What Can I Do About This?

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.  Ephesians 6:12 AMP

There is so much turmoil in the world right now: ISIS persecuting and killing Christians in Iraq and recently beheading a US journalist; Israel and Hamas at war; a multitude of problems and crimes resulting from an unguarded and unprotected border in the Southern United States; a two-star American general recently killed in Afghanistan; and closer to home for me, the recent death of Michael Brown from Ferguson, MO that has incited riots and protests that are far from peaceful.  As I read the headlines and hear people's opinions, prejudices, and anger surface, I often wonder, "What can I do about this?"

I have always been a problem solver.  I don't much care to hear your opinion unless you can give me some reasonable and appropriate solution.  Yet, everyone has an opinion, but very few have solutions.  Actually, more people than not are part of the problem instead of the solution.  This goes for many Christians and so called Christians.

People cry for justice when really what they want is revenge.  How do I know this?  Because their words mean nothing!  Our actions ALWAYS speak louder than our words.  People call themselves Christians, yet the Bible clearly states that we will know them by their fruit.  It matters not to me if you go to church every Sunday and have for 30 years.  What does your life say?  What do your actions speak?  Let me see your fruit.  So you can quote more scriptures than me?? Big whoopin' do!!! The devil knows the Word.  You say you want justice???? And yet, you are calling for the indictment of a police officer that you are convinced acted out of racial prejudice but by the law is supposed to be "innocent until proven guilty."  All the while, people are proving how much they want justice by looting businesses owned by people that had nothing to do with the death.

Furthermore, we get those people who say that we need to just CO-EXIST.  How do I co-exist with someone who wants me dead??  How do I rejoice in the freedom of others that in the process of gaining their so-called freedom, they want to take mine away in the name of "tolerance"?  How do I sit back and stick my head in the sand when one of our own military generals was killed by terrorists and our own President can't attend the funeral because he's on vacation?  Furthermore, as a Christian, how can I not be concerned for my Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq who are being persecuted, tortured, kidnapped, and killed by Islamic terrorists?  As an intellectual being, how can I justify the "freedom" of a group of people that requires the murder of another group of people?  Truly, one doesn't need to be the brightest crayon in the box to see the absurdities of what people want to call "tolerance" and "justice."

So, what can I do?  My answer lies in an understanding of Ephesians 6:12.  Anytime we go to battle with a carnal mindset, we've already lost!!  In addition, our prayers can't be from our mind but from our spirit that gets it's direction from the Spirit.  Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of ] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).  Ephesians 6:18 AMP  We can't battle terrorists, evil leaders, persecution, and prejudice with our carnal actions, our carnal minds, and our carnal prayers of defeat.  We MUST attack the master spirits, the world rulers of this present darkness, the spirit forces of wickedness.  You can't reason with prejudice.  You can't negotiate with terrorists.  We need to stand up against ALL the strategies and deceits of the devil with what we know will bring victory.

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, praise Him in the assembly of His saints!...Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and a two-edged sword in their hands, to wreak vengeance upon the nations and chastisement upon the peoples, to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgment written. He [the Lord] is the honor of all His saints. Praise the Lord!  Psalm 149:1,5-9 AMP

Now, let's consider this scripture passage in the context of Ephesians 6:12.  Our praise is a weapon!!!  God uses our praise to exact His judgment and vengeance.  God uses our praise to bind the schemes of the enemy and change the atmosphere.  Remember, our focus is the spiritual enemy.  God brings the judgment and vengeance, not us!  Does this mean there is not actual physical war? Absolutely not!  It means that physical war will not prevail if their is no attack on the REAL problem - the spiritual.  As people of God, we are the only ones who can wage war against the enemy in the spirit realm and win because we belong to Him.  He's already won!  We must wield the sword the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God, and we must kick the enemy in the teeth with our praise!!  Our praise is used by God to bring defeat to the enemy and all his schemes and devices.

Concerning our prayers - we can't beg of God to do something about the enemies attacks and schemes when we won't first do what He has told US to do.  Praying in the Spirit isn't just praying in tongues; praying in the Spirit embraces the concept of praying in this place where the Spirit is, hearing what the Spirit says, and praying, decreeing and declaring what the Spirit says.  It's here that we know we are praying the will of God, not our will, but His, and it's here that we know our prayers will be answered because they are His will.  Furthermore, we can't expect prayers to be answered if there is not first submission to God.  So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. James 4:7 AMP  We can't say we're submitted or subjected to God if we continue to carry our prejudices, our warped mindsets, our wrong attitudes, and our personal agendas into our prayer times and our praise times.

I know I'm not the only one that recognizes the connection and correlation between what is going on in Israel with the war against Hamas and what is going on in the United States from riots to illegal immigrants to perverseness and immorality to the war on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Surely, we American Christians aren't going to sit idly by in our plush pews and drive through church services, our 2.5 children and our 3 vehicles, our $300,000 homes and manicured yards and actually think that everything is okay???  Shake off that slumber!!!!!  Start working while it is still day because night is coming!  Examine yourselves and quit playing Christian!  Get real!!! Praise God and see the enemy crumble!!!

Scripture References: John 15:1-15; Matthew 7:13-27; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 John 5:14-15; Romans 13:11-14; John 9:4; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Psalm 100