And when they had prayed, the place
where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness. –Acts 4:31 (NKJV)
Have you
ever seen “The Ghost and the Darkness”, starring Val Kilmer and Michael
Douglas? It’s a great movie and based upon a true story of two man-eating lions
that terrorized an African village back in the late 1800’s. Here is one scene
that I find especially interesting as to how it relates to us as Christians:
In the scene
prior to this one, Dr. Hawthorne (played by Bernard Hill) joins the group of
hunters as they ceremonially prepare for the hunt. He approaches Colonel
Patterson (Kilmer) and asks, “Will you exchange weapons with me? Mine is much
more powerful.”
From my
perspective, here are a few quick points in the movie I believe we can learn
and grow from:
The Deception
Patterson’s
troubles began the night before when he exchanges weapons with the doctor, well
before he even encountered the lion. He trusted something that was not proven
and fell for the line regarding a more powerful weapon. You see, our enemy will
often attempt to lure us away with other more attractive means to cope in life
other than God’s Word, ones that in turn are not a threat to him (2Cor 4:4). When
we do, we are set up in advance before the attack even comes. Patterson
believed a statement not based on truth and it nearly cost him his life.
The Hunt
Just before
they entered the thicket, Remington (Douglas) instructs the Colonel to take the
high ground in case the lion gets through and he will have a clear shot for the
kill. The second mistake Patterson makes is when he leaves his place on high
and brings himself down to a lower level- an area where his enemy thrives. It
is here where he finds himself face to face with almost certain death, because
he compromised his position. Once again, God has given us everything we need to
maintain ground above Satan, but so often we make foolish compromises and find
ourselves in greater trouble (Eph 6:18).
The Misfire
Did you see
how fast an obvious victory turned into probably the most frightening moment of
Patterson’s life the second that empty “click” sounded where there should have
been a bang? Confidence became horror and the sounds and memories of the lion
killings in the past suddenly became all