Hellbent
by Hal Lindsey
Burning and looting in Baltimore . . . the proliferation of nuclear weapons in Asia and the Middle East . . . terrorists gaining ground and destroying lives around the world . . . parents murdering their children . . . a stunning, worldwide breakdown of morality. . . .
The list could go on and on. Something dreadful is happening on Planet Earth, and to most people it seems inexplicable. That’s because most people don’t understand that the battle between good and evil is primarily a spiritual battle.
Post-modern people have tossed aside something they all knew in childhood — that deep in the darkness of evil, there exists a monster. It is a person, an entity — vicious and depraved — an adversary to God and to all that is right and good. People have given this being many names down through the centuries. The Bible usually calls him Satan, or the devil.
The world constantly tries to fix the problems Satan causes. It uses laws, armies, programs, police, and vast sums of money, but the successes are all too rare and short-lived. One problem is the world’s refusal to acknowledge the existence its enemy. Political, academic, and media elites see him as a relic of the Middle Ages.
Another problem is that, though they hate the pain and poverty the devil’s ways bring, they embrace those ways like obedient children. The world fears crime and violence, but raises its children on a steady diet of unthinkably violent entertainment. The world laments broken hearts, warped souls, children being born to children, STDs, and the breakdown of family. At the same time, it encourages activities that result in those very things.
They hate the devil’s results while they embrace the devil’s ways. Humanity is hellbent on evil.
Christians often see the things I’ve just mentioned, and ignore God’s remedies in favor of worldly ones. We want to elect better people to high office, and where we can, we should. We want to send armies to the worst places, and in some cases, we should. We want to start new programs, form new committees, put more police on the streets, pass new laws, and sometimes those things can be good.
But of all people, Christians should understand the devil in the darkness, and know that the battle is spiritual.
2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this world (a.k.a. Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” [NASB]
Evildoers have been blinded. Yes, to various degrees they have chosen their blindness. But only God can know the degree of choice involved, and we should remember that we have all chosen blindness over truth at some point in our lives.
We must not forget our actual enemy. Behind the darkness of this world stands the prince of darkness. We will never beat him at his game. We win by following God’s rules.
2 Corinthians 10:3 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.” [NKJV]
Ephesians 6:11 & 12 says, “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” [NASB]
Colossians 1:13 says that “He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” [NASB]
From this verse and many like it, we understand that darkness is a domain, and Satan is its sovereign. Jesus called him “the prince of this world.” [John 14:30]
On internet forums and in the comments sections following news articles, Christians often debate adversaries using the same foul language, the same ad hominem arguments, the same seething rage as those who promote evil. But God has a better way.
Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” [NASB]
The world is bent by hell. If we allow ourselves to be bent into that same shape, we have not overcome the world, but been over come by it.
Stand strong for God. Don’t back down. But at the same time, “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” [Luke 6:27-28 KJV] “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.” [Romans 12:14 KJV]
We are in the middle of a great spiritual war, but we should not be discouraged. Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” [John 16:33 KJV]
