Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive
Chapter 9
The Four Streams: Spiritual Warfare: Fighting for Your Heart
Key Verse: Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength…Shake of your dust; rise up. Sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion. -- God (Isaiah 52:1-2)
Pages 147-149 recount the rivalry that developed between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and court composer Salieri. In it Eldredge points out that Salieri becomes a type of Satan. Upon seeing Mozart’s amazing work, Salieri makes this statement to God, “From now on we are enemies, You and I. Because You choose for Your instrument a boastful, lustful, smutty, infantile boy…and give me only the ability to recognize the Incarnation. Because you are unjust…unfair…unkind! I will block You. I swear it. I will hinder and harm Your creature here on earth as far as I am able. [Shaking his fist in the air] I will ruin your incarnation.”
OUR SITUATION
This is the heart of our Enemy. He is determined to hinder and harm and ruin God’s image bearers. To steal and kill and destroy. So, let me say this again: the story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it. I hope you are beginning to see that more clearly now. Otherwise, much of the Bible will not make sense to you. Much of your life will not make sense to you. [Page 149]
???—How do you respond to Eldredge’s portrayal of our Enemy, and his assault on our hearts, because he knows what we could be???
If we are in an epic battle, then the language of the Bible fits perfectly. Things are not what they seem. We are at war. That war is against your heart, your glory. Once more, look at Isaiah 61:1 “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” This is God’s personal mission for His people; the offer is for us all. So, we must all be held prisoner to some form of darkness. We didn’t know it—that’s proof enough. In the darkness we can’t see. And what is this hidden treasure? Our hearts-they are the treasures hidden by darkness. They are not darkness; they are hidden by darkness, pinned down, held away in secret places like a hostage held for ransom. Prisoners of war. That is a given. That is assumed. The question is not, Are we spiritually oppressed, but Where and How? [Page 150]
???—Do you agree that we are in a battle with the forces of darkness and that our hearts are the treasures the Enemy is seeking to gain? Do you take it as a given that we ARE spiritually oppressed? Why or why not?
Eldredge asks a question: “Why does every story have a villain?” Then he rehearses examples: Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf; Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West; Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi face Darth Maul, etc… Then he answers the question: Every story has a villain because yours does. You were born into a world at war. When Satan lost the battle against Michael and his angels, “He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him” (Rev. 12:9). That means that right not, on this earth, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of fallen angels, foul spirits, bent on our destruction. And what is Satan’s mood? “He is filled with fury, because he knows his time is short? (v.12) So what does he spend every day and every night of his sleepless, untiring existence doing? “The dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against…those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (v.17). He has you in his crosshairs and he isn’t smiling. [Page 151]
???—If Eldredge’s position is true (and it is based on Scripture), then why do so few Christians seem to be aware of or concerned about it???
You have an Enemy. He is trying to steal your freedom, kill your heart, destroy your life. As Satan said through Salieri, “I will hinder and harm Your creature here on earth as far as I am able. I will ruin Your incarnation.” Very, very few people live like that. The alarm goes off, and they hit the snooze button, catch a few extra winks, gulp down a cup of coffee on their way to work, wonder why there are so many hassles, grab some lunch, work some more, come home under a sort of cloud, look at the mail, have dinner, watch a little TV, feed the cat, and fall into bed—without even once wondering how the Enemy might be attacking them. All they know is, they sure aren’t enjoying the abundant life Christ talked about. [Page 151]
???—Consider Eldredge’s summary of the average day of most people. How do your days differ? What place do you give to consider how the Enemy might be attacking you?
To find the freedom and the life offered by Christ, we must live in all Four Streams. To be restored as a man or a woman fully alive, we must live in all Four Streams. This, the fourth, may be the most neglected of all. And frankly, it may be the most critical. To live in ignorance of spiritual warfare is the most naïve and dangerous thing a person can do. It’s like skipping through the worst part of town late at night, waving your wallet above your head. It’s like walking into an al-Qaida training camp, wearing an “I love the United States” T-shirt. …. And let me tell you something: you don’t escape spiritual warfare simply because you choose not to believe it exits or because you refuse to fight it. The bottom line is you are going to have to fight for your heart. Remember John 10:10—the thief is trying to steal the life God wants to give. [Pages 151-152]
???—What are you doing to prepare for and fight the spiritual war in which we are engaged?
