Israel is Still an Example for The Church

Israel is Still an Example for The Church
Upon whom the ends of the age are arrived
1 Corinthians 10:11

The Israeli Way of Urban Warfare
A conversation at the Modern War Institute at Westpoint.edu

Israel is Still an Example for The Church by Donna Diorio

My article is not about fighting techniques Israel uses in urban warfare, it is about how spiritual warfare is not some esoteric prayer and prophecy exercise but rather how physical warfare is practically aided by the spiritual warfare how the Remnant of faith is praying and acting by faith to the crisis.

     When it comes to where the rubber meets the road, Christians have no better example to study than Israel at this moment in time. If you are aware of what is happening in the world, our comfortable reality could be broken at any time by any number of war-like scenarios. 

     That is why it is critical to know that spiritual warfare is not some sci-fi, other worldly fantasy game that we engage in partly (I believe) to entertain our sense of being a righteous elite. Spiritual warfare is other-worldly – angelic and demonic spirits are in battle over the lives of human beings. But we are not to focus on imagining what the battle looks like in the spirit realm which we cannot see. It is fantasy when we try to speak from visualizing what is happening in the angelic and demonic battles. 
  
[We are dancing in our chains  Art by Rolando Cyril - see image here]

    I am saying this because this morning as I prepared to begin writing about how Israel is still “an example” for the Church to heed regarding spiritual warfare, I saw one of the craziest fantasy “prophecies” speaking to waging spiritual warfare about the demonic radar beams from the 2^nd heaven confusing mankind.

     Let me be frank: that is rubbish. It is a demonic deception to capture those who want to believe they are in the highest ranks of spiritual warfare and prophetic vision. Spiritual warfare is not like that at all.

     If you want to know what spiritual warfare is, it is not praying about the latest demonic entity name that is being promoted among intercessors and prophetic circles. Spiritual warfare is first practical. It is about praying for real people with real battles – whether physical health, mental health, marital discord, family estrangement, addictions, false indoctrination, financial struggle, pride, insecurity and just plain old lost! Without a relationship or the knowledge of God to see them safely through life. This is what spiritual warfare is, not grandiose praying to stop supposed spiritual happenings in the 2^nd Heaven.

     The times the Bible tells us were are entering, which I believe we have entered – the time of Jacob’s troubles, the last days, the birth pangs of the Messiah, whatever you want to call it – this is the time the Church should be watching Israel for cues of what our spiritual warfare will surely develop into in our own nations as far as physical warfare and persecution of all of God’s people: the Church in all the nations and the Messianic Jews in Israel.

     It is a time where we will be greatly embattled, but we will also shine brightly as we “Arise, shine, for the glory of the Lord shall rise upon you!” We will not waste our time praying esoteric fantasies based of imaginative visualizations of how angels and devils are fighting in the atmosphere above us, but we will be praying for God’s wisdom, intervention, guidance, protection, healing, provision, deliverance over our own lives and the lives of human beings close to us and faraway.

     Spiritual warfare is not esoteric; it is roll up your sleeves practical! It is the Remnant of faith in Israel making sure intercessors who love Israel are interceding for the remaining hostages who are alive to be released, and for the protection of their IDF soldiers, and for wisdom in decision making militarily and governmentally. It is interceding for the Israeli ministries to be able to practically help their people in a time where all finances are sucked dry in Israel because Christians were willing to step up and help the Messianic ministries supply critical gear for the soldiers, refuge for the evacuated, food on the table for all those out of work because of the war. This is spiritual warfare where the rubber meets the road, and it is frivolous to be filling our minds and prayers with imaginations & speculations over heavenly things while ignoring the practical realities that need our prayers.

     This article did not turn out like I thought it would, but even as I reviewed what ministry letters I have to choose from this week, many have spoken in such a way that it truly demonstrates how if we have our eyes on what they are saying the needs are going to be met, and we also going to learn how to pray for them and ourselves. As for giving when our own giving is tight, the proverb goes that when we lend to the poor, God will repay. As we pray for the Israeli ministries to prevail and even flourish in these taxing days, we will find God’s making a way for us in our needs.