Spiritual warfare

Exactly what can the devil do to me?

Revelation 2:10 "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. "

This shocking verse says the devil can throw me into bondage that is a spiritual test. A test of what? A test of what it is that truly stimulates me to live as I live.

How far can this test go? It can go all the way to "death", which is the end of physical stimulation for our body. To not fight to defend my "right" to continuing stimulus for my body, is to say I have another source that is more important to me.

Why would God allow me to experience such a "throwing" into bondage if He truly loves me? Because He knows that His Son in us is capable of inspiring life in such bondage. This satanic "throwing" is a test of "Christ in us the hope of glory." This is not a test based upon what God thinks we can do. It is a test of what God knows Christ in us can inspire us to do.

I often ask Christians if they think God loved His Son. They always say "yes." Then I repeat the question with a little more force.
"Do you really think God really loved His Son?" They hesitate and say "yes." Then I ask them "Do you want God to love you like He loved Jesus?" They grow quiet as they remember how Jesus was treated while being loved by His Father.

We need to know that right now we have brothers and sisters in prison because the devil threw them there using human hands. We need to pray for them. We, too, may find ourselves in a some satanic prison where we are being tested. Jesus is enough--"do not fear any of these things which you are about to suffer."

All I can say to this is "Jesus, increase my faith in you!"

Spiritual warfare is the test of who and what inspires us to live as we live. "For to me to live is Christ" is more than a statement of a contemplative monk hidden away in a mountain retreat. It is the battle cry of one who knows what it is to be thrown by the devil into prison.

There is a war going on. Expect your inspiration to be tested. Do not be afraid.