SUBTLE ATTACK—LOOKING FOR AGREEMENTS
“The devil has more temptations than an actor has costumes for the stage. And one of his all time favorite disguises is that of a lying spirit, to be use your tender heart with the worst news he can deliver—that you do not really love Jesus Christ that you are only pretending, and you are only deceiving yourself. (William Gurnall) Satan is called in scripture the Father of Lies (John 8:44). His very first attack against the human race was to lie to Eve and Adam about God, and where life is to be found, and what the consequences of certain actions would and would not be. He is a master at this. He suggests to us... some sort of “agreement” on our part. He’s hoping we’ll buy into whatever he’s saying, offering, insinuating. Our first parents bought into it, and look what disaster came of it. But the story is not over. The Evil One is still lying to us, seeking our agreement every single day.
Your heart is good. Your heart matters to God. These are the two hardest things to hang onto. I’m serious—try it. Tried to hold this up for even a day. My heart is good. My heart batters to God. You’ll be amazed at how much accusation you live under. You have an argument with your daughter on the way to school; as you drive off, you have a nagging sense of, Well you really blew that one. If your heart agrees—yeah, I really did—without taking the issue to Jesus, then the Enemy will try to go for more. You’re always blowing it with her. Another agreement is made. It’s true. I’m such a lousy parent. Keep this up and your whole day is tanked in about five minutes. The enemy will take any small victory he can get. It moves from You did a bad thing to You are bad. Or weak. Or ugly. Or prideful. You know how it goes. After a while it just becomes a cloud we live under, except as normal.
Next Eldredge recounts how his friend in an decided to get into shape. He went out jogging and the enemy continued to make accusations. He was too slow; he couldn’t do it; he’s going to die; nobody can do this; you’re just a fat pig. He said that by the time he got back to the car he felt like he had been assaulted. But this time he knew what it was and he one. He made no agreements. He said this kind of stuff happens all the time. But we don’t recognize it that first. The attacks are vague—not voices in the head, not an obvious assault, but more of a “sense” we have, an impression, a feeling that comes over us. The power of suggestion. Eldredge concludes this section with this statement: Listen carefully: any movement toward freedom in life, any movement toward God or others will be opposed. Marriage, friendship, beauty, rest—the thief wants it all. [ Pages 152-154. ]
???--How often in a given day, do you find yourself succumbing to the subtle attack of agreeing with the enemy? Give an example.
Sadly, many of these accusations will actually be spoken by Christians. Having dismissed a warfare worldview, they do not know who is stirring them to say certain things. The Enemy used David, who apparently wasn’t watching for it, to do his evil: “ Satan rose up against Israel, and incited David to take a census of Israel.” (1 Chron. 21:1)… the whole plan is based on agreements when we make those agreements with the demonic forces suggesting things to us, we come under their influence. It becomes a kind of permission we give the enemy sort of like a contract. The bronze gates start clanging shut around us. I’m serious—maybe half the stuff people are trying to “work through” in counseling offices, or pray about in their quiet times, is simply agreements they’ve made with the enemy . Some foul spirit whispers, I’m such an idiot, and they agree with it; then they spent months and years trying to sort through feelings of insignificance. They’d end their agony if they’d treat it for the warfare it is, break the agreement they’ve made, send the Enemy packing.
If you are having trouble taking in all of this, let me ask you: Have you had this experience? Something bad happens, and you start telling yourself what a jerk you are. Do you really think the source of that is just you? Or God? Think about it this way: Who would take the most delight in it? Take it all real slow if you need to. Start by simply entertaining the notion that the source might be something besides your “low self-esteem”. [ Pages 154-155.]
