Spiritual Warfare?

I have a problem with so many people using this term because of the violent, militaristic connotations.  They put on a loud, imperious voice and shout at the devil, waving an imaginary sword.

In one of C.S. Lewis fantasy stories an omnipotent but all-loving lion, Aslan, creates a new world, Narnia. But an imperious being from another world gains access to Narnia and imposes a never ending winter on Narnia, enslaving the beautiful creatures of Aslan and turning any who defy her into stone. 

When 4 children from earth “stumble” into Narnia, one is deceived by the witch, betrays his brother and sisters and ends up also enslaved by the witch.  However, Aslan outwits the witch and her simple magic by allowing her to kill him. His deeper magic is released, He comes back to life and winter in Narnia ends, the creatures whom the witch turned to stone are released and the witch is deposed,  fleeing into obscure exile.  The four children from earth are crowned as kings and queens of Narnia and a long age of peaceful summer ensues.

The Biblical version of Christ’s life by St. Luke portrays Jesus as the powerful creator incarnate, returned to transform the frozen and enslaved earth. From birth through His adult ministry Luke portrays Him in opposition with the evil one.  Jesus is tempted to use His power to help people politically or through charity.  Yet His stated purpose is to suffer and ultimately die.  And it is in His refusal of fame and power and comfort to the point of death that He gains His ultimate victory over the evil one and decisively breaks the back of the curse holding the world in its grip, in His death finally taking away the barrier between us and God, the record of our wrong-doings, and instead reconciling us to God finally so we can enter into God’s loving Presence, and His Presence into us.

The way of Jesus is our model.  Our greatest victory in this “spiritual warfare” is as we “die”.  It is daily.  To walk away from fame, from esteem, from comfort, from intimacy, from physical delights, from entertainment, from freedom, from security, from power, from control, from influence, from everything we rely on for stability and comfort and fulfillment.  But only love can motivate us to do so. And this love is not from within. It is the love of God that inspires and motivates us to surrender all to Him just so we can bask in the glorious, brilliant warmth of His smiling, lover’s gaze. We sacrifice everything just to be close to God, and He brings us back to life on a higher plane, transforming the world by His love incarnate through us.