Day 6 of war in Ukraine by Russian attack.

Ukranian citizens on high alert at all times.

Whatever normal was one week ago, it’s gone.

Can you imagine a sudden transition from life as you know it today to an experience of daily war?

Those of us who choose to subject ourselves to a Saviour who offers us forgiveness and eternal life, having paid the high price for sin we never could, face a reality of invisibly powered opposition on a regular basis.

No one gets a pass.

If you’re not encountering some sort of faith test right now, some brother or sister in Christ around you IS, and they need you to pray and support them – just as you’ve needed them in your times of trial.

Seeing a hot war in progress in Ukraine is hard to watch, but I have to admit it creates a partial visual for me in the natural realm of what unseen battles waged regularly by God’s enemy toward Christians look like.

Today is not an exception.

My daughter brought a matter to my attention today that required prayer and discussion and coaching.  This young generation faces pressures and realities that are not nearly as subtle, though just as real, as when we parents were growing up.

I have friends waking up each morning – including today – crying out to the Almighty for His help as they love their adopted children and the beautiful mess it is to bring them together with their biological kids as one family under God.

We have friends on the other side of this globe living in a culture whose dominant religion is not welcoming of the Christian faith they courageously profess.

Biblestudytools.com describes spiritual warfare as devoted followers of God having their strength and conviction of our faith continuously tested.

As the resolve of the Ukranian people continues to inspire many, may we be catalyzed similarly in our faith.   What you will not see in the media coverage, however, is that the people of this country buffering Poland from Russia are also a part of a spiritual war.  The Jerusalem Post puts it like this (and this was before the land war started):

The battle –

to trust God,

to continue to do good in a world that seeks to confuse the very definition of good,

to practice the spiritual disciplines necessary to engage our weapons of prayer and worship, to sacrifice our desire to revel in the comforts afforded to us and accept our daily, active-duty status while we are still citizens of this earth,

and to LOVE everyone including our enemies for the sake of making Jesus known.

It is wearying.  It is hard.  Even in down time we must have an attitude of readiness.

One day, it WILL all be over.

Our Master General, Creator of all, Almighty God and Everlasting Father has enlisted us in love and with the promise of His presence with us here and now, and His assurance of our presence with Him after our assigned battles are completed.

Let us fight well.