Like many people today, I am looking at our world and watching the things taking place with concern. We are surrounded by news of wars, disease, and political crises. Many faith leaders are pointing to these events as the signs that we are closing in on the time the Bible calls the End of Days. While I agree that these are signs of the times we are living in, I believe that the battle we are in as believers isn’t a battle against wars, disease, or political crisis. So, while I agree that we need to be aware of and pray about the things listed above, I believe each of those things are the results of the earthly battle that is raging, and not the actual battle.
The battle is closer to home and closer to our hearts. Our battle is not against wars, disease, nor politicians. No, our battle is against our enemy known as the satan, or in English, the adversary. His weapon is not war, disease, or politics; it is deception, and it is those deceptions that result in war, disease, and political crisis. In John 8:44, Yeshua (Jesus) said the following concerning the satan: “Whenever he speaks lies, he is just being himself—for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
The truth is that the satan’s only real weapon is deception and his goal is to deceive mankind. When mankind accepts his deceptions, the result is war, disease, and political upheaval. However, the satan’s goal is not to cause war, disease, nor political crisis; his stated goal is something he can and will never achieve. His goal is a deception so powerful that he believed his own lie. The satan’s goal is found in Isaiah 14:12-14:
Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O brightstar, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the earth, you who made the nations prostrate! 13 You said in your heart: “I will ascend to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit upon the mount of meeting, in the uttermost parts of the north. 14 I will ascend above the high places of the clouds— I will make myself like Elyon.”
Notice that the satan’s goal is to make himself like G-D. It is important to note that while the satan is an angelic being, he is not omniscient (all-knowing), he is not omnipresent (everywhere), nor is he omnipotent (all-powerful). But the satan’s desire to be like G-D is rooted even more deeply than the attributes listed above. His greatest desire is the ability to create. That’s correct - because it is through creative power that all of the other attributes above exist.
And it is because the satan cannot create that he is waging a battle against humanity that is more dangerous than all wars, disease, or political power struggles. You see, G-D gifted mankind with a gift that he never gave to the angels: the gift to participate in creation. Through the gift of pro-creation we join with G-D in His creative process. It is because humans are blessed with this gift that the satan is waging the greatest spiritual battle that humans face today. Remember, we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood; our battle is against deception. The Bible tells us that the satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and we often look at those words through the earthly lens of stealing possessions, killing people, and destroying stuff. However, souls are not lost when a believer’s possessions are stolen, when people are killed, or when stuff is destroyed.
I believe these words should be applied to the satan stealing, killing, and destroying humanity's ability to procreate, to be what he desires to be, but can never be, and that is to be like G-D. In other words, to be able to participate in the creation process.
This is the reason that the satan is attempting to deceive so many into believing that they were creative mistakes, that they were born the wrong gender, or that they are attracted to the same sex. A belief in any or a combination of these lies will result in the satan’s ability to steal G-D’s gift of creation from those who are deceived. If enough people are deceived, the result would be the killing off or the end of humanity, which would result in the destruction of G-D’s plan and the redemptive work of Yeshua.
Three things to remember: first, deception, while feeling real, is not truth, and truth shared in love can and will prevail. Second, those who were deceived can be fully restored through repentance. Third, the end of the story is already written by G-D and the satan’s plan fails. According to 1 John 3:2, the children of G-D will, through love and truth, achieve the goal that the satan wanted to achieve through lies and deception.
2 Loved ones, now we are God’s children; and it has not yet been revealed what we will be. But we do know that when it’s revealed, we shall be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.