???—in what ways do we as Christians contribute to the agreements others make with the Enemy? How can we keep from doing so?
Eldredge goes on to tell of a time when he and his wife were looking for a house for four years. They prayed about it. Finally, they found the house, but before they could buy it and other agents made a lower offer and took the house from them. He said it felt like a perfect setup. Their hearts were so hopeful, open and vulnerable. This was in about a house, but about their relationship with God. So a whole lot of other crab rushed it is well. Suddenly betrayal felt true. He felt betrayed by God. The suggestion came Nothing you believe is true. The question came Why walk with god if you can’t trust him? Then Eldredge writes this: If Jesus said the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, well, then, why don’t we think the thief ever actually comes to steal and kill and destroy? Good grief—the things people just roll over and accept as “God’s will.” The house was just the move to steal; the Enemy wanted to kill our hearts and destroy our faith and all that flows from it. I think that’s nearly always true. The particular attack is not the issue; he’ll steal anything to kill and destroy.
During an assault like that, you must remember: make no agreements. The Enemy will suggest all sorts of things. You see—God doesn’t care. You’re not worth fighting for. Your heart doesn’t matter. You can’t trust him. He is trying to kill your heart, destroy the glory of your life. It will feel hard--really hard, almost impossible—but whatever you do, make no agreements. You have to start their. [ pages 155-156]
???—Do you agree with the Eldredge’s assessment that many times people consider attacks of the enemy as God’s will?
OPEN ASSAULT
In this section and Eldredge recounts the story of Stephen. Although a Christian from an early age, Steven had endured many difficulties including abandonment by his father, the death of his mother, and betrayal by a number of mentors. While Stephen was a gifted musician, and committed Christian, a period came in his life when he could no longer lead music nor encourage others. Eldredge concludes that this was the result of Satan’s open assault on Steven’s life. [ pages 157-159.]
???—do you agree with Eldredge’s conclusion that the situations Stephen endured where a direct result of Satan’s open assault?
THERE IS NO ESCAPING THIS WAR
Steven’s story is really quite common. Remember, when Jesus boiled his whole mission down to healing the brokenhearted and setting prisoners free from darkness, he was referring to all of us. Our modern, scientific, Enlightenment worldview has simply removed spiritual warfare as a practical category, and so it shouldn’t surprise us that we can’t see spiritual strongholds after we say they don’t really exist.
If you deny the battle raging against your heart, well, then, the thief just gets to steal and kill and destroy. Some friends of mine started a Christian school together a few years ago. It had been their shared dream for nearly all their adult lives. After years of praying and talking and dreaming, it finally happened. Then the assault came… But they would not see it as such. It was “hassles” and “misunderstanding” at first. As it grew worse, it became a rift between them. A mutual friend warned them of the warfare, I urge them to fight it as such. “No,” they insisted, “this is about us. We just don’t see eye-to-eye.” I’m sorry to say their school shut its doors a few months ago, and the two aren’t speaking to each other. Because they refused to fight it for the warfare it was, they got taken out. I could tell you many, many stories like that. There is no war is this subtle—but pervasive—lie sown by an enemy so familiar to us we don’t even see him. For too long he has infiltrated the ranks of the church, and we haven’t even recognized him. [ pages 159-160.]
???—How do you respond to Eldredge’s contention that Satan is actively engaged in a war with us, and has convinced us that there is no war?
