The Battle Lines Are Drawn

If you have read the previous posts to this blog, you will have a pretty good idea of how we have come to this place in time and space. Should you have any questions about anything in the blog please do not hesitate to post a comment or even become a follower of this blog. Our intent is to energize The Church in Santa Maria to fight and win the spiritual battle that has gone on, largely unknown for at least the past twenty years. Notice we are talking about "The Church" not a local fellowship or denomination, not the place we go on Sunday mornings or the people who fellowship there. If your view of church is limited to any of those things, we would encourage you to expand your view. The Church in Santa Maria is everyone who has made Jesus Christ Lord of his or her life whether they even attend a place called church or not.

In a previous post we stated, we know people who have told us they doubt they will ever again attend a "church" because of the hurt done to them where they last attended. Generally when any of us meet or hear about a person in that situation there are alternate responses we might give. We might empathize with them and agree that the particular pastor or church they had problems with could do a better job of walking in love toward people. We might alternatively listen politely and think to ourselves, or even tell them, it is about time they just get over it and move on. The third, and probably more correct option would be to relalize there is a spiritual battle raging for that person's soul and encourage them as best we can to not give up on The Church for it is the body of Christ on earth which was formed to do God's work. (1 Corinthians 12:27) Therein lies the problem.


When we fail to understand the spiritual battle and how the religious spirit works, we blame people who have themselves fallen victim to the spirit. Note carefully, it is not only the people we think of as the victims who are the only victims. We are all the victims. Spiritual deception is an equal opportunity problem. The people we see as victims have only been hurt by and because of other people who are themselves victims. Let me illustrate it this way. Suppose some official in a church, pastor, elder, deacon, Sunday school teacher, etc, hurt some other person over whom they have been given authority by that local church. Perhaps that person gossipped or lied about them or took something from them. Whatever they did, it was a real offense. Who is the victim in this situation? We generally think of the victim as the person who suffered loss. However, when there is the influence of a demonic spirit involved, the person who did the hurting is himself a victim in that he has been deceived out of his love walk and into a sin. We would contend that we are all victims of that spirit. We have all been seduced into sinning by not walking in love as Jesus commanded. (Matthew 22:39) A very good place to start the battle would be to check our love walk and be certain we are walking in love toward everyone.


We see this victimization happening over and over, day in and day out, on a regular basis in the Santa Maria valley. It is time it stopped. It is time we join with God and with each other to put a stop to it. This battle is real. It is a battle for the souls of the men, women, and children in the valley and all those who will come to this valley in the future. The battle is against "...the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) but it must be fought here on terra firma. We have not yet been given the battle plan that will bring about our victory. That is what this blog is about. As the plan evolves, we will share it in this space. Currently we are looking for those whom God has called and is calling to fight with us. Where are the people who weep over Santa Maria as Jesus wept over Jerusalem? (Luke 19:41) Where are those who are called to be mighty and to do exploits? (Daniel 11:32) It is time to stand up and be counted!