| I'd like to share some thoughts with you on spiritual war and the Armor of God. This past week I mentioned to our Advanced FAITH group that I could talk for hours on the subject and now's my chance. Just kidding but I do want to share with you a few things from Ephesians 6:10-18. As I began thinking and meditating on this subject an old e-mail came to mind. I couldn't recall the whole thing so I wrote my own version. Hussein develops a new chemical weapon. It is a highly contagious virulent form of anthrax. With just one bomb he drops it in Israel. Seeking to destroy God's people, the pesky Israelites. Within days people begin to die, in the first week thousands upon thousands die. As people scatter in panic, cases pop up in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey. The virus is spreading. Once infected most seem to die with in a week. The European Union closes its borders and the US and many other nations follow suit. Doctors are working frantically in many countries for a cure. The president comes on and Asks for the country to join together in prayer. A few days pass and it seems all is safe, at least for the "closed" nations. Elsewhere 10's of 1000's die. Hours of terrified waiting turn to days glued to the television hoping that no new cases are reported. A few days go by then a week. It seems all is safe. But then a man dies in a London hospital, another in New York. Another case in Tokyo. Then a few more in those cities then other cities. Panic and fear spreads... The president comes on the air again and announces that the virus has spread quicker than anyone thought. It is not spread by contact but rather airborne. Most of the world is likely affected. Panic breaks out. Many proclaim this to be the end of the world. Many more cases appear and as the number of cases climbs so too does the number of deaths. Higher and higher, but when it seems there is no hope the CDC finds a cure but they need clean blood and it must be Type O. They ask everyone to begin going to the Red Cross, doctor's offices, and local hospitals to be screened. Of course many flood the hospitals and other test sites but it seems as though everyone is already infected or has the wrong type of blood. Finally a person is found. A team from CDC goes out to meet the man and bring him back to their facility. Once they arrive at his home the knock on the door. A man opens the door. "Joshua, Joshua Hilliard...We're from the CDC. Your blood can save the world." "That's great but I'm not Joshua. Josh is my son." "Oh sorry we didn't have an age. Can we speak with your son?" "Certainly but he's only 6," replies the man as he motions for them to come in. "Uhhh... how old?" a technician asks with his voice crackling. "Six" "Only six!" says a few. "We had no idea." "Is that a problem?" asked the boy's mother as she brought little Joshua into the room. "Well," stammered one doctor "We need six pints... and... well most children only have six pints!" "Oh!" reply the parents "I'm sorry but we need it all. He will save the world." "No!" proclaims the dad "But sir he'll save the world. Please consider it." "No you can't have my son!" cries the mother. "But the world will die, your whole family will die. Please think about it..." There's a long silence. Joshua's mom and dad look at each other for what seems like an eternity. Neither can speak. Crying they nod at each other. "Just let us say goodbye alone for a few minutes" "Oh sure certainly. Thank you, thank you." Hugs abound and tears flow from everyone's eyes. Even a few of the lab workers and doctors are crying. "I'm sorry son. But we have to say good-bye now. These people are going to take you away." "No I don't wanna go" "We'll see you later son," sobs Mom. "No don't let them take me" says an upset little Josh. "We're sorry..." cry the parents reaching out to their son. As Mrs. Hilliard turns weeping on her husband's shoulders the doctors take him away. "No, momma, no pop! Don't leave me. I don't wanna go away. Why? Why? Why?" Within hours the antidote is made and distributed. Many, many lives were lost but many were saved all because of little Joshua's blood. Now Saddam is Satan and the virus is Sin. Joshua Hilliard is actually Jesus Christ who gave his blood as an antidote on a hill outside Jerusalem. Having his greatest weapon defeated, Satan does not give up. He fights to this day and will continue to do so until the very end. He knows he'll lose but he means to take as many with him as he can. Make no mistake about it we are at war. In fact, we are fighting the enemy on his turf. We are in the enemy's territory. Satan rules the earth today. In Ephesians 2:2 he is called "the prince of the power of the air". Indeed, he has great power on this earth. But the same Bible also says we serve not the Prince of the air but the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. Satan may be the earth's ruler but God is the universe's ruler. It is time we claim that power as His representative and go into the fight equipped and raring to vanquish the enemy. Read Ephesians 6:10-18 We are at war with Satan. I Peter 5:8 says, "[Our] enemy the devil prowls around like a lion seeking whom he may devour." But it is not just a war with Satan or demonic powers but also with the world and our flesh. In Ephesians 2:2-3 Paul speaks of the ways of this world and the cravings of our sinful nature. Also in Matthew 26:41 Jesus says, "The Spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak." | 
