Have you ever gotten a warning before a movie starts? Something like “Warning: This movie contains violence and gore. Viewer discretion is advised.” (Honestly, I think it’s a little late for that, especially if you’ve already purchased tickets to the movie, but I digress).
In life, we usually get those warnings for weather related events, such as storm, hurricane, or tornado warnings. Additionally, we might see those on the news or on clickbait videos or news sites, telling us all the bad things going on in the world and dire predictions for our immediate future.
With all the things going on in the world (wars, corruption, bills/laws being passed, crime, the economy, etc), it’s really easy to become acclimatized to how bad things are and just expect bad things to happen.
If you add in the spiritual realm behind these events and all its implications, it gets even worse. Demons, spirits, and ancient powers and principalities from the time of Abraham?! That adds another level of creepy. Just knowing all the dark forces that are out against us is overwhelming and frankly, depressing.
As I was listening to Donna’s training on the spirtual realms (Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 here), I love how she gave her own “viewer discretion” before getting into the details.
Instead of saying “Warning: Disturbing Content Ahead”, Donna established an important premise in her training: Jesus is above all powers and principalities.
“…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
– Ephesians 1:19-23 NKJV
Yes, there are dark forces in this world today, and yes, they have been around for a while. However, Jesus is greater, so much greater, than anything in this world. Yes, there are physical and spiritual battles raging all around us, but we’re not the ones who have to fight these battles.
To be honest, we’re not fighting them at all. All we really need to do when confronted with spiritual forces is say “The Lord rebuke you.” The battle is the Lord’s, and Jesus has already won.
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
– 1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV
We don’t have to fear the future or what lies ahead. We know what’s coming, and in spite of all the trials and tribulations, we know how it ends. Jesus wins, and we win with Him.