When some people accused Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, Jesus said: "He who is not with Me is against Me." In the context of spiritual warfare, we are enemies of Jesus if we aren't on His side. There is no neutrality in spiritual warfare. Those who profess to be neutral are either disguised enemies or unknowing draftees into Satan's army. In the context of ministry, we're with Jesus as long as we're not against Him (Mk 9:40). However, in the context of spiritual warfare, we're against Him if we're not with Him.

Therefore, those who haven't given their lives to Jesus are part of the opposition to Jesus and His Church in spiritual warfare. Those who are the world's friends are God's enemies (Jas 4:4). Those who refuse to repent of sin and are "set upon the things of this world" are "enemies of the cross" (see Phil 3:18-19). We don't have to be Judas Iscariot to be an enemy of Jesus. We qualify as His enemy if we wash our hands of the situation as Pontius Pilate did (Mt 27:24), give Jesus the "silent treatment" as Simon Peter did (see Lk 22:57), or are just not there for Jesus as the apostles were not present at Calvary (see Mk 14:50). We are enlisted into Satan's army not just by overt rebellion against Jesus, but also by apathy, lukewarmness, silence, and selfishness. We are either for or against Jesus. Give your life to Him now.

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July27, 2010

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