War of the Worlds

I just left a passion play. New Life Church here in the Springs puts on a yearly epic entitled “The Thorn.” It has been seen by over 50,000 people in the past two weeks. I have never seen anything like it; the production was second to none. In some aspects in reminded me of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”

When it came to the temptation that Christ faced, “The Thorn” made “The Passion” look like a Disney classic. I mean evil, man. The play opened up with a video on the big screen of Lucifer being cast out of Heaven. At the moment that God kicked him out, down from the rafters came Lucifer, suspended from wires, flailing and screaming, still in his angel costume. It was uncomfortable to watch. It scared me.

Then he was reintroduced a little later in the play. This time no white robe and wings, but the most frightening satanic garb equipped with scales on his back and horns. It was kind of like a cross between Freddie Kruger, a triceratops and a sleestack from “The Land of the Lost.” Whoa, now I’m officially freaked out. This was not a performance suitable for small kids, but appropriate to show our unseen battle.

He showed up from time to time. At the crucifixion, he taunted Jesus believing the fight was over. He had won, he thought. Then to the tomb. He crawled on all fours with an eerie elegance around the Roman soldiers keeping watch over the tomb.

As the choir began singing “Arise My Love,” satan was found crawling on the stone that covered the grave…celebrating. And then in an instant it happened. All at once the stone was rolled away, pyrotechnics exploded, sparklers went crazy from the rafters, satan went flying two stories down from the stone and from inside the tomb came the brightest light you’ve ever seen. Christ walked out. A huge ovation of cheering, clapping and crying ensued. My allergies flared up.

That was the end of the warfare for the passion play, but not for life. Why do we minimize the daily warfare we fight? Do we think that somewhere in history, God took it all away? He disallowed temptation? Did satan get an extreme makeover on ABC? Unless I’ve missed the memo, I don’t see it. The battlefield for our lives and our minds continues daily.

Warfare is subtle. Sometimes it presents itself in the form of, let’s say, an aneurysm. Today, I have a choice to make. I can choose to believe in a God who heals and loves me, even with a blood-filled golf ball in my head. Or, I can choose to lose my faith and refuse to love a God who would let this happen to one of His children. It comes down to warfare, or simply put, a choice. This is the definition of spiritual warfare. I believe that sleestack-looking creature with horns is trying to convince me to denounce my faith and wants nothing more than to see me crumble.

Your warfare may not be a golf ball trespassing in your brain, but let’s say a decision on your taxes. Or, the way we react when someone’s telling you you’re #1 on the highway…if you know what I mean. We have to make the daily choice to follow Him. You’ve won the battle today, but you must fight the war for a lifetime.
As for me and my house we will serve the Lord of the Living, not the ruler of the “land of the lost.”