There Is More Than What The Eye Sees

Having just saved the Queen, Qui-Gon tells her, “The situation here is not what it seems. There is something else behind all this, Your Highness. There’s no logic in the Federation’s move here. My feelings tell me they will destroy you.”

He knew that something more was happening than what the eye sees.

What The Eye Can’t See

What do the verses from Ephesians 6:12 and 1 Peter 5:8 tell us?

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Quite often, we only look at the surface of things.

We live in a time when political correctness and intolerance is all around us.

Those that preached tolerance are often the most intolerant people you’ll meet. Why is that? I don’t think it’s that they want tolerance. I think they just want us to stop preaching the word of God.

Who Is Our True Adversary?

Our adversary is not people, is not governments, nor is it politicians. Our adversary is the devil, the accuser of the believer.

While I’m not one to see the boogie man behind every corner, I do think that the decline in our society is not just a happenstance. I think that the devil is working through the hearts of men, through politics, through governments, and the like to bring about his desired plans for this world. What plans are those? He wants to devour the believer and push them away from God.

People who believe, not in God, but in themselves wind up falling prey to him. The devil uses them, not in an in-your-face type of manner, but subtly. That might seem somewhat ridiculous since we just mentioned the devil being a roaring lion, but having seen National Geographic specials on lions, I see how they stalk their prey and then pounce.

I think the devil does that same thing today. He is slowly stalking and prowling his prey. He then jumps on them and they are quickly put under his control.

Looking For Answers

What are things that you see that are happening in your life, that doesn’t quite make sense?

Could these things be the results of your own sin?

Could these be the result of someone else’s sin?

Or could this be the work of the devil?

We do know that God is in control of everything.

Throughout the course of Israel’s history, God has allowed things to happen to this country. Israel was the chosen race. They were God’s people. Yet God would allow things to happen in order to turn them back to him.

When you look at the different captivities that Israel was subject to, this was all done in accordance with God’s will. He allowed these things to happen. There were behind the scene activities that were taking place that would lead to their downfall.

If you look at their leadership both in and outside of the temple, the people were not worshiping God.

There are things at work that were drawing God’s people away from him. Be it the sinful nature, the devil, or whatever you want to call it, things were bleeding God’s people away from him. And God let it happen.

God is ultimately in control of everything. Sometimes God acts specifically in history and sometimes God withholds His hand of protection and allows things to happen.

3 Important Questions To Ask

If something is going wrong in your life I think you need to ask these three questions.

#1: Is this happening due to my sin? If so confess your sin to God and he is faithful and just to forgive you.
#2. Is this happening due to a sin committed by someone else? If yes, go to them and talk with them in accordance with Matthew 18:15-17.
#3. Is this happening because of something outside of your control or understanding? If so take comfort in knowing that we were warned about trials and tribulations coming. James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers,  when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”