So I was watching X-Men 3 last night with my wife (in response to the new X-Men movie which is good, I recommend!), and in the middle I started thinking, “Man that’d be tight to be Wolverine!” As I was thinking about running around and cutting people’s heads off I got a gentle reminder from the Lord that I would love to share. I think so often we see superhero movies and love them for one main reason, because we were created to be Wolverine on steroids, and we are missing the mark. We are longing for something that we were created to do and to be, yet aren’t, and so we fantasize about them because our soul longs this. Let me explain.
We are in a vicious war, vicious, vicious war. Yet, most of us are casual bystanders, doing nothing to help the cause. There are two sides to this war good and evil (just like in every movie), and honestly that would better be communicated as perfectly holy, just, lovely, and everything good, versus completed depraved, wicked, and utterly sinful, and everything against God. God, the most powerful, holy, awesome, wonderful being ever (most powerful key in this analogy), is fighting against the most powerful thing he ever created in Satan. Now, lest we get confused, God could obliterate Satan in a millisecond if He so desired, and one day will, no contest, but for now there is a war, 2 Peter 3:9 is the reason this war continues if you were wondering. Okay, so there is a holy war going on, and guess what, you are the target and victim, as well as the reason and possession. Now, what are you going to do with this? You long for war, because you were created to be in the biggest one ever! Yet often we do not take a hold of this!
See if you are a Christian, then you are now on God’s team! Ephesians 6: 10-18 hits on this theme very strongly, especially Eph. 6:12. Paul reminds Timothy to be a good solider for Christ (2 Tim. 2:3-4), Peter reminds his listeners that the devil is like a lion, waiting to see whom he can devour (1 Pet. 5:8), the list goes on. I think Peter can definitely understand that his soul was wanted by Satan because Jesus told him that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat (Luke 22:31-32), but gracefully God was fighting for him! So you are in a battle, and the battle is for the souls of millions, upon millions, upon millions that do not yet know the Lord as their God, King, and Messiah. Your own soul, even if saved, is still being attacked with fear (2 Tim. 1:7), and doubt from our own heart (1 John 3:20, I’ve found new love for this verse!), our flesh acts up and tries to act like we use to act and worship who we use to worship (Romans 7), I mean, this is war! Jesus even very aggressively tells us to cuts off our hands and gouge out our eyes (that’s bloody battle!) if it causes us to sin (Matt. 5:29-30).
John Piper hits at this idea brilliantly in “Don’t Waste Your Life,” he says, “Sometimes I use the phrase ‘wartime lifestyle’ or ‘wartime mind-set.’ The phrase is helpful – but also lopsided. For me it is mainly helpful. It tells me that there is a war going on in the world between Christ and Satan, truth and falsehood, belief and unbelief. It tells me that there are weapons to be funded and used, but that these weapons are not swords or guns or bombs, but the Gospel and prayer and self-sacrificing love (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). And it tells me that the stakes of this conflict are higher than any other war in history; they are eternal and infinite: heaven or hell, eternal joy or eternal torment (Matthew 25:46).” Beautiful.
So, what are you going to do? Now, we have a battle, so men (and women!) please gird up your loins! Please be a man, and not be passive, we need to gather around and fight! Fight for the Kingdom of God. Now, this is done in many ways. I think literally every time we respond in obedience, if if it is small, we are shooting our “guns” at the enemy. However every response opposite I think we are shooting at the air (1 Co. 9:26 type stuff), or we are shooting at our brothers. Which, that will bring me to one quick tangent, please stop arguing and bickering and complaining against each other! Pathetic! We are on a team together, yet we are fighting against each other as much as we are fighting against the enemy! Arguing over things that don’t matter and… yeah, you understand where I am going. K, back on topic, we need to aim at Satan!
Every single move we make matters! Even a smile at a cashier or something, I literally think we are moving somewhere. Jesus doesn’t just ask you to smile though, he asks you to lay down your life for the gospel. Be willing to be martyred for it. There are casualties in this war, but God is using it for good! So, I am sure you follow my thoughts, I just want to encourage you to fight the good fight (1 Tim. 6:12). In the end, this is serious, more serious than ever! You were created to be Wolverines, so we need to stop puddling around like we are kittens! Get your claws up, do something to advance the Kingdom, make war on your flesh, Satan, wickedness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s partake in the great battle today.
