Merely killing an enemy is not the terrorist’s aim. But to expose and ravage the will of their relatives, friends and compatriots with such horror and dread, that surrender is foregone - for their cowering hearts cannot muster a reprisal.

No, killing is too easy. He ties the feet of the parents, and chains their hands to the wall. He strips the child and forces him to curse and denounce his mommy and daddy. He’s then defiled, pulled apart and desecrated before their eyes - and before they are dismembered and sent off to tell their village what no words can describe.

‘How cruel!’ we say. ‘How could anyone do such a thing?’

But think a moment. The ‘pleasure’ of torturing the child was never for it’s own sake. It was to humiliate and suck the life from the parents and everyone who would hear the story. The boy was but a tool, the prize was cutting out hearts and shattering hope.

What atrocities we witness in the earth today testify to an unseen truth. They are committed by men, but spawned and perpetrated by spirits of darkness acting as their nature dictates. Such men fall prey to the ‘God of this World’ - satan, the devil.

Satan is ever showing in the physical world what he does in the unseen spirit world. He’s the lord of lies, destruction and murder.

Not all men will be terrorists. But, without the Light of the Gospel of Christ, all men will be deceived.

Most Christians think the devil’s out to get them. They’re right. But you have no scale to measure how insignificant you are to him - compared to his objective.

There are some things of which the devil is absolutely sure - things at which he trembles:

That:
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 Jn 3:8b

That:
Through death He (Jesus) might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Heb 2:14

That:
Jesus Christ disarmed the rulers and (demonic) authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them. Col 2:15

That:
To His followers Jesus declared: Behold, I have given you authority . . . over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Lk 10:19

Satan knows he is history. Now, however sure the devil is of his impotence before the children of God, most ‘believers’ are woefully unsure. Believe me, satan WILL exploit this. And his mercy is non-existant.

Just listen to the taunt of satan - not to the saints - but to our Father:

“I will shackle, torment, shame, and curse Your children. I will condemn them and waste them with disease. I will violate them, and suffocate them in a quicksand of fear. I will brutalize them day and night. I will do what I damn well please with them right in Your face, until my time is up. You might as well be chained to the wall.

“I may have lost the war, but until Your return I’ll stab Your heart to shreds. Just look at Your beloved ones; those You called Chosen Priests and Kings, Valiant Warriors who Reign in Life. See them whipped and groveling at my feet. In their ignorance and faithlessness I rule, not You. For now, I have my prize.

“Where are You now! Can You not even protect Your own? You will watch as I ravage and ruin your pathetic sons and daughters. And neither You, nor Your Son, can do a thing about it.”

Can such a taunt be brushed-off, or go unanswered?

Who, today, will carry the torch and bear witness to our Triumphant Christ? Who will muster courage and enforce His victory in the here and now?