To comprehend a spiritual, unseen entity that is influencing our carnal world, we must first recognize its existence and know that it is hiding in plain sight while influencing the ways of the world. This knowledge is the precursor for learning the spiritual tactics that the enemy relies upon in his plan of opposition to God, humanity in general, and Christ followers in particular. In order the make an argument that the faith-walk of the citizens of the United States of America has or does not have an impact upon the progress of spiritual depravity throughout the world requires some investigation. I will first pick up on the discussion of evil’s influence upon our world that was introduced in my first book in which I focused on identifying evil’s existence, along with exposing the schemes, practices, and tactics of the dominion of darkness. In that writing, I only touched upon the fact that the devil has a plan of opposition for every Christ follower but realizing and understanding the spiritual workings his plan of opposition is a gamechanger.

Understanding and exposing the underlayment of the dominion of darkness’s spiritual plan of opposition will give us the opportunity to understand how it impacts the direction of our nation, but more importantly, gives us a tool for honest self-assessment related to our faith-walk. Both of these objectives can be accurately addressed only when they come with a heavy dose of absolute truth. This is readily accessible in God’s Word. Simply put, God’s plan and outline for your life as a believer, which when followed guarantees an exemplary citizenship in service to our American republic, is simple:

1. God
2. Family
3. Country
4. Everything else

But Satan has other plans for our life’s priorities. When it comes to crafting schemes, wiles, tricks, riddles, plots and complicated deceptions, human capabilities are so inferior to Satan’s that he can go about reprioritizing your life in plain sight. His schemes are beyond our ability to see, recognize, comprehend, or understand. The monikers he is assigned biblically include: the prince of this world, the spirit of this age, and the prince of the power of the air. He influences events on this earth, and his evil approach is a lot more complex than we can imagine. We are clearly over-matched. He has many convinced that God is unnecessary, you job probably requires a higher priority than your family, and that things are more important than people. The number 1 item on God’s list is, unfortunately, the first thing to go. But don’t fall for his spiritual plan of opposition.

When you feel a bit uneasy about what you’re hearing and seeing, understand that this is the conscience of God. If you feel it strongly to the point of despair, that would be the Holy Spirit within you sending you a message. This feeling or stirring is attempting to tell you something. Within the conscience of God resides his ingrained, moral law and those standards are present in everyone he creates, even if you do not believe in Jesus Christ. For believers, the stirring will be stronger because of the Holy Spirit within, the Spirit of Truth provided to you when you accepted the lordship of Jesus Christ . These two critical, good gifts, a conscience and the Holy Spirit given to all Believers, come from the same source – the Almighty God.

Before we can awaken from the deep slumber that America is in, we must be reconsecrated as a nation. Of course, it helps a great deal if we are led by God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us as he directs our own personal sanctification, so we can at least see and understand the greater truths of where our country is heading. The Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification in your life has a beginning, a middle, and an end. I am in the middle of the process, and I know only one thing for certain, sanctification sucks. Not to mention the end does not even occur while we are restricted by our earthly vessels, so we will always be in the middle of it. But as the process progresses, we learn to avoid the arrows launched as part of the spiritual plan of opposition. And after we have learned some hard truths, we will reap the fruits of the harvest of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. May the Holy Spirit bear fruit in your life! Amen.