He, one man alone, with God’s aid repulsed innumerable hostile bands of demons making war against him, visible to his bodily eyes, and preparing to inflict deadly diseases upon his community of monks; and they were thrust back from this our principal island.
– Admomnán on Colum Cille, Vita Columbae, Irish, 7th century[1]
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
– Revelation 12.17
Spiritual warfare is very real. It’s just that it’s not always obvious.
Colum Cille had the benefit of what was called “second sight.” Like Elisha (2 Kgs. 6.8-18), he could see spiritual realities more clearly than most of us do by looking at ordinary circumstances through eyes greatly steeped in the faith of Christ.
A threat of plague to the island of Iona was, to Colum, not just an historical circumstance. He saw anything and everything that threatened the progress of the Gospel as a demonic strategy to thwart the Kingdom of Christ. And, whenever he sensed such threats, he turned to fervent prayer and other spiritual practices to protect his monks and their work from the ravages of the devil.
In the book of Job we see how Satan used a wide range of material, personal, and economic circumstances to wage war against God and His servant. Granted, Job never quite gained the insight we the readers of that account can have, but then, isn’t that just the point? We learn from Job’s experience that the devil, who hates God and us, His people, will use whatever he can to rob us of our joy, divide us, and set us back in our progress toward the promises of God.
Christians live in two worlds rather than one. The one we live in most consistently is the same one we share with our wrong-believing neighbors, the world of getting and spending, making a living, and trying to stay out of trouble.
Christians live in the other world mostly when we’re at church, or having our devotions, or participating in some activity with other Christians. When we go out into the world with our neighbors and co-workers, most of us leave that spiritual world behind.
Colum lived in two worlds, too; but he regarded them as one. He simply had a larger and clearer view of the whole world than we typically do.
Most of us don’t see sickness, deprivation, everyday trials, and so forth as anything other than a nuisance or an inconvenience. I wonder: If we believed these were stratagems of the devil, would we apply ourselves more earnestly in prayer and other spiritual exertions to overcome them? Or to be strengthened so that we grow through them?
Be sure of this: when we begin living like true followers of Christ—loving Jesus, professing and proclaiming His Kingdom, and living according to God’s Law—the dogs of war will gather around us like never before.
As that begins to happen, we’d better know how to pray, we’d better know how to persevere in obedience and witness, and we’d better have mastered the use of all the weapons of our warfare (Eph. 6.10-20).
Otherwise, we’ll just be one more casualty among many whom the devil renders ineffectual in seeking the Kingdom because we have failed to recognize his wiles for what they are.
Because, beloved, we are at war, we really are. Make sure you’re prepared for whatever assaults you may have to repel and overcome today.
For Reflection
1. How should you prepare each day for doing spiritual battle?
2. How can you tell when the enemy of your soul is attacking you?
Psalm 46.6, 7 (St. Chrysostom: We Have not Known The As We Ought)
Kingdoms arise and rage and roar, threat’ning the earth with sore distress.
Nations may fall, earth melt away, His Word is yet our hope and stay.
God is among us, ever to bless; He is our stronghold evermore.
Give thanks
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15)..
Dealing with the devil
Jesus has bound the devil and has him on a leash. But he’s still dangerous. How does he think? In what ways does he attack us? Our book, Satan Bound, can help you prepare each day to do victorious battle against the enemy of your soul. Order your copy by clicking here.
Thank you.
Many of you are faithful and generous in praying for and supporting Crosfigell and The Fellowship of Ailbe. Thank you. May I encourage all our readers to seek the Lord about becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe? It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal or Anedot, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
T. M. Moore
All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[1] Adomnán, p. 13.
