Spiritual Terrorism

Sunday, September 11

“Spiritual Terrorism”

1 Peter 5:8-10

Find show pants how many of you remember the events of this day 21 years ago?

If you were older than a young child, I would be quite sure that you remember.

You may even remember where you were and even what you were doing when this began to

break.

Sue & I have been at Niagara Falls for 15th wedding anniversary and had come back across the

border on September 10 th .

we got home got up on the 11th went to work in Dubois and Sue to Punxsy while sitting in my

office working on a material big list, I heard something on the radio about an airliner hitting

the World Trade Center.

This flight had taken off at 7:59 AM from Boston bound for L.A.

76 passengers, 11 crew members in five hijackers.

At 8:19 AM Bettyann Onji alerted ground personnel a hijacking was underway, and the cockpit

was not reachable.

At 8:46 AM this flight ended as it slammed into the north tower taking out floor 91 and above.

All passengers were killed instantly along with many tower employees.

at 8:15 AM United Airlines flight 175 also took off from Boston bound for L.A.

On board were 51 passengers 9 crew members and five hijackers.

At 9:03 AM flight 175 crashes into the South tower on board are killed and again unknown

number inside too.

At 8:20 AM American Airlines flight 77 took off for Dallas outside of DC this flight was also

destined for L.A.

53 passengers, 6 crew members and five hijackers were on board.

Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 AM all passengers are killed along with 125 civilian

and military personnel in the building.

At 8:42 AM a United flight 93 after it delete takeoff from Newark NJ heading to San Francisco

on board were 33 passengers 7 crew members and four hijackers.

The actual destination of the hijacker but many believe it was the White House or US capitol

they never got there.

At 9:57 AM passenger Todd Beamer was able to find a final conversation with his wife (Can

you imagine that call) in his last recorded word, “Let’s roll”!

At 9:57am he and others rushed the cockpit at 10:02 AM the flight plowed to empty field in

Shanksville PA.

All aboard including the heroes with Beamer who unknowingly likely saved thousands of lives,

in taking action of which only God knows in those five minutes of time.

At 9:59 AM near minutes before the of flight 93 the South tower collapsed.

At 10:28 AM the north tower collapsed.

At 5:30 PM building seven of the World Trade Center also collapses.

as a result of these events 2750 people were confirmed to have died in the initial World Trade

Center attacks.

Most were civilians, but 343 heroes from the New York City firefighters died most in the

centers having run into get others out but a number passed away on the ground too.

Another 71 law enforcement officers died in the towers aid on the ground.

102 nations lost citizens that day.

As of 2014 and a reported 1400 rescue workers had died, many from cancer result of the

“exposure to toxins at Ground Zero.”

are a number of theories of what was behind these attacks come on who actually was behind

the events.

I personally believe we failed in our intelligence information, and we let our guard down, I also

believe it was to have been a wakeup call to America from God.

In repercussions from 9-11-01 one is still being felt to today and our wakeup call was terribly

short lived.

Lack of intelligence, our guard being down and also underestimating our enemies nearly drove

us to our knees, but God wouldn’t let that happen.

Did we learn any lessons to be honest in my opinion there are days it doesn’t seem like we did!

Nationally and spiritually.

On Sunday December 7th, 1941, the United states suffered a near crippling attack in the

Hawaiian islands particularly at Pearl Harbor when the empire of Japan attacked our specific

fleet.

Bad intelligence, understanding and enemy strength and having our guard down lead to 2403

Americans are killed, 68 civilians and a multitude of injuries.

On June 25th, 1876, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led the 7th Cavalry to the

valley of the Little Bighorn to force Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne and a Arapaho native tribes back to

the reservation land.

Intelligence/scouts estimated the encampment to be approximately 800 warriors when in

actuality it was greater than 2000.

That wrong report caused Custer to let his guard down and make several brash decisions, with

the main one being his underestimating his enemies.

That combination with the massacre.

In scripture King Hezekiah of Judah, received ambassadors from the nation of Babylon, his

intelligence reported it was a peaceful endeavor even that one wasn’t nation conquering its

neighbors along the years. His intelligence was wrong.

Hezekiah permitted the visitors to come, and he let his guard down, he underestimated their

true intentions.

The king made bad decisions on this visit, with the worst being his braggadocious shavings of

Judas treasure, silver, and gold.

Hezekiah’s decision cost him his throne, the death of his family, his nations freedom and his

eyes being gouged out and him being taken captive.

with these examples have you identified the key similarities between them?

They are:

bad and incorrect intelligence reports. Each underestimate enemy strengths intentions and

they had let their guard down, this all lead to death, point and Military defeat.

Our intelligence must be able to be trusted. What source do we draw this from? The word of

God!

call word holds all correct information. it is to be trusted and relied upon. it plainly shares that

we must be ready and vigilant. It identifies our enemies and adversaries, and it warns of his

intentions.

Our text today calls him a roaring lion whose work is to divide human souls and lives.

Yet 2 Corinthians says that he works stealthily and covertly by Posing as an Angel of Light.

We are not to underestimate his strength and his army's intentions, but we are also not to fear

it either.

Yes, he and his demonic hoards are strong, they are ruthless and can cause great destruction,

they act as spiritual terrorists, but never forget the greater is he that is in us then he that is in

the world.

Even so, we are commanded to never, ever let our guards down, because it is then that the

enemy will probe our weakness and attack!

Paul wrote that we must in a sense prepare for war yet pray for peace.

Many centuries ago, a Chinese man Son Tzu wrote a military treatise called the “Art of War”

which is still being used by the military suggest today.

The Bible is the greatest source spiritually on the art of war.

we are to be wearing the whole Armor of God each day. It is designed to cover and protect us

from head to toe, we are ready ourselves and be prepared for any attacks. They will come

have no doubt.

we are to be called the Watchmen on the walls of life, not only being vigilant for ourselves but

Ezekiel stated that we are to call out when an enemy is approaching to warn our brothers and

sisters in Christ as well.

Be ready, don’t listen to the world intelligence reports, listen to the word of God.

Don’t underestimate our enemy strength or intentions.

and never ever let you down because spirit terrorists are and will probe our weakness and

attack.