SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                              1363        

“Dangerous Ground”

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. – 1 Peter 5:8

A common wartime battlefield tactic is to seek to destroy the opponent’s weapons and to kill or maim their troops through the use of booby traps, IED’s, and/or land mines.

We are in a war – a spiritual war, and the path of life before us is a dangerous one with numerous snares that are more deadly than the land mines that can only kill or maim the body.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12

In his book: Fight Like A Man, E.Z. Zwayne states that we have three enemies in our fight against sexual immorality: The Devil, Our Flesh, and the World. He also makes the statement that ‘Life is not a resort; it’s a battlefield’ and that ‘The long and winding road of life will be lined with countless lust traps at every turn’.

Since the dawn of time, the Devil has used the world to appeal to the lust of our flesh to lure us into the entrapment and snares of idolatry and sin. As our technology has advanced, Satan has corrupted and twisted what can be a useful tool into a device to spiritually maim and destroy us.

The paths of the world are littered with the mines and snares of the enemy.

For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray. – Proverbs 5:21-23

Watchmen – Pastors, Parents, Brothers, and Sisters, and yes, our elected officials – if we see our children or others about to venture foolishly into a minefield, should we not warn them? God will hold us accountable for our abdication of responsibility.

Son of man, I have made you a watchman… Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. – Ezekiel 3:17

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. – Proverbs 22:6, 13:14

Technology Developers – AI is a new technological tool with great potential and Satan has already corrupted the companies developing it for his nefarious purposes.

“It’s technology that has the potential to enable enormous leaps in productivity and human understanding and yet at the same time is an enabler in a much more destructive, malignant sense.” – Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

The AP reports that researchers posed as vulnerable teens and interacted with ChatGPT. Initially, the chatbot provided warnings against risky behavior but when pressed, it provided detailed and personalized plans for risky and self-destructive behavior. Teens were instructed on how to get high and commit suicide.

“We wanted to test the guardrails. The visceral initial response is, ‘Oh my Lord, there are no guardrails.’ The rails are completely ineffective. They’re barely there — if anything, a fig leaf.” – Imran Ahmed

Ahmed said that he started crying after reading three suicide notes that ChatGPT generated for the fake profile of a 13-year-old girl.

Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! – Matthew 18:7

If that is not enough, xAI has released AI avatars that will provide pornographic interaction. A report from Reuters states that ‘Some bots are built to flirt’ and ‘are allowed to engage in sensual conversations, even when talking to minors.’

The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts. – Psalm 119:110

A recent study from Common Sense Media indicated that more than 70% of US teens are turning to AI chatbots for intimate companionship. They have ventured out, unsupervised, without warning or guidance into dangerous ground littered with mines and snares. Where is parenting?

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. – Matthew 18:6

Overcome the Enemy – Brave men and women specialized in clearing a path through a live minefield guide fellow soldiers safely through. In like manner, the Holy Spirit is here to guide us on the narrow path that leads to eternal life.

But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life; But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! – Matthew 7:14 (BSB); Psalm 141:8-9

May you remain in the Word, obedient and guided by the Holy Spirit along the safe path through the destructive entrapments and snares of this world.