There have been a number of iterations of The Invisible Man going all the way back to the book written by H.G. Wells. In it’s latest form, it was a 2020 movie about a deranged scientist who staged his own suicide but actually was able to make himself invisible. While in that form, he stalked and terrorized his ex-girlfriend. Of course, the police thought she was a mental case when she tried to persuade them to believe she was being stalked by a man no one could see.
Many have thought of the power he or she would have it they could move about unseen by the rest of the world…spying on whomever they wished, stealing with no evidence on surveillance cameras, murder without being detected, or simply playing jokes on their friends or the bully who tormented them in the seventh grade.
This invisible being could move and act without consequence. However, if anyone ever believed such a thing was happening, they could find ways to detect his presence and even capture him. His power was in being unseen and unbelieved in.
In many ways, that is Satan’s power. He moves unseen. Many people, including followers of Jesus, really don’t believe he is a reality in their life. He tempts, he torments, he oppresses, he destroys marriages, he facilitates addictions, he prompts financial failures, he robs people of their health, he starts wars, promotes human trafficking, and so one without detection … because no one is looking for him.
Churches that give little thought and no teaching to spiritual warfare leave their members victims of an invisible enemy who stalks them to kill, steal, and destroy. Because these churches tend to dismiss the supernatural moves of God and the reality of demons, they remain silent about them other than referencing them as being historical oddities from “Bible times” that no longer operate. Their silence conveys to their members that these enemies do not exist or, at least, have no influence on Christians, so they are attacked year after year unaware of the source and unable to resist.
Regarding spiritual warfare, some churches are like the doctors of a few hundred years ago who were unaware of the existence of bacteria and viruses. These unseen enemies of health went undetected and, therefore, untreated for centuries and thousands died. Once they were detected under a microscope, treatments were developed to defeat them.
Just about every church agrees that we are clearly in the last days. Israel’s rebirth as nation in 1948 unmistakably started the end-times countdown. It is clear for those who see the indicators, that Satan is pulling out all the stops as his time is beginning to grow short. According to a recent Harvard study, about 1.5 million people in the U.S. identify as practicing witches. The ones who are very serious about their craft, won’t acknowledge their involvement so we know there are considerably more. Then there are millions who participate in new age activities, horoscopes, psychic readings, violent crime, sexual deviance, the abortion industry and more. All of these individuals have come under the influence of demonic spirits because they have unknowingly partnered with Satan in these final days.
Here is my encouragement for this season. Every believer should be schooled in the basics of spiritual warfare. Every church should find a biblically solid resource for training. We have offered Free Indeed at our church for 20 years which not only enables those attending to secure freedom and healing, but teaches them to recognize the strategies of the enemy and minister freedom to others as well. There are other good churches as well who do the same.
Many churches who believe in spiritual warfare only have a few people who minister deliverance. They can only minister to a few and these churches rarely train their congregations for this ministry. Because we committed to this years ago, we have dozens and dozens of experienced and capable people who can lead others to healing and freedom and do so.
It is not enough for believers to get their own freedom from demonic oppression, but they must be able to disciple others in these spiritual battles. Otherwise, we are like those who have received our salvation in response to the gospel, but never lead another person to that same hope. Encourage your church leaders to seriously consider the implications of silence in this area. If they are not open to that, find training for yourself in other places. We can help you find that training.
Satan is ramping up. He is the great deceiver and in these last days spiritual deception will be rampant. It will cost some their salvation. The church in America is crippled by compromise with the culture and by numerous members who find no release from addictions and no victory over anxiety and depression. Of course, not everything is demonic but much more is than we think.
Churches that will not equip their members in this arena may have to answer for that dereliction of duty. Many pastors don’t teach about spiritual warfare because they have no theology for it or training in it. They should get trained and then pass that training on to their church. I really believe there is an urgency in this. We must take Paul at his word when he said our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm (Eph.6:12).
We will be glad to help any church or any individuals who want to be equipped for these final days and the last assaults of the enemy. If you like, you can email me at tom.vermillion@midcities.org.
Blessings.
