless ages men and angels sing.

—“ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS” BY SABINE BARING-GOULD (1834–1924)

Now we have completed our first mission, and we know our enemy. We understand that we are in a spiritual battle against a horrendous force of supernatural evil. Thus our only prayer of winning this battle is through an even greater supernatural force. And it just so happens that we have a supernatural resource at hand! He is the creator of this universe, he loves us deeply and profoundly, and if we ask him, he will give us the armor of light and make us bulletproof.

God can give us a bulletproof life!

“Wait, wait!” says a little voice. “No one is really bulletproof… right?” We don’t even use that word much anymore, preferring to use the more precise term “body armor” instead of the old, outdated term “bulletproof vest.”

I teach cops and military worldwide. I’m on the road over two hundred days a year training our most elite warriors. I call my class “The Bulletproof Mind: Mental Prep for Combat.” But everyone knows I’m using the term bulletproof metaphorically.

Technically speaking, nothing and no one is ever really bulletproof. Right?

Wrong. God is.

Well, yeah. But he’s God! He can do anything. That’s what “omnipotent” means. But you’re not God. You can’t be bulletproof.

God can make you bulletproof. That is what omnipotent means.