This is one of those posts that required a little adjustment from my original objective. The events unfolding on the world stage are of such significance that they must not be ignored. My focus initially was to explore some of the implications and spiritual lessons associated with the waves of manufactured outrage against law enforcement that are once again desecrating our cities. I noticed that regardless of the flag the rioters happen to be waving, or the slogans they happen to be chanting, and no matter the group, idea, policy, race, or person their signs happen to be condemning, some things about the scene are remarkably, and disgustingly, consistent. 

A Familiar Show ~
We’ve seen it again and again. Professional agitators show up with their bullhorns, symbolic headgear, and well rehearsed litany of hateful condemnation. They climb up on cars or portable soapboxes and scream out their curses to further inflame their already angry mob. They throw potentially deadly projectiles, randomly deface and destroy property, loot stores, and assault anyone in law enforcement. These trained anarchists pronounce curses on our country as they burn our flag and hurl the foulest epithets that filthy, depraved minds can create. 

Scenes of active insurrection like that are infuriating, of course, but I found a comment about them made by a prominent member of Congress to be even more troubling. In spite of hours of video evidence showing the kinds of violence and destruction I just mentioned, this legislator described them as “just some teenagers throwing rocks.” That comment brought to mind another common element we see in all these riots. That is, we see perpetrators wearing masks. It occurred to me that this deceitful legislator’s lie was an attempt to apply another kind of mask. Her objective was to obscure the evil going on and conceal truth that didn’t suit her agenda. 

Deception at Work ~
Evil never wants its face to be exposed and to have its true identity revealed. Truth and the reality it defines represent existential threats to evil in every form. Thus, promoters of evil practices will go to any lengths to mask their intentions. They redefine words, reinterpret events, and create alternative images to deceive and defraud their unsuspecting victims, and lies provide the material from which their masks are created and applied. 

In the midst of reflecting on the influence of the physical and verbal masks being displayed by the perpetrators and defenders of the anti-ICE “protests,” news alerts began to emerge about Israel’s campaign to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability. As indicated earlier, ignoring what may be the most profoundly significant global event in modern history was not an option. Interestingly, a brief comment made by the Apostle Paul to the Church in Thessalonica reveals an important element that connects them both. In addressing their confusion about Jesus’ return, Paul announced the emergence of one described as the lawless one, and then made this announcement:  

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; (2 Thessalonians 2:7 NKJV)

Clarification Needed ~
The issue of lawlessness is clearly at work in both of the theaters of battle we’ve been watching. The riots mentioned earlier provide a graphic description of what a total disregard for laws looks like and so does the behavior of Iran and its proxies. But lawless attitudes and behavior are not reserved for mobs of unrestrained fanatics alone. We’ve seen some of the highest officials in government both here and abroad act as though certain laws did not exist. But the question is if lawlessness is so common and so easily recognizable on all these levels, what’s the mystery Paul warns about?

The term, mystery, employed here is not referring to the kind of criminal behavior that Sherlock Holmes might delve into. What God is referring to in this case is something hidden, some force or concept actively at work behind the scenes, but obscured and unrecognized. So, what, or who, are we failing to recognize in the lawlessness engulfing us today? If we fail to recognize the real enemy, our strategies and our concept of victory will be misguided and ineffective. 

It Begins with Division ~
Satan has done a masterful job of undermining God’s intention that we human replicas of His image should live in unity and harmony with one another. Instead, we divide into groups …

• • • We distinguish ourselves from one another every way we can. 
    • We identify ourselves as members of various groups. 
    • We associate ourselves with things like tribes, races, genders, kingdoms, families, nations, political parties, socio-economic classes, sexual preferences, academic achievements, generational designations, etc., etc., etc. 

That divisiveness facilitates our craving for acceptance in lots of places, but it also provides a virtually endless list of potential enemies. It enables us to assign blame to someone else for nearly anything that threatens our sense of wellbeing or security.

The “mystery” underlying all these conflicts is simply this … As we fight our battles on many fronts, we often fail to recognize that our real enemy can appear to be any of our designated foes, but in reality, he is none of them. The enemy fanning the flames of lawlessness on our streets and around the world aren’t the Islamic terrorists or the antisemites who support them. The adversary we need to defeat isn’t a masked mob of agitators burning our flags and our police cars. The real threats aren’t coming from activist judges denying justice and hamstringing the legal system. Lasting victory won’t be won by just defeating the bunch of Trump-hating Democrats screaming curses on camera, or the “Rino” Republicans jamming up the President’s agenda. Peace won’t come from overcoming the wacko environmentalists who think we can save the planet by monitoring cow flatulence and eating cockroaches. 

Unmask the Real Enemy ~
Our real enemy laughs when we exhaust ourselves fighting the proxies he sends against us and not employing the only weapons he cannot withstand. The living God gave us the unmasked truth about the one behind all lawlessness a long time ago and exposed the enemy who wants to destroy us all. It’s time to join the most decisive battle we’ll ever fight and defeat the real enemy.  To begin, we should revisit some familiar reminders and admonitions that each of us needs to absorb and apply at this crucial time in our history:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NKJV)

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)

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)

Followers of Jesus have a vital role to play in all these events. May God help us all to do our part by pulling the mask off the real enemy’s face and letting his identity be known. Then don our armor, pick up our weapons, and stand against the wiles of the lawless one. And as all these wars unfold, let’s be the invincible force fighting the battle no one sees. Let’s target our faith and unleash our prayers against the devil and his proxies. And let’s hold up before God not only our leaders fighting for law and order here in our own homeland – but those fighting for our beloved ally, the homeland Jesus calls His own. Victory might just depend more on us than we think! 

“TWEETABLES” ~ Click to tweet and share from the pull quotes below.  Each one links directly back to this article through Twitter . . .

• • • Divisiveness facilitates our craving for acceptance in many places. It also provides a virtually endless list of potential enemies enabling us to assign blame to someone else for nearly anything that threatens our sense of wellbeing or security. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
    • What, or whom, are we failing to recognize in the lawlessness engulfing us today? If we fail to recognize the real enemy, our strategies and our concept of victory will be misguided and ineffective. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
    • The living God gave us the unmasked truth about the one behind all lawlessness a long time ago and exposed the enemy who wants to destroy us all. It’s time to join the most decisive battle we’ll ever fight and defeat the real enemy. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)

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