References:
• Matthew 27:33-54 NAS
• Mark 15:22-39 NAS
• Luke 23:33-49 NAS
For those who don’t know me, there are some things that I really enjoy that others may not like at all. For example, I enjoy a good thunderstorm. Having grown up in northeastern Kansas (almost 10 whole years), I came to enjoy ‘God’s light show,’ the patter of rain on the windows, looking for rainbows, etc. No, I have not met Dorothy or Toto.
Something else that I really enjoy is a good suspense thriller or horror movie. Now, I do not care for the ‘slasher films’ that are so popular. For me to enjoy the movie, there has to be an intelligent plot, good character development, and unexpected plot twists are always a plus. One example would be the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful” that is on Netflix. I found the series to be a very interesting and unique retelling of various horror stories like Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, etc. It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure.
I do know that some Christians believe that it is evil to watch horror movies because of their portrayal of witchcraft, promotion of evil deeds, etc. There have been a number of movies that I stopped watching because of reasons similar to these. But, for the most part, just like science fiction, I know that they are fictitious, not real, and that they are not (normally) based on Scripture but on myths, pagan beliefs, etc. And, having experience real spiritual warfare myself over the years, I find myself often laughing at how things are portrayed.
Quite frankly, my wife and I will sometimes watch a poorly based horror movie and entertain ourselves with making fun of it. Her experiences are very different than mine when it comes to spiritual warfare. Because of this, there are times where I will seek her thoughts on something, or she will ask me for my input. Our different experiences, personalities (I am an INFJ and she is the polar opposite, an ESTP), training, etc., help us to become better together.
The thunderstorms that we have been experiencing the last few days, including today, helped inspire this blog entry. That, and the fact that I have been watching a number of pretty good horror/thriller movies lately. That, and it’s the night before Easter.
Why am I making these connections? It’s something that I, as an INFJ, do very easily. It’s how my mind works. But, there is a real logic to all of this, if you will just bare with me a little more. Spiritual warfare is essentially the legions of Satan fighting against God and trying to keep each of us away from God’s love and mercy. Whether it is more subtle attacks against our faith in God through friends and family concerning our faith in Christ and belief in Scripture, or they are made manifest in attacks on our character or even our bodies. It all has roots in the spiritual world. It is not something that we see (unless God grants us the ability to see into the spiritual realm), but it’s something that we feel the effects of.
Think about it. Christ’s crucifixion was greatest battle in the eternal war between God and Lucifer (now known as Satan). Up until Jesus’ death and resurrection, we were all spiritually dead, eternally separated from God because of our sinful nature. We belonged to Satan, the ruler of this world. On Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified, Satan genuinely believed that he had won the battle, and the war. It wasn’t until Sunday morning, when Jesus rose again from the dead, that Satan realized that he not only lost that battle, but he also lost the war.
I work for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, have been there for almost 10 whole years now. Because of the evil within a lot of the Inmates, every day is intense emotionally and spiritually for me. Not every Inmate is ‘evil-incarnate,’ but quite a few are. Also, because of the sin that many have lived in, demonic forces dwell around, and sometimes within. It’s an environment that I walk within almost daily. Because I have spent about half of my career working within the segregation unit, dealing with people who tend to do evil things on a regular basis, often ‘just of kicks’ or for pure enjoyment, it is sometimes very, very intense.
Although this job can be very dark and morbid, a lot, God does touch lives through me, both staff and inmates. God has used me to encourage those who do follow Him in their individual walks, and He has used me to point others to Him. Both staff and Inmates. God’s love, grace, and peace do indeed shine in the life of several staff members and a number of Inmates. Though they may be just as guilty as the two thieves that hung on either side of Jesus (just as all of us are), some have turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” (Luke 23:42)
Scripture testifies to the evil within our hearts. Scripture testifies to the incredible holiness of God. Scripture also testifies to God’s ‘steadfast love’ for each of us. On that dark, dark day, when Jesus was crucified, the veil in the Temple (a very thick and heavy curtain) was torn in two from top to bottom, the eternal separation between a holy God and sinful human race, was torn open. Two thieves died along with that Glorious Savior. One mocking Him, when acknowledging his sinfulness and seeking His mercy. Which are you?
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