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. (Ephesians 6:12)

The following devotion comes from a book which I highly recommend my brother pastors either read or make the time to reread. A.W. Tozer’s, This World: Playground or Battleground? As I often say to my own little flock, which never fails to make them laugh, believe it or not I take just a little bit of flak for being critical of American Christianity. I’ll usually tell them, “O, I’m afraid it seems your pastor has gotten himself in a little hot water again.” Their reply, “So, what’s new about that?”

Well, I much rather be in the company of soldiers like Tozer as opposed to that of world-pleasers like Rick Warren or Brian McLaren or Joel Osteen because the Master, Christ Jesus, most clearly says – “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). You see, the whole seeker sensitive movement has now blossomed into the three major pillars of the anti-Reformation Ecumenical Church of Deceit and she has chosen to simply ignore the opening text in order to lay with her own mother the apostate Church of Rome.

That’s why today I strongly assert that genuine pastors who truly have actually sent by Christ will hear His Voice within mine and they will realize that the time has come to get back into the battle. This world is not a playground and the truth is it never has been. No, it has always been a battleground for the souls of men. And to you my brothers and sisters, this is a clarion for you to turn your back the spiritual poison these megachurch hirelings are feeding you. I exhort you to take up your Sword of the Spirit and then join us in the fight. For it’s always been onward Christian soldiers not play there “Christian” babies (see–Hebrews 5:11-6:3).

Years ago real men of God like A.W. Tozer were already teaching us:

In the early days, when Christianity exercised a dominant influence over American thinking, men and women conceived the world to be a battleground. Our fathers believed in sin and the devil and hell as constituting one force, and they believed in God and righteousness and heaven as the other. By their very nature, these forces were opposed to each other forever in deep, grave, irreconcilable hostility. Humans, our fathers held, had to choose sides-they could not be neutral.

For them it must be life or death, heaven or hell, and if they chose to come out on God’s side they could expect open war with God’s enemies. The fight would be real and deadly and would last as long as life continued here below. People looked forward to heaven as a return from the wars, a laying down of the sword to enjoy in peace the home prepared for them…

How different today. The fact remains the same, but the interpretation has changed completely. People think of the world, not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are not in a foreign land; we are at home. We are not getting ready to live, but we are already living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live this life to the full. This World: Playground or Battleground?, 4-5.

“Lord, we’ve lost too much by becoming friendly with the enemy. Help me to be willing to take a stand for righteousness, to choose clearly to be on Your side against the enemy, to pay any price–and then to look forward to laying down my sword later in heaven. Amen.” (Tozer on Christian Leadership, November 2)