Ministry Tip of the Week
by Seth Evangelho
"If you wake up in the morning and don't know you're in a battle, you've already lost the day." My dad told me that once, and it has stuck with me ever since. I wake up and consecrate my day to the Sacred Heart, it's just what I do now. This quick prayer as I rise from slumber is certainly a reminder to me of the spiritual warfare that is human life on earth, but it's also my claim to the victory Christ has won. I start my day in peace, the peace of Christ, and it sets the tone for my daily mission to grow in holiness.
Simply put, my dad was right. We're all fighting spiritual battles everyday. Unfortunately, we don't always recognize it. Which is precisely why certain struggles are continually experienced as a "losing battle." Unfortunately, the idea that certain aspects of life are a "battle" often gets interpreted as mere metaphor. Life is spiritual warfare, and until we come to realize it, especially in the areas where we struggle, Christ cannot overcome the stronghold of evil that presses upon us. We have to say yes, and not just to Christ, but to the battle Christ fights in us and to the sword of the Spirit he wields, which also means to the presence of a real spiritual enemy.
We don't like to talk about the devil. We keep him in the abstract and focus on overcoming concrete evils. Sometimes we keep Jesus in the realm of abstraction as well. It's all part of the devil's plan unfortunately, and it brings confusion, isolation, and sorrow to the practical world of day to day activity. Jesus and the devil are not abstractions. The spiritual realm is as real and as present to us as the morning paper and a load of laundry. It's never a good thing to give the devil too much attention, of course, but not focusing on him is entirely different from not acknowledging him as a real and present enemy.
Simply put, my dad was right. We're all fighting spiritual battles everyday. Unfortunately, we don't always recognize it. Which is precisely why certain struggles are continually experienced as a "losing battle." Unfortunately, the idea that certain aspects of life are a "battle" often gets interpreted as mere metaphor. Life is spiritual warfare, and until we come to realize it, especially in the areas where we struggle, Christ cannot overcome the stronghold of evil that presses upon us. We have to say yes, and not just to Christ, but to the battle Christ fights in us and to the sword of the Spirit he wields, which also means to the presence of a real spiritual enemy.
We don't like to talk about the devil. We keep him in the abstract and focus on overcoming concrete evils. Sometimes we keep Jesus in the realm of abstraction as well. It's all part of the devil's plan unfortunately, and it brings confusion, isolation, and sorrow to the practical world of day to day activity. Jesus and the devil are not abstractions. The spiritual realm is as real and as present to us as the morning paper and a load of laundry. It's never a good thing to give the devil too much attention, of course, but not focusing on him is entirely different from not acknowledging him as a real and present enemy.
| Here's a fascinating difference between Jesus and the devil: the devil's power over us increases to the degree we leave spiritual things in the realm of abstract concepts, whereas Jesus' power in our lives decreases when we do this. On the other hand, paying attention to the spiritual world, to good and evil, to temptation and sin, to mercy and grace, to Jesus' definitive victory over sin and death, decreases the devil's hold on us. It allows the power of Christ to flood our lives. Jesus has won the spiritual battle already. When we enter into that world as Christians, we enter into (his) victory over the struggles of life. Period. Bondage refers to our inability in certain areas (psychological, emotional, and even physical) to embrace the victory of Christ. We all have those areas where we need to be set free. Where are they? What's causing them? These are the right questions. |  |
If we want to lead people closer to Jesus, we must recognize the chasms of separation from Christ in our own hearts. (The closer we are to Jesus, the more naturally we evangelize others.) So paying attention to this idea of spiritual bondage is twofold. On the one hand, in doing so we're able to recognize more deeply our own (specific) needs for Jesus' saving power. On the other hand, we also become more sensitive to the struggles of others. We all have our spiritual battles, and they take time not just to overcome but even to recognize. Knowing this helps us to be merciful toward the failings of those around us, especially toward those who've hurt us. It makes us patient with the resistance of those we teach. It reminds us to turn to the needs of others with a compassionate gaze, to humbly embrace a prayerful disposition, and to recognize the struggle is spiritual and the victory is Christ's. It's simply not in our power to win these battles.
Where do you need to be set free? For powerful ways to bring this abstract idea of bondage into the practical experiences of deliverance, freedom, and healing, prayerfully read the first nine chapters of this penetrating book by Neal Lozano:
Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance
You may have already read this book, but did you know he also wrote one that focuses on the subtle but significant differences of a Catholic approach?
Resisting the Devil: A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance
Jesus has won the victory, once for all. Now he works to win that victory in us. Learning to recognize spiritual bondage effects in us an utter dependence on his merciful love. It opens our interior lives to the penetrating power of a God who is perfect Light. His gaze shatters the chains of darkness if we let it, and he’s a patient Savior.
May we always extend the patience he shows us and work humbly to soften the hearts of others, that they too might receive the freedom and peace only the Divine Physician can give. If you know someone who you think might be struggling with spiritual bondage, give them a copy of Unbound and encourage them to read the first nine chapters – slowly, prayerfully, and with an open heart.
Where do you need to be set free? For powerful ways to bring this abstract idea of bondage into the practical experiences of deliverance, freedom, and healing, prayerfully read the first nine chapters of this penetrating book by Neal Lozano:
Unbound: A Practical Guide to Deliverance
You may have already read this book, but did you know he also wrote one that focuses on the subtle but significant differences of a Catholic approach?
Resisting the Devil: A Catholic Perspective on Deliverance
Jesus has won the victory, once for all. Now he works to win that victory in us. Learning to recognize spiritual bondage effects in us an utter dependence on his merciful love. It opens our interior lives to the penetrating power of a God who is perfect Light. His gaze shatters the chains of darkness if we let it, and he’s a patient Savior.
May we always extend the patience he shows us and work humbly to soften the hearts of others, that they too might receive the freedom and peace only the Divine Physician can give. If you know someone who you think might be struggling with spiritual bondage, give them a copy of Unbound and encourage them to read the first nine chapters – slowly, prayerfully, and with an open heart.
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