The Battle To Come

“There’s going to be a war, and it’s going to destroy this world. Jesus and the angels and the good people are going to fight against Satan and the monsters and the bad people. I saw it.”

I thought of the battle described in the book of Revelation, and my heartbeat stepped up a notch. “How did you see that?”

“In heaven, the women and the children got to stand back and watch. So I stood back and watched.” Strangely, his voice was sort of cheerful, as though he were talking about a good movie he’d seen. “But the men, they had to fight. And Dad, I watched you. You have to fight too.”

—HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, 136

Todd

Colton says that when he was in heaven he watched as Jesus, the angels, and the “good people” battled “monsters. . . dragons and stuff” in a fierce battle for the world.

I know, I know. It sounds like we’ve moved out of the devotional reader category and headed off into the “fantasy” section of the bookstore. But what Colton saw is perfectly in sync with the book of Revelation, which describes the end of the world, including a fierce battle against dragons and other monsters, including locusts shaped like horses with men’s faces, women’s hair, lions’ teeth, and tails like multi-stingered scorpions (Revelation 9:7–11).

Sounds like “dragons and stuff” to me.

I was amazed that Colton, who first described this scene to me when he was six years old, could describe it so matter-of-factly. I wasn’t amazed that he had asked for a big sword so he could fight too. After all, with Jesus on his side, victory was assured. But one of the men fighting alongside Jesus in the battle apparently caught his eye. It was his dad.

Me.

Battling a monster.

And not with the bazooka, grenade launcher, M-16 rifle, Bradley tank, and nuclear warheads I would have hoped for but with a sword or a bow and arrow (two years after he’d witnessed the battle, Colton couldn’t remember specifically what weapon I wielded).

I have to admit, I wasn’t overly ecstatic to hear about this event waiting for me in the future. But then I realized that Colton had actually witnessed what I had learned long ago from studying Scripture and from my own experience here on earth: our enemy, Satan, is alive and well, and he threatens us every day in every way imaginable. The Bible says he “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).

Who wrote that? Peter! You can hear in his words the pain of being pounced on by that enemy. Today we’re still in that fight that Peter knew firsthand. I personally fight it on a daily basis—but for now, it’s a different kind of battle than one where I’m wielding a sword against monsters and dragons. Today, my battle seems to focus on two questions: Am I following Jesus like I should? And am I standing up for him like I should?

I think the biggest battle for most people is the second one. At least that’s how it seems to me.

In today’s world we get mixed messages about sharing our experiences and our faith. Some people want to hear, but most urge us to tone it down and keep our beliefs to ourselves. I’m amazed at how many people just don’t want me to talk about the miracles I’ve seen. You’ve probably run into the same thing. There are even people who attend churches who say you can believe in Jesus any way you want, but just keep it to yourself. I strongly disagree, and I know God does too.

My faith, and Colton’s faith, is based on a real God who has done real things for us. Real prayers have been answered, and real lives have been changed by a real God whose Son is Jesus. I know some people disagree; others may still be looking and questioning. I’m fine with that. But I’m not fine with believers not talking about what God has done for them.

I’m not saying we should be offensive in sharing our experiences. I’m not suggesting you stand on the street corner and preach to people waiting (eagerly) for the light to change. I’m just saying stand: Stand without wavering. Stand without apology. Stand confidently and say, “I know who Jesus is, and this is what he has done for me.”

There’s a passage in Acts 4 where Jesus’ enemies confronted the early believers. Their message was clear: If you just won’t talk about Jesus, we’ll leave you alone. You can believe what you want; just don’t speak in his name anymore.

The same thing seems to be happening today. In our country we have abundant freedom when it comes to things like profanity and promiscuity but not when it comes to faith. Freedom of speech is in, and freedom of religion is on its way out in our country. Vulgarity and pornography? They’re okay. Jesus? Not so much.

I know who’s behind that position. You probably do too. He’s the same one I’ll be fighting against that day in Armageddon. If you want to fall before that enemy, all you have to do is keep your faith to yourself. Keep it quiet.

I know sometimes standing up for your faith might ruffle your friends’ feathers. Praying before a meal might make other people in the restaurant uncomfortable. Reading a Bible in public might cause others to turn up their nose and walk away. When you stand up for your faith there are some times you won’t feel popular or wanted. But at that point I have to ask you this question: which side are you on?

When the apostle Paul’s life was coming to an end, he summed it up with this simple phrase: “I have fought the good fight.” I think Paul said he was fighting the good fight because he knew which side he was on: the good side.

Colton had to remind me of that same fact when he was telling me about my fighting in the heavenly battle to come. Sometimes in the middle of the day-to-day issues we face here on earth, we forget the most important part of that battle, the final score. But just as Colton reminded me, let me now remind you of the best part: “Dad, Jesus wins.”

I’m glad I’ll fight on the winning side. How many of you will be joining me?

I challenge you to memorize 2 Timothy 4:7 and live in such a way that you, like Paul, can say this at the end of your life:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

—2 Timothy 4:7