In a 1962 sermon by Billy Graham titled, “The Difficulty of Unbelief,” the late evangelist contends, “If America were to be occupied by an enemy, the churches would be filled overnight, a great spiritual revival would take place, and thousands would turn to God.”
Many of us can vividly recall how churches were indeed packed across the country on the Sunday following Sept. 11, 2001. Thinking back to that response, it’s easy to understand what Graham was talking about; a crisis as severe as an invading, occupying enemy would certainly drive many tepid Christians and stubborn unbelievers running to the churches. When the things we take for granted begin to fall like dominos, we look for truths that cannot be shaken. And so we turn to God.
However, Graham could have, and perhaps should have, gone one step further. He could have reminded his audience that though no human enemy had landed on our shores, we are beset by an enemy nonetheless. Though the Communist invaders his Cold War audience surely pictured were being kept at bay, an unseen yet powerful foe had certainly overtaken the land. A spiritual war, long-running, continued unabated, and it continues still, just as savagely as ever.
“Be sober-minded; be watchful,” says the Apostle Peter. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Our modern world ignores what was for so long an understood aspect of life, that evil is real. It continues to be real, and it continues to destroy, to undermine, and to desecrate all it can. The Bible personifies evil as Satan, attributing the worst of our world to his mischief and to that of those under his power. The scriptures call us to vigilance, using God’s strength to thwart the schemes and traps along our journey.
The Apostle Paul clearly advises, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” His counsel finds few takers in the 21st century. Even in our churches, it is often considered old-fashioned and unenlightened to speak of “spiritual forces” peddling darkness. And perhaps that sort of attitude is exactly what the enemy wants us to advance.
Yet day-to-day life, despite its modern comforts, should convince us that an enemy does indeed occupy our land. None of us have far to look to find its victims, casualties of an unseen war which takes some lives, ruins others, and leaves still more enslaved to a worldliness which slowly robs our very humanity. If we don’t see these works of darkness all around us, we surely must be blind.
In recognizing the very real danger posed by this enemy, we must also realize his vulnerability. Powerful though he is, he can be faced, and defeated, through God’s help and God’s intervention. “Resist the devil,” says James, “and he will flee from you.” To resist him we must first begin taking his existence seriously; then we must begin to notice where and when he attacks us; and finally, we must call upon God’s power to chase him away. It is as simple as that, and as crucial.
An occupation by enemy soldiers might cause us to fill our churches, but this occupation by a spiritual enemy must make us fill our churches. Our broken, hurting society must begin to recognize its true enemy, and gather together to combat it. “If God is for us,” the Bible reminds us, “who can be against us?” Let us turn from petty squabbles and pointless pursuits and find a real solution to the problems besetting this nation and this world. Let’s turn to God, at last, and chase our enemy back into the sea.
The Rev. William E. Pike has pastored the United Methodist congregation in New Market since 2011. He can be reached by email at williamedwardpike@gmail.com.
