Lesson 171. The Spirit of War

Love has many enemies, and one of them is called the “spirit of war.”

This spirit first appeared in Heaven, where purity, holiness, and peace had always reigned. There arose one in whom sin was conceived, which grew into a universal rebellion and led to war in Heaven. “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.” Revelation 12:7. This war was spiritual, and the blood of living beings was not shed; all its participants used immaterial weapons against one another in the conflict. God acted in truth and with Love, which is the union of mercy and justice, while the enemy used lies, slander, malice, deceit, envy, pride, and other things. As a result, Satan and his supporters were defeated and expelled from God’s presence, but their lives were preserved, and their supernatural abilities were not taken away from them.

Now these spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places, having gained power over the minds of Adam’s descendants through his fall, continue the same spiritual war against Heavenly authority here on Earth, using the same methods.

And the goal of the evil spirits is complete dominion over the minds of all people. Their arsenal contains many means and methods for accomplishing their plans.

God, for His part, is also waging the struggle and opposing the influence of evil. He has already won the victory in this war. First He did so in Heaven, and then in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Son of God made the decision to take upon Himself the sins of the world and pay for them with His life. As a result, Jesus was seized by Satan’s representatives; they beat Him and crucified Him, and because of the torments of eternal death and separation from God, Christ was killed by sin in order to become the Victor over it and over death. With His life He paid the debts of fallen humanity, thereby satisfying the requirements of the law, which declares that the wages of sin is death. The law was fulfilled. Jesus also triumphed in this war. He died, rose again on the third day, ascended to God’s throne, and received all power in Heaven and on Earth.

The death of Christ revealed to the entire Universe the true character and motive of Satan, which until then had been concealed beneath a mask of lies and hypocrisy. At the same time, the death of the Son of God revealed the true character of God to the entire Universe, exposing the devil and his plans.

The victory has been won, but the war is not over. Now God desires to reveal His character to man and restore His image in him. God is Love, and the goal toward which He is moving is the rebirth of His Love in the mind of fallen man and constant communication, at the level of consciousness and thought, with those who have chosen the path of trusting in God and continually place their confidence in His providence, who learn from Christ and come to know the Heavenly laws by living according to them.

The spiritual war has engulfed the whole Earth, and it is being waged everywhere people live. And a person’s choice determines which power will be given to him for action in this conflict.

God and the spirits of wickedness carefully observe a person’s decision so that, according to his choice, they may either take a place in his heart and be united with his will, or become his adversary and oppose him in this war. There can be no neutrality here. Indifference is a passive acceptance of the devil’s side and gives the spirits of wickedness an opportunity to influence a person’s mind and impose their values upon him.

At present we have an acceptable time in which to choose one side or the other and surrender ourselves to God’s authority, becoming possessors of His character and His power of Love. In the last days of our world’s history, this war has entered its final stage and brought all humanity to the final battle, which is called Armageddon. This is a battle of spirits in which God and truth will triumph, and God’s Name will be glorified throughout the Earth. The culmination of this victory will be the glorious Coming of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of all the righteous of all ages and their ascension to Heaven, the complete destruction of God’s wicked adversaries, and the binding of Satan for a period of 1,000 years until the end of the investigative judgment. As a result, all the wicked will be resurrected for punishment, will receive retribution for their sins, and together with Satan and his angels will be cast into the lake of fire, where, after suffering, they will perish forever. Not a trace of them will remain.

And now, as a weapon for waging the final struggle, God gives Himself and all His Love. He opens the human mind to the knowledge of truth and God’s law so that a person may understand the spirit of the law and the strategy of the war and be victorious at all times, overcoming sin through love for God and his neighbors and revealing God’s true character to the world.

The one who knows the truth but does not have Love will be defeated, will take the side of God’s enemy, and will become an instrument of the devil. In the end, he too will perish.

God offers Himself, and He has made it possible for a person, without any coercion, to decide whom to serve and under whose authority to place his will. And everyone makes his own choice, in which freedom of decision plays a special role. God can give Himself only to the one who understands what he wants, who desires it and asks for it, declaring his decision to be with God and cooperate with Him, and who invites Him into his heart through a request expressed in prayer. And God begins to work in a person both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He inscribes His thoughts and His character upon the person’s mind and commands His Angels to guard him on every side and in every sphere.

Such a decision by a person to be with God and love his neighbors arouses Satan’s particular fury, but he has no power over the minds of those in whom Love dwells, and only one thing remains for him—to devise a cunning temptation and, if possible, deceive even the elect.

Now is a peaceful and quiet time for making decisions. God gives protection to His children, and everyone can make a choice. But it will not always be so. When the four winds of the Earth are released, great tribulation, wars, catastrophes, and persecutions will arise everywhere. And in such circumstances it will be very difficult to make a choice and remain in it forever. Therefore, it is now that God calls us to seek Him, ask Him for Love, and learn to use this gift in every situation. He waits to give; He knocks, desiring to be heard; He enters where the door is opened to Him and gives the soul peace, Love, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The Lord allows Himself to be known, and when I love, I am His true witness and exert an enormous influence on those around me, because it is not I, but He Himself Who wages the struggle and triumphs; it is not I and my eloquence, but His wisdom that speaks through me; it is not I who live, but Christ lives in me. And God loves the one in whom His Son lives and blesses such a person.

But everything that opposes God bears the spirit of war within itself and will be destroyed together with those who began this rebellion and continue it now.

Choose which side is right for you. There will be no neutrality.

The entire essence of this struggle consists in whom I will give authority over my mind, for I will worship the one who is my lord, who is the husband of my will.

I choose Jesus; I choose His will; I learn at His feet; I come to know His Love. And He gives me the power to discern good and resist evil. He is the Spirit of Love. And it is better to love than to fight and hate.

1. What did you understand from this lesson?

2. Can the spirit of war be part of a person’s character?

3. How can I determine whether I have the fruits of this rebellion within me?

4. What should I do if I realize that I am infected with this spirit? How can I get rid of it?

5. What role does Love play in this struggle with the world and with myself?

6. Please read Psalm 120:7; Matthew 5:9; Galatians 5:22–23; 1 John 4:20–21; Revelation 12:11–12; 15:3–4; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Matthew 4:1–11; James 4:7, 10; Revelation 17:14; Ephesians 3:16–20 in the light of our lesson.