When chaos attacks, fight back!
Karen and I just returned home from a week away. Upon entering our home, we discovered it in a state of chaos:
While we were away, the water filter people installed a softener that proceeded to leak all over the basement floor. So now in addition to a mess downstairs, the water in the whole house is turned off.
If we want to “go to the bathroom,” we go out into the woods (how do you “go to the bathroom” in the woods? There are no bathrooms out there!). Showers are problematical and Whimsy just rolled in something stinky outside. He needs a bath worse than we do – ugh!
Meanwhile, spring has come, so the grass needs mowing. But after a winter in the garage, the mower needs to be fixed. On another front, we have a new hobby – an aquarium. But the fish got some sort of parasite and are upside down in the tank.
Simultaneously, we have been switching the phones over to Vonage, which is cheaper and more wonderful than BellSouth, but needs an internet provider. Comcast was our only choice and they came by and declared, “We can’t run our lines this far out.” Also simultaneously, we are starting a training camp and a series of guests are arriving to our delightful disaster-house, so our stress-levels are rising.
In the grand scheme of things, God’s charge to Adam is his charge to us and we who are created in his image need to implement his strategy. God gave Adam five tasks in Gen. 1:28:
1) Be fruitful
2) Increase in number
3) Fill the earth
4) Subdue (the earth)
5) Rule over (the earth)
God created Adam as an order-bringer. God established a pattern for bringing order right off the bat (Gen. 1:2) by “hovering over the chaos.” Just as God brought order to the chaos, just as he charged Adam with the task of bringing order, so we are to hover over the chaos in our lives, exercising our God-delegated authority to bring order. It is evil’s strategy to defy authority and increase chaos, and our job as men and women created in God’s image is to come against evil, to “let it feel the weight of our presence.”
So, while Karen and I were away, entropy fought back and evil contested our delegated authority.
Now some of you are probably saying, “That’s just life.” My reply to that is that you have probably embraced a rationalistic, Western world-view that has blinded you to spiritual reality. If you were to have grown up in Africa, for instance, you would have a healthy respect for the every-day reality of evil; you would not be so quick to discount its role in your life.
As an African Jesus-follower, you would take seriously the authority he delegated you (in Matt. 10:1 and Matt. 28:18) to confront evil by driving out demons and healing sick people.
Look at your life; can you see the areas where evil is contesting your authority? Look at the way chaos has infiltrated your family.
Look at the bad habits you fight. Look at the compromises you are tempted to make – all are evidence of a titanic battle being waged at every level for control of the earth.
Our task is to wake up to the reality of this battle and our role in it. The majority of American Christians are numb to this reality and feel impotent in the fight against chaos. They complain about circumstances as though they had no delegated authority and were selected for special suffering by evil.
The truth is, everyone is caught up in a ragged battle for control of this world. Our struggle is against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12)
Our posture in this conflict is to be offensive – to be an affront to evil, to take back territory that it has expropriated from our Lord and master. In short, we have been delegated the job of taking dominion. God’s word to man hasn’t changed since the days of Adam.
In my own corner of the world, we are fighting chaos one problem at a time. The water filter guys should be showing up at our house any minute now.
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Thanks; this was important to hear. Praying for you…
Also, be careful with Vonage. We use that at work out in the country, and it gets pretty bad reception – very digital-sounding and cuts out quite a bit. I don’t know how Bell South is for you, but from my experience with Vonage, I’d recommend keeping the land line.
So true, Seth. Keep sharing with boldness.
I’d like to add that it’s not only our brothers and sisters in Africa. We’ve seen the same spiritual discernment in Asia and South America. It seems that people living everywhere EXCEPT the Western world are much better at separating the physical realm from the spiritual.
In addition to the Old Testament, we see people amazed at Jesus’ use of His authority in the New Testament.
He has given that same authority to believers. Our challenge as the Body of Christ is to move in that authority a lot more often than we do now!
Quotes from Destined to Overcome: “The authority to enforce Christ’s victory was delegated to the Church…(satan) knows that when the Church fully realizes the utterness of his defeat and how to use the authority which has been delegated to her, he is done for…When we understand that satan can attack us only with God’s permission, and that God’s purpose in permitting it is to teach us authority, then we know there is no necessity for our defeat..”
Daddy! That’s so sad! I’m sorry you came home after such a lovely time away only to see the house crazy crrrazy! But that was really encouraging to hear. I feel like my life is like the house right now. Sad day. Thanks for sharing your revelations and the Lord’s truths. I love you!
hey daddy! praying for you guys. sorry I’m not there, but not really. glad you’re back to set chaos to order. love you and mom!
Seth,
There seems to be a resounding theme in my life right now which is FIGHT! I am realizing more and more that my response is NO! I don’t want to. I want life to be easy. War is scary!
But God didn’t give us the option did he. So, I must repent for my attitude and dust of my armor and weapons and reengage.
I will pray for you and for Karen.
Thanks for your posts.
Shari
thanks folks – today was a better day, in no small part, I think, due to how we chose to respond to the challenge to our authority.
You will win each time!
Tony,
You’re welcome. I have to hear this message myself all the time!
I WAS THERE I KNOW TO REACH HOME THE STOVE NOT WORKING NO MONEY IN THE HOUSE MY SON IS ACTING UP I CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THE YARD THE GRASS OVERGROWN NO WHERE TO GET HELP . THE CHURCH REJECTED U AND NOW U BECOME DESPONDENCE NO WHERE TO TURN .THEN U HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD DONT GIVE UP I AM WITH U EVEN TO THE END WHICH INCREASE MY FAITH I SAY YES I CAN MAKE IT IN JESUS NAME HE OVERCAME SO I CAN
Thank you so much for this blog I was experiencing a set back after I have prayed warfare and the Holy spirit reveal to me about the backlash of the enemy and I appreciate what you have shared with ys
Bathroom in the woods; no showers; chaos; Spirutual Warfare. Sounds like the perfect setting for World Racer Training!
Thanks, Seth. I needed to hear just this at just this point in my life. We have a lot of forces attacking us from so many different side s and I have not fought back like I should be. thanks for waking me up from my ciesta. Keep up the writing and fighting!