This week we look at topic that is not discussed much in the modern church - the reality of spiritual warfare and the need for spiritual discernment. It give us very practical warnings about spiritual dangers facing believers.
In the preface of Screwtape Letters - Lewis discusses - Two equal and opposite errors concerning demons. "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight." John’s warnings in today’s text fall along the lines of Lewis’s two equal and opposite errors. This text is about the reality of evil spirits and the false prophets who do their bidding. Both are opposed to Christ. (John calls them “antichrist”). These spirits are real. They are dangerous. They hate God. And as a consequence they hate all those who bare God’s image. They especially hate Christians. They seek to deceive and destroy. (souls of men and the testimony and ministry of Christians.) The first thing we see in this text, is a call for discernment. As Lewis warned, we must not completely dismiss their existence. Additionally we must not haphazardly frolic in the spiritual realm fooishly assuming that all spirits we encounter are benevolent. Equally important in this text is a warning against the opposite error of having an unhealthy obsession with evil spirits This can be expressed as a paralyzing dread and overestimation of their power. So the second thing we see in this text is a call for confidence.
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