Spiritual Warfare

Spiritual Warfare

1 Peter 5:8-9 (King James Bible ESV): ⁸Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

2 Corinthians 11:14 (King James Bible ESV): And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

What does this biblical concept “Spiritual Warfare” mean, and how does it apply in modern times?

It seems like warfare is happening right now. Information warfare. And it is a battle for the usurpation of our hearts and minds, perhaps our very souls.  And it is fierce.

I have been thinking about this a lot as our world becomes ever more chaotic, uncertain, confusing, out of control, even downright malevolent. So many of us feel disempowered. The world we once knew is disintegrating beneath our feet. Misinformation and propaganda are assaulting us daily, molding our beliefs and vying for our allegiance. It is so challenging to discern what is true or who can be trusted to tell us the truth.

The discomfort of this time has led me, like many others, to seek relief from existential despair. I found a vast online community of modern-day prophets, all striving to guide humanity through a global transition; the emerging “Golden Age” prophesied for millennia by the sages of yore.

I was intrigued and exhilarated to find these people and listen to their teachings. The belief that we are collectively awakening from our current societal darkness into a world of light and love, peace and harmony, rings true for me and fills me with hope. I was thrilled to discover so many people were seeking to foster these qualities in the world. I was comforted by their words.   I was a dry sponge soaking in every drop, saturating myself with their words.

Now, before I continue, please know that, in NO way, do I question the sincerity or altruism of many well-meaning people who strive to serve God and humanity. I applaud their generosity of spirit and am grateful for their wisdom and presence in the world.

But lately I have started to sense something troubling.

So many of these internet gurus seem to be speaking with one voice, with greater volume, in uncanny unison, crying out in words akin to Chicken Little: “The sky is falling, the sky is falling!”  We are being implored to “wake up” to what is happening. Our very freedom is being threatened by mainstream media, the elite cabal, the deep state, etc.

With the increased intensity of these urgent warnings, and the similarity of themes and memes, my inner alarm bell began pinging me. Quietly at first, so I ignored it.  Until I couldn’t.

As these voices simultaneously arose with volume and momentum, I began noticing something odd within my being. My peace was becoming less peaceful.  My harmony was beginning to feel more discordant. My body was contracting (always a warning signal for me), and I could no longer deny that I was feeling more disturbed and off center after listening to some of these people.

With the precision of a sword’s strike, the themes I kept hearing were piercing me:  Mainstream news is “fake news.”  The elite cabal is masterminding the takeover of humanity, striving to enslave us in servitude to their Grand Plan to dominate and pillage the Earth for personal gain. We are being controlled, manipulated, brainwashed, and censored by the media.  The COVID-19 virus was deliberately planned to wreak havoc on society, or a hoax created to terrify us and hold us in submissive bondage. The underbelly of dark forces in society is about to be exposed.

And so forth.

In the Land of Independents, how can EVERYONE believe and speak the exact same thing at the exact same time? Why are we being encouraged to believe wholesale that the voices on social media are Truth Tellers, but mainstream news is wholly fake?  Aren’t we equally at risk of being misled no matter who or what we listen to? Isn’t it possible that those on Social Media may be serving an agenda that does not align with our individual best interests? Does anyone ever wonder who or what is behind all these memes? Are only benevolent forces at work here?

These modern-day town criers cry out for love and peace and freedom, simultaneously promulgating just another version of fear. And I began to wonder why. What is the endgame here?

So, I had a period of deep inner struggle and self-reflection, trying to reconcile my love of God and spiritual values with the views of these self-identified wayshowers and lightworkers, and I concluded that it was time for me to unplug.

I feel more authentic, more empowered, and more trusting of my inner knowing. God is good, and all is well.

Please ask yourself, as you select your sources of information: What lion is trying to devour you? Is Satan disguising himself as an angel of light?

Please be watchful of your heart, your mind, your soul. Protect them well.