THE RELIGIOUS SPIRIT
Eldredge starts this section by talking about the name for God “the Lord Almighty.” He quotes the editors of the version of the Bible he was reading as saying, “ because for most readers today the phrases “the Lord of hosts” and “God of hosts” have little meaning, this version renders them “the Lord Almighty” and “God Almighty”. These renderings convey the sense of the Hebrew, namely, “he who is sovereign over all the ‘hosts’ (powers) in heaven and earth, especially over the ‘hosts’ (army’s) of Israel. Then he writes: No, they don’t. They don’t even come close. The Hebrew means “the God of angel armies,” “the God of the army’s who fight for his people.” The God who is at war. Does “Lord Almighty” convey “the God who is at war”? Not to me, it doesn’t. Not to anyone I’ve asked. It sounds like “the god who is out there but still in charge.” Powerful, in control. The God of angel army’s sounds like the one who would roll up his sleeves, take up sword and shield to break down gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron to rescue me. Compare “Joe is a good man who is in control” to “Joe is a navy seal.” It changes the way you think about Joe and what he’s up to. Why don’t “most readers today” understand about the God of angel army’s? Could it be because we have abandoned the warfare worldview? Who sold us that crop of sanctimonious puff-and-fluff?..... (pages 160-161)
???—Why do you think we have abandoned the warfare worldview in our lives as Christians for the most part?
Let me ask another question: Who did Jesus tangle with more than any other group or type of person? Who started the rumors about him to try to discredit his ministry? Who kept trying to put him on the spot with their loaded questions?... Religion and its defenders have always been the most insidious enemy of the true faith precisely because they are not glaring opponents they are impostors. A raving pagan is easier to dismiss than an elder in your church. Before Jesus came along, the Pharisees ran the show. Everybody took what they said is gospel—even though it didn’t sound like good news in all. But we wrestle not against flesh and blood. The Pharisees and their brothers and down through the ages have merely acted—unknowingly, for the most part—as puppets, the mouthpiece of the enemy. (page 161)
???— Does it make sense to you that religious leaders down through the ages have been “puppets” and “mouthpieces” of the enemy?
Satan realized he couldn’t stop the church. Oh, he tried. He arranged to have Jesus’ killed as a babe. He tried to seduce him as a man. He tried to marginalize his message by having the religious establishment discredit him. Finally, he had him crucified. It backfired. Badly. Then he tried to stop the young church through intimidation and through death, Having most of them are killed. It also backfired. So he turned to a backup plan. If you can’t beat ‘em… join ‘em. Infiltrate their ranks dressed as an angel of light (Galatians 1:8) Then slowly bring a veil over all that is good in beautiful and true. Take them captive through their own religion.
Where are the Four Streams? The Religious Spirit has turned a cycle ship into a soul-killing exercise of principles. Most folks don’t even know how they can walk with God, hear his voice. The Religious Spirit has stigmatized counseling as a profession for sick patients, and so the wounds of our hearts never get healed… And he takes warfare and mocks it, stigmatizes it as well so that most of the church knows almost nothing about how to break strongholds, set captives free... Finally, the Religious Spirit makes it next to impossible for a person to break free by spreading the lie that there is no war. Be honest, how many Christians do you know who practice spiritual warfare as a normal, necessary, daily part of the Christian life? Some of my dearest friends pull back from this stream and sort of cast a concerned look over me when I suggest that’s going on. Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war? You’ve got to be kidding me. We gave up the hymn not so much for reasons of musical fashion but because we felt ridiculous singing it, as you do when asked to sing “Happy Birthday” in a restaurant to a perfect stranger. We don’t saying it ‘cause it ain’t true. We have acquiesced. We have surrendered without a fight. (Pages 161-162)
???—What do you think of the Eldredge’s explanation for how the religious spirit has overtaken the church, and how we have acquiesced without a fight?
Eldridge concludes by saying that we have exchange the great hymn for children’s song that says we will never fight in the infantry, cavalry, artillery but were in the Lord’s army. Then he writes: There is no battle and there is no war and there is no Enemy in your life is not at stake and you are not desperately needed this very hour, but you’re in the Lord’s army. Yes, sir. Doing what? May I ask. The reason I bring this up is that if you want the real deal, if you want the life and freedom than Jesus offers, then you are going to have to break free of this religious fog in particular. “but it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” So here’s the bottom line test to expose the Religious Spirit: If it doesn’t bring freedom and it doesn’t bring life, it’s not Christianity. If it doesn’t restore the image of God and rejoice in the heart, it’s not Christianity. (page 163)
???—What is your response to Eldredge’s summation of what we have done by letting go of the warfare worldview?