What Lies Beneath.  By Sara Cain.

This is a photograph of an iceberg almost identical to the one that sank the “unsinkable” Titanic more than a 100 years ago. What is visible is a beautiful snowy white ice formation that does not appear to be particularly formidable.  But … what lies beneath?

Beneath the water’s surface, unable to be seen, was about 80% of the iceberg, not only a much larger part than what could be seen, but also much more deadly due to the density of the ice imbedded with rocks and other substances that created a huge obstacle much bigger and stronger than the huge ship, destroying it upon impact. What people expected to be an inconsequential scrape against some clean ice was instead a massive destructive collision with a deadly outcome.

Hollywood released a movie in the year 2000 titled “What Lies Beneath”, which was a horror story about a woman experiencing supernaturally evil happenings in her home and neighborhood.  I didn’t watch it because I hate horror movies, as well as I avoid entertainment stories and venues that feed on evil.

Unfortunately, yesterday our country watched a true horror story supercharged by evil unfold in front of our eyes.  It was a perfect example of why this scripture is included in the Bible to teach us about such things.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  – Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

If you are a Christian you are no doubt familiar with this verse explaining to us how to interpret the events that happen to us and around us, and who is to blame.  As you think about what happened when those shots rang out in Pennsylvania, and listen to more reports about it in the future, I encourage you to filter everything through the lens of this scripture, and according to these truths:

• God is our salvation. Not a government.  Not a politician.  Not a political party.  Not our U.S. Constitution. Not even our pastor.  Jesus alone is our salvation, not only spiritually, but in this physical realm also. He is our safe place, our rescuer, and our provider. No matter how our laws may change or whether our economy is good or bad, it is God who provides all that we need and keeps us safe.

• God is sovereign. Colossians 1:16 “For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him.”  God’s Will will prevail, regardless of what it looks like to us and how we feel about it.

• God’s heart is for us.  So even though it looks all wrong and upside down to us, we can be assured that, “We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.  God’s got us!

As I listened to the news yesterday and watched the video of the shooting from various outlets, I heard the words “what lies beneath” not only guiding me to the Ephesians scripture about the battle being spiritual warfare rather than a fight between human beings, but also as those words apply to individual people regarding their hearts and minds.

What lies beneath the surface of their words and actions?

What made that young man who allegedly did the shooting make that choice?

What created the vitriolic outburst of some of the people who voiced their opinion that they were sorry the shooter “missed the opportunity to take Trump out”.

I have lots of thoughts about this, but I will only share these.

People are feeling lost.  Feeling abandoned.  Confused about what is true.  Feeling powerless and having no control over their own life. Feeling scared. Feeling like they don’t count in a world passing them by… unseen, unheard, and unloved.

Because of these feelings, they are ripe for manipulation, looking for a leader to guide them out of the chaos and into some imagined good life. And guess who is answering the call.

The Deceiver.

He gives them a vision of a life of pleasure and toys, where they get things their way.

He sends them leaders who take their fragile damaged minds and shows them lies and deceptions that look so beautiful, all the while destruction is lurking below the surface.

To those with ambitions, he (the deceiver) provides “knowledge” (really lies and propaganda from Hell) and alliances that build them up and increases their power and influence over others, until they believe they are gods themselves. They are filled with greed and lust for more, more, more, creating our corrupt political system where it is impossible without God’s blessing and protection for righteous men and women to gain influence.

Our country is so divided because of the Deceiver, the Father of Lies.  He has released the spirit of hatred and death over our land.  He has pitted us against each other for every reason imaginable. He has blinded some of our most intelligent people to the truth. He has wooed some of our most gifted and talented people to promote Hell. He is confusing people’s thoughts to where they are fighting against the people they love most.  He is having so much success that many Christians are duped into “fighting” other Christians for the sake of politics.

When Jesus came to earth, the Jews thought he came to rescue them from the Romans and set up a Jewish kingdom.  Isn’t this exactly what some of us have been guilty of thinking regarding our own country?  We look for this politician or that politician to save us; to rescue us from the evil that is being crafted in Washington D.C.

Yes, we should be praying for God to raise up men and women who will win influence and power in high places, and influence governmental decisions.  But we must be led by Holy Spirit, and know His voice, and be clear that we’re not creating false narratives about this or that politician because we align ourselves with a particular political party, or we “like” or “dislike” this one or that one.

This is why events like what happened yesterday are a “call to arms” for Christians. We are who God has entrusted to see and meet the needs of the abandoned, confused, lonely, unlovely, and unloved people.  We are the ones he commanded to share the gospel, not suggesting or asking politely, but COMMANDING us to tell them about Jesus and be his hands and feet to them.

We are to stand in the gap for the lost and confused.  Our prayers should be without ceasing to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth and lift the veil of deception from the people. We must recognize the fighting for what it is: the ultimate battle between good and evil.  Spiritual Warfare … the battle in the spiritual realm.

If we are born-again believers, we are citizens of Heaven before any place else. Our allegiance must first be to the King of Heaven, and work to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth and to all people. Fear and Hate have no place in that kingdom.

God’s Word tells us to pray for our leaders and love them as part of His creation.  We don’t have to like them or vote for them, but we must love them with God’s love and be concerned about their eternal soul and pray that their eyes will be opened and their hearts softened so that they come to know God. In the meantime, it’s up to our sovereign God to place politicians in power and to remove them from power. Our job is to be obedient, loving, praying servants.

I leave you with Ephesians 6:12 again, but in The Passion Translation this time. Let it be part of your prayers for our nation.

“ Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.”

And now I leave you with this blessing;