As we wake up each morning and head out the door, we probably don’t give much thought to the spiritual battle that we are about to encounter. We live in a society that’s growing more averse to Christianity with each passing day, but for the most part, we aren’t confronted with direct opposition to our faith. However, we must never forget that the devil prowls around like a lion, seeking to devour us. The fact that we often pay little attention to this battle should alarm us.

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” —1 Peter 5:8-9

Recently, I visited Haiti on behalf of Water Mission with some partners who continue to support water and sanitation projects on the island. Since Hurricane Matthew struck last October, the situation is even more desperate for these most basic needs. Haiti is also a place of spiritual depravity, with large numbers of the population participating in pagan worship, including voodoo. In fact, for many years, voodoo has been declared as the nationally-sponsored religion. In my previous two visits to Haiti, I had seen some trinkets and evidence of the practice, but nothing like what I experienced on this trip.

It was Sunday and our group had hiked up a remote mountain to take part in a worship service at an open-air church. On our way back, we passed through a small village that bustled with activity. Something to our left caught everyone’s eye at the same time. Almost immediately, we realized what we were looking at: A real witch doctor! This individual wore a tribal-looking mask covering his head, carried a large doll, and was accompanied by a dozen young teenage boys. All of them were very animated, pointing and jeering at us as we passed by. The leader of our group reassured us that there was no cause for alarm and before we could dwell on it, the encounter was over.

Since that encounter, I have had time to process what I saw on that road and why it has troubled me ever since. The fact is, I’m not used to coming face-to-face with such an overt manifestation of evil like I saw in the image of a witch doctor dancing around in front of me. Because I don’t live in a place of such stark contrast between good and evil, I have a certain level of apathy towards the reality of spiritual warfare. Here in the “civilized world,” opposition to Christianity takes on a more subtle form and inures me to the danger that it presents.

Apathy is perhaps the most effective tool Satan can use in a culture that continues to define its own version of truth. If we don’t recognize the deliberate attacks of our enemy as legitimate, we are less likely to take the necessary steps to defend against him. This kind of mindset ultimately leads to the blurring of truth and the establishment of a gray area between God’s will and the devil’s temptation. A recent Barna group survey found that only 9% of born-again Christian teens believe in absolute moral truth. It’s easy to see why Satan is not just fighting, but thriving in this environment of the subjective definition of truth. We don’t even want to define the lines between right and wrong!

As we navigate through this life, we must constantly be on guard against forces of darkness that are real and powerful. Let us not be deceived into thinking we live in safe places because we don’t see tangible examples of evil right in front of us. In many ways, I think living in a place that is so indifferent to the Gospel is more dangerous than a place like Haiti, where there is direct opposition to the good news of Jesus Christ. Be encouraged to remain active in the pursuit of truth and righteousness. God’s warning to the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:15-16 is as relevant to us today as it was in John’s day.

“Would that you were either hot or cold! Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

Let us never be lukewarm or indifferent to the pursuit of God’s will in our lives.

—Scott Linebrink

Scott Linebrink is a regular contributor of The Increase, providing monthly articles and opinions.

Check out Scott’s Increase profile here: http://theincrease.com/author/scott-linebrink/   

If you enjoyed this article, please share: