Francis Villanueva Struggles of a wanna be ChristianEven as a non-Christian, I always knew that good would triumph over evil… that God would defeat Satan in that final battle. After playing so many video games, I convinced myself that, logically, there were too many factors going against the evil doers for them to succeed. Factors like, how the potential power of good is much greater than the temporary effects of evil, how evil persons, because of their pride would never cooperate to succeed and how none of the evil creatures would attempt to achieve a common goal… BOY WAS I WRONG…

Matt. 12: 22-26 Jesus and Beelzebub
22: Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.

23: All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

24: But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub,[a] the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”

25: Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

26: If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?

I guess this passage just impressed upon me 2 novel points. First, that Satan has his own kingdom… which means he has this little space in the universe which he controls with his own will (probably as permitted by God). and Second, that his Kingdom is not all about chaos… that it pursues a common goal to make us fall and to defile God….that the sins of pride and lust never cancel each other out…hat they support each other in one way or another. Which is why if we’re tempted by one sin, usually, several sins follow it up afterward even if you shun away the first. Note that even if you commit the first sin, second and third sins still pop up after it. Satan’s evil is united.

I think those who believe in Christ would do well to be aware of this fact… because our spiritual training should prepare us not to duel with one sin… but to survive a wave of evil bent on sending each of our souls away from God. Therefore, the best way to defend ourselves against a united front, is to be united with others who truly believe your faith. This is where small groups and Church worship help us. We really need support from the riverbanks if we’re going to be facing a torrent. God bless us all.