Abortion is not a simple method of birth control, like many would want us to believe, but it is an organized method of murder, of which those who are skilled in using the implements of death are payed a lot of money. For them, the goal is making money. Love of money is their focus. In their darkened minds, nothing will get in the way of their making money this way.
In the hearts of the average young woman or man, they have been given the lie that abortion is a form of birth control. It actually is a form of birth control, but it involves murdering a person to control the baby from being born. Nothing will interfere with their idol, for women are slaves to their desire for love from a man, and men are enslaved to their sexual lust. A baby would interfere with all this. If a baby is born, the woman who is looking for security from a man, would lose her man. And the man would lose his sex object. Two very powerful strongholds in the lives of people that need to be torn down.
Many, if not most, of these people are not even able to reason. They have been turned over by God to their wicked desires. They will ultimately receive the worst of punishment in hell, one day, unless something happens to intervene for them.
Where do we go from here? We have no choice but to use the spiritual weapons God has given to us. I believe it is in Isaiah 58. where God tells us that the kind of fasting He desires, breaks the chains of bondage over people. When Jesus was being tempted by the devil, He was fasting and praying. One time, when Jesus was casting a demon out, the disciples were unable to cast the demon out. Jesus explained that those kind come out only by prayer and fasting. I am also aware that this passage may not be in the originals, but it still may have happened that way.
What are the targets the devil attacks? They are our faith, our trust in God, our believing and knowing what is true, and tempting us with idols and other sinful temptations.
God anticipates our spiritual battle, so He gives us weapons to fight with. Here is what Ephesians 6 tells us: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.…" ESV, verses 10-12.
When people are turned over by God to their own wicked hearts, their consciences are seared, and they become puppets for the devil. At one time, they did know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, but they have chosen to get rid of the apparatus (the conscience) in order to enjoy their wicked desires. The devil controls them now, and they are in his hands. We pray for God's mercy to be upon them, and we pray for the Powers of Darkness to be held back. We can't afford to be defeated by their lies, or discouraged. We must press on, and make sure we are not listening to the devil's lies, ourselves.
The devil would try to shatter our faith. The devil would love for us to be divisive against each other (united we stand, divided we fall) and he would love to render each one of us powerless against his schemes. He would love for us to doubt God's word (Did God really say?) and he would love for us to not trust God (ex. what kind of a cruel God would let 3,000 children starve every day?). When our opposition looks overwhelming, we can either be overwhelmed by the opposition, or, we can be in awe of an all-powerful God, who will not let any person get away with sin, ultimately.
God is very clear about our need to pray. Pray without ceasing, should be the mode we are in. The word of God helps us to know God better, and as we grow in our understanding of Him, our trust in Him grows, and our faith in Him will grow.
When Jesus died on the Cross, His death provided the way for the works of darkness to be undone. He triumphed over the devil that day. In Revelation, 12:11, the Bible says of those who were undergoing severe persecution, 'They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony". Jesus blood will overcome the Enemy of our souls. Our faith in God will be a shield against him too.
Here is an excerpt from Matthew Henry's commentary:
6:10-18 Spiritual strength and courage are needed for our
spiritual warfare and suffering. Those who would prove themselves to have true
grace, must aim at all grace; and put on the whole armour of God, which he
prepares and bestows. The Christian armour is made to be worn; and there is no
putting off our armour till we have done our warfare, and finished our course.
The combat is not against human enemies, nor against our own corrupt nature
only; we have to do with an enemy who has a thousand ways of beguiling unstable
souls. The devils assault us in the things that belong to our souls, and labour
to deface the heavenly image in our hearts. We must resolve by God's grace, not
to yield to Satan. Resist him, and he will flee. If we give way, he will get
ground. If we distrust either our cause, or our Leader, or our armour, we give
him advantage. The different parts of the armour of heavy-armed soldiers, who
had to sustain the fiercest assaults of the enemy, are here described. There is
none for the back; nothing to defend those who turn back in the Christian
warfare. Truth, or sincerity, is the girdle. This girds on all the other pieces
of our armour, and is first mentioned. There can be no religion without
sincerity. The righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, is a breastplate against
the arrows of Divine wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us,
fortifies the heart against the attacks of Satan. Resolution must be as
greaves, or armour to our legs; and to stand their ground or to march forward
in rugged paths, the feet must be shod with the preparation of the gospel of
peace. Motives to obedience, amidst trials, must be drawn from a clear
knowledge of the gospel. Faith is all in all in an hour of temptation. Faith,
as relying on unseen objects, receiving Christ and the benefits of redemption,
and so deriving grace from him, is like a shield, a defence every way.....
http://biblehub.com/ephesians/6-11.htm
So, don't be discouraged in your battle against the Enemy of our souls. We cannot fight him in our own strength. We must fight using spiritual weapons. I know the context I wrote about his to do with the issue of abortion, but, there are other spiritual battles that all of us will face, if we belong to Jesus Christ. If we do not learn how to fight, we will become casualties. If we are just nominal Christians, we are no threat to the devil, so he would leave us alone. If we are serving the true and living God, we will be in this battle, but He will be in there with us. Let's put on the whole armor of God and fight the good fight of faith, for the kingdom of God's sake.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousnessa will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. Isaiah 58:6-9 NIV
"And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes,
that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man;
and he saw:
and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots
of fire round about
Elisha." 2 Kings 6:17
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