Kenny Luck - Fight

contents

To Gods men
in order that Satan might not outwit us.
For we are not unaware of his schemes.
2 Corinthians 2:11

part 1

facing evil

chapter 1

ignorance is incompetence

It is a very human and natural response to fear the unknown. For a believer to keep himself in the dark about Satans person and work is a dangerous mistake.

MARK BUBECK

I dont know of any book that actually invites you to begin picking more fights with evil.

And yet youre holding it.

Aside from what that says about you, Im well aware that holding this book may cause some men to feel like Hal, the deer from The Far Side comic with the bulls-eye birthmark on his chest. Fact is, you and Hal do have this birthmark issue in common. Youve been marked and labeled in the spiritual world just by virtue of your birth. If you claim the family name of Christian, you are being hunted to be destroyed.

And yet a lot of us are denying this dance to the death even exists. Weve heard of the battle and may even be aware of it to some extent, but its all to little practical effect. Weve been duped and made to forget that, unlike Gary Larsons deer, the hunted Gods man can actually turn the tables on evil and become the hunter. We have the power and ability to send the hunter packing! Its all a matter of perceiving the spiritual reality and understanding the source of authority.

Most believers are aware of the right answers when it comes to the familiar idea of waging spiritual warfare. And yet were failing at practical application. We look at the cosmic conflict between good and evil more like a Harry Potter movieits a tossup as to which side will prevail until the final frame. And its this perspective when applied to the real world of spiritual attack that breeds insecurity, hesitation, vacillation, and harm to both believer and the cause of Christ.

I, for one, am loath to take on that reputation. I trust youre with me.

No Interest or Just No Stomach?

We will have struck a deep blow to our enemy if our concept of the spiritual battle moves forcefully from being an afterthought to a way to believe and behave. Based on the attitudes I encounter in men worldwide regarding evil, I would want us for an opponent if I were Satan. The painful, sad reality is that the underworld has the upper hand on the ground level of this war with Gods men. Ill address this later in the book in detail, but for now lets just say weve been assuming the submissive position of a scared pooch, or been freely giving permission (by our inaction) to evil to trample over our lives and the world with impunity. A reality check is in order.

Its time to look in the mirror and not be satisfied with what we have become in the midst of the great war for our King. We must make peace with the fact that we are spiritually enabled, empowered, and equipped to make war on the Enemy and do something. We are commissioned to inflict losses, unmask and thwart plots to kill, and deliver those in bondage to darkness into the freedom of the sons of light.

Satan knows who you are. Get that. Then, as every Gods man must do on a more urgent basis, you need to accept what that means. Whats that, you say? Simple: You cannot ask for a hall pass to get out of this fight. You must also stop living in ignorance and denial. Instead, you need to understand and get to know Satans ways. Why? Because you are in play la Jason Bourne. You are an asset on assignment to neutralize evil wherever and whenever it rears its insidious head. You are to be feared by the Enemy, not laughed at.

Satan knows who you are. Get that. Then, as every Gods man must do on a more urgent basis, you need to accept what that means.

When I signed on to write the Gods Man series, there was a deep sense of foreboding every time I pondered the third book (this one). I was, all at once, deeply convicted and committed to stimulating more intelligent and intentional kingdom warfare and intensely aware of what I would be asking fortroubles of another kind. Devilishly bizarre dreams, personal attacks, marital roadside bombs, harassing thoughts, family traumas, conflicts with church members, a double root canal, and a tsunami of satanic diversions are just a sampling of the mortar and artillery rounds that have been lobbed my way. While some of these are just natural events, the negative emotions that come with them are what the Devil loves to cultivate and exploit in a believer. Every excuse to discourage me, Satan took. He doesnt play fair and is the king of low blows. He waits to kick men in the teeth when theyre down. Magnifying emotions to create insecurities, heighten fears, and defeat us without a bullet being shot are the things Satan is best at. He must rely on playing mind gamesa sign of insecurity and no real power. Nonetheless, hes allowed to mess with us.

He is doing the same thing with you right now.

Repeatedly the message from Satan was, I know who you are and what you intend to do. A little preemptive retaliation is consistent warfare doctrine among sovereigns who feel that the security of their networks or borders is about to be compromised in some way. These shots across the bow were intended to say, Do you really want this? You might want to reconsider. Throughout this time Gods Spirit has said, Reconsider this! like we read in the fourth chapter of Lukes Gospel when Jesus quit listening and started rebuking evil suggestions and ploys. Well, my friend, I am still here dialoguing with you on these pages, and Satan still knows where I live. Boo-ya!

I wanted you to know a little thunder has been rolling my way, but I expected this. I knew all hell would break loose before, during, and after my decision to focus an entire manuscript on outing the Devil and equipping you to effectively confront and defeat him. I knew the Devil loathes being discovered the way any terrorist would be incensed at the man who blew his cover. I knew that the Great Pimp has a big ego matched only by that noxious chip on his shoulder toward believers. I knew that anyone who actively pulls his masks off to expose his presence is asking for a double helping of ire and indignation.

And yet many days what kept me going was you. Yes, youthe Gods man reading these words. The reason you have this book in your hands is because you have been called by your King for this hour. You are being asked to join the company of other mighty men to be the tip of the spear in the war against evil. Just the word fight resonated with your soul and spirit. You are cognizant of the smell of war in your own life, and you see it in your world. That willingness to fight is being affirmed by Gods Spirit. Your training as a disciple is ready to go the next level. Your strong, confident, and fully surrendered presence is going to be needed. Your quickening to the battle is at hand.

I know this feeling well.

Writing Fight was unnerving and necessary for me. Reading Fight will be the same for you. The realities and truths you will confront in these pages will both unnerve you and compel a necessary faith response. More bluntly, from this time forward you will need to change the way you address the challenges of life to account for evil and its presence in and around you. In effect, you are being handed a pair of night-vision goggles (another topic well take on later), and you will see movement of evil that was previously hidden. You will feel the apprehension one experiences when he is considering war. Satan wants you to feel the fear. God will replace that fear with Himself.