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13. The Commencement of the Last Battle Between Light and Darkness
The apostle Paul who traveled the Mediterranean preaching, summed up his letter to the Romans in these words:
The apostle Paul taught that towards the end of human history darkness would try to destroy the reign of Christ with a well-prepared attack. So, the apostle calls on all followers of Jesus to arm themselves with the armor of light. By this he does not mean swords or arrows, nor cannons or poison gas, nor yet laser rays or nuclear arms, because the love of God does not call us to any unholy war. On the contrary, it warns us against using violence towards others, as Christ warned his foremost apostle Peter telling him:
Thus, the idea behind the Crusades has no basis or justification in the Gospel. The Christian agenda is accomplished spiritually not politically. The means it uses are spiritual and not physically destructive weapons. Ponder the nature of these spiritual weapons in the letter of Paul the apostle to the residents of Ephesus so as to grasp the meaning of our spiritual fight:
The believer’s fight is not primarily aimed at the enemy, but first and foremost against one's self. Therefore, we have to conquer the “I” and to mortify our bent to lust, drunkenness and adultery, denying hate, jealousy and pride from our minds in the name of Jesus. We should desire for our fellow man what we desire also for ourselves, as Scripture says:
As for the last battle, it will be fierce and without mercy, as Christ told his disciples:
In those days of tribulation men will easily accept wrong doctrines and false ideas. Therefore, we need to be well-grounded in truth. Jesus Christ is the only truth in whom we need to be established. We have to put Him on us as we would put on our best suit of clothes, as Scripture says:
Thus, your friends will see Christ in your speech and actions. So, stand firm in His pure love with meekness, and humbly do good to all. Christ’s righteousness will protect you from the evil one and from his power, because the Lord is your only refuge and you will have confidence, if you rest in His care.
Since ancient times the fight between light and darkness has been waged. This fight is about truth and faith and honesty. Christ came to destroy the works of Satan. He called him “the prince of this world”. John, the apostle testified that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”. But whoever opens his heart to the light of Christ is set free from the power of the evil one and is transferred from darkness into His marvelous light. Jesus told His loved ones:
No Christian can overcome Satan and his angels by himself. However, the Son of God is the only overcomer. A man does not possess the power of the divine light unless it is given to him by Christ. Thus, when we pray “deliver us from the evil one”, we are admitting that we cannot deliver ourselves from the grip of Satan or escape his wiles. The grace of God is what secures us in Christ and frees us from Satan’s authority. We are like the moth which is attracted to the light, only to fall prey to its glare. When we cast ourselves on Christ the “I” in us expires and the Lord actualizes himself in our lives.
Satan will try by every means to shake those who are in Christ. When he fails to split the Church from inside, he comes with threats, investigations, imprisonment and torture to make Christ’s followers deny their heavenly Father and blaspheme His name. Darkness always operates against the light and tries to extinguish it. Christ assures us:
In the last days we shall hear and see through the radio, television and the internet seductive shows and hear about many political and religious causes. We shall be subjected to tribulation from the world. However, our inward self will remain in peace, because the tender voice of the Holy Spirit is stronger and able to subdue the deceptive sounds, as Jesus told us:
Then will be fulfilled in us the inspired promises which say: