About two weeks ago, it was very cold here in Albuquerque. I got out of my truck and saw water dripping from the roof of a station I had gone to, to get gas. I saw puddles on the ground and as I stepped into it to walk to the store I slipped and fell. It turned out though the sun was out and the water was dripping from the roof, it was still cold enough to form a layer of ice and down I went. As I watched the news that night, the reporter was at a local lake here in town doing a report on the cold weather.

A thin skin of ice had formed over many of the shallow parts of the lake, barely thick enough to be noticed.  As the camera zoomed in to the lake, under the ice I could make out the form of several trout.

Normally the trout are quite skittish and would have taken off at the first sight of a human that close to them. The ice must have impaired their vision enough that they weren’t aware of the  presence of the reporters and camera crew.

Only a thin veil prevented them from being aware of the others presence and the potential danger the crew  might have posed.

That layer of ice reminds me of the veil that separates the "natural" world from the "spirit" world. I think if we could roll back that veil for a few moments and see the battle that is going on for people’s souls we would be terrified.

Many artists have tried to capture the essence on canvas of what that world must be like. Many writers like Frank Peretti have tried to paint word pictures of what goes on there.

The fact that we can’t see the spiritual battle doesn’t make it any less dangerous. The trout didn’t see the crew and seemed to swim peacefully under the ice. 

Our "natural" world is only a small component of reality. Our sense of time is only a small segment of eternity. We play a small part in both, but we serve a God who is above it all and who reigns supreme.

When we get frustrated by sin, by other people or by what goes on in the world, let’s remember who we are really fighting against.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 NIV

Perhaps the underlying reason that Jesus told us to pray for our enemies is simply that our enemies are not who we perceive them to be through "natural" eyes.

Next time you come up against enemies in your life, remember who you are really fighting and put on the full armor of God.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.                     Ephesians 6:13-18 NIV

Until next time, may your eyes be opened to the reality of what is going on around you. Don't take for granted the ground you think is safe. May you also have the eyes of your understanding enlightened so you may see through the veil and understand what is really going on around you.

God bless and keep you!

Darrel Mason