I am in the process of writing a Bible study for TH on Angels and Demons. I began studying with the idea that I knew a good deal about angels and demons. I have taken classes on them in college, I have picked up a few things here and there during church and other Bible studies, and I have even made my own Cherubem when I made my Tabernacle!! (lets just say my Cherubem must have made the REAL Cherubem laugh and be insulted!! 
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Well, the more I study the more I realize the awesome spiritual battle going on all around me. Daniel 10:1-14 describes the battle going on between the angels and demons. As I read it I kind of got the feeling that so many Christians today are so totally unaware of the battles going on all around us each day. Daniel had to be told what was happening and he was a man who was so totally in tune to the heart of God. Sometimes we focus so much on the the love, grace, and mercy of God (and rightly so) that we forget the reality of the spiritual battle raging around us. Even as I have been preparing for this Bible study I have felt the need to ask God for an extra portion of protection for me, the kids who’ll be coming, and for the other staff I work with. Lucifer will do whatever he can to prevent the truth from being spoken. He has such a huge hold on so many of these kids. The less they know about who he really is the stronger his grip becomes on them. We are hoping and praying this Bible study will help them each understand the reality if the spiritual battle being fought. Angel’s aren’t like Casper, and demons aren’t like little red guys with pitch forks. The media’s portrayal of these awesome beings often desensitizes us to their true form and activities which may account for many Christians not taking them seriously. Other cultures seem to be more in touch with the spiritual part of life, and therefore, take things like demons and angels much more seriously. Maybe we should be taking a few lessons from them!
A really cool part about preparing this Bible study has been seeing the overwhelming Biblical evidence supporting God as the ultimate winner of the war. I think so many times Christians get caught in the trap of “The devil made me do it! ” or “I couldn’t help it.” without realizing we have the active power of the Holy Spirit in our lives to combat those temptations and thoughts. Unless we claim that power and actively use it when we are tempted we will NEVER be able to be “overcomers”. We will always fail. Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit we have as much control as someone who is unsaved and without the Holy Spirit living in them. We don’t expect them to resist temptation or the pull of the sin nature, yet we think because we are Christians we should automatically be able to resist temptation without any effort or conscious thought. Wishful thinking! We have the Holy Spirit for a reason, don’t neglect Him.
OK, well, I should get back to my lesson planning. I hope you are all able to say a quick prayer for me, the kids here, and the other staff working here as we continually enter into the ground Lucifer has claimed as his, namely, the lives of the kids we see each day. The battle is real but it is comforting to know the outcome already! When you know the outcome of the battle it can take the urgency of prayer away, but DO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN!
Dan
