For decades now we have been warned about the danger of Islamic radicals who would use any means available to overthrow “infidels;” i.e., anyone who refused to convert to their religion and support their objective of world domination. We’ve seen bloody evidence again and again of their commitment to stop at nothing in their quest to subject the entire world to the bondage of their laws and their authoritarian control of every aspect of life. No wonder we’ve come to call their tactics terrorism.

Familiar Tactics ~
Terrorists seek to inflict as much immediate damage as possible with every attack. Beyond that, they want to extend their power and control over as many as possible who were not killed in the attack. For instance, if they detonate a bomb at a concert, they want to do more than kill those who are there. They want to create an atmosphere of fear that will keep others from going to concerts in the future. Fear becomes another weapon, an extension of their power to control and constrain the behavior of their enemies. Fear is a powerful tool, and every tyrant and totalitarian system throughout history has depended on it to keep their subjects under control. When we see people employ tactics designed to intimidate, coerce, and subjugate people by injecting fear to limit their freedom, disrupt their normal routines, and/or threaten their physical safety, it ought to shock us into immediate attention. When we see it being conducted here in our own homeland, it ought to awaken and activate every shred of protective instinct and patriotic allegiance we have.

The tactics of intimidation and coercion have been on open display in our nation’s capital and at other points around the country this week in a way I never thought I’d see. Lawmakers, their families, and their staff members have been accosted, threatened, cursed, and spat upon. They have been forced to leave public restaurants, and irate mobs have screamed obscenities at them when they tried to speak. Their lawns and the halls of their workplace have been taken over by trained “activists” who have been bought and paid for by promoters of radical leftist ideologies.

The objective of these people has not been to engage in reasonable debate in an effort to present an alternate point of view. It has been to conduct an unrestrained, carefully scripted, coordinated, choreographed, and well-funded campaign to employ tactics that terrorist organizations have perfected–to shut down opposition and maintain control by instilling fear. Instead of those intimidation tactics being met with outrage and condemnation from the mainstream news media, the behavior has been largely ignored or virtually applauded. If there was any outrage in the liberal media at all, it was over the possibility that the attempt to destroy the candidacy of a highly qualified Supreme Court nominee might fail.

A Spiritual Civil War ~
Someone mentioned to me recently that they felt like we were on the verge of a civil war. My assessment is that we’re well past that point. A spiritual civil war has been raging in America for some time now. The recent attempts to distort, disrupt, and derail a Constitutionally mandated congressional process by our elected representatives is indicative of the underlying intensity of this conflict and the lengths the opposition will go to to take out a man whose beliefs made him their enemy. The intensity of this recent attack provides a fresh revelation of their willingness to do virtually anything to keep people out of power who do not support their godless ideology and whose presence threatens the twisted and destructive policies it produces. The hateful public confrontations and vitriolic attacks launched against civil servants and their families will not stop with the conclusion of the confirmation process whether Judge Kavanaugh is ultimately confirmed or not. The forces underlying these exhibitions don’t give up that easily, and wars like the one we’re engaged in aren’t won that quickly.

A Decision to Make ~
The question is not whether this war is real. The scenes we’ve witnessed lately make that conclusion undeniable. The question is whether the professed followers of Jesus Christ will stand aside and just hope for the best or whether we will stand up for what we believe and do what we’ve been commissioned to do. We are God’s emissaries sent into the world to confront and combat evil in every shifting, changing, deceptive role it takes by boldly proclaiming and living out its opposite. Though this war is fought on earthly, sometimes political, battlefields, the weapons we employ are spiritual.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)

No “Plan B” ~
When elected officials set out to establish policies that deny or conflict with clear Biblical principles, it is no longer just a political issue. God made it clear that we’re to submit to governmental authority, but in this Republic, we have the responsibility to determine who that governmental authority will be and what kinds of laws it will enact. If God’s people fail to uphold truth and to confront evil, in that process then, there is no one else who can.

The enemy has invaded our homeland again, but in a different way this time. We’re being assaulted with explosive words and ideas instead of bombs this time. The damage has already been extensive, but if we refuse to yield to fear and intimidation, this war can be won. The Apostle Paul’s admonition is both a source of encouragement and a call to arms for us all:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13 (NKJV)

“TWEETABLES” ~ Click to Tweet & Share from the pull quotes below. Each quote links directly back to this article through Twitter.

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• “The question is whether the professed followers of #JesusChrist will stand aside and just hope for the best or whether we will stand up for what we believe and do what we’ve been commissioned to do.” @ GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
• “Though this war is fought on earthly, sometimes political, battlefields, the weapons we employ are #spiritual.”  @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
• “God made it clear that we’re to submit to governmental #authority, but in this #Republic, we have the responsibility to determine who that governmental authority will be and what kinds of laws it will enact.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)

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