I keep hearing some people saying things like, "We should ban all Muslims from entering the US!" or, "Why don't we just nuke the entire Middle East and turn it into a glass parking lot?!"None of that will solve the problem of violence and terrorism in the world. Why is it so difficult to stop ISIS and other groups who are terrorizing the world? This is probably a clue.
Ephesians 6:12(NIV) "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."
What we are facing, what we sometimes call "radical Islam" among other things, is pure evil. Evil comes from the powers of this dark world. Notice the scripture is referring to rulers, not ruler, authorities, not authority, and powers, not power. The one we call satan is just one. He has many other helpers in his army of fallen angels, and it it suggested that he even may have limited powers of creation when it comes to demons and other spiritual creatures.
These evil powers of the dark world are not interested in what happens to our bodies. Killing, torturing, raping, mutilating our flesh is only a means to an end. That goal is our souls. Satan and his forces want to cause us to lose faith, turn from God, and let our fear turn our hearts to evil, adopting his own evil ways. In other words, he wants to turn us to the "dark side." (Yes, George Lucas had it right.)
The reason ISIS and other terrorist groups are so difficult to defeat is that they are not an organized army with a chain of command like our enemies in other wars that we have fought. It is an ideology. It is a thought. It can infiltrate easily and quickly, any group, even our own army...or as some believe, even the White House.
The only way this evil will be defeated is by God, in His time, and in His way. Until then, yes, we must do what we can to defend ourselves, our families, and our nation, but most importantly, we must guard our souls. That is the true treasure that the enemy is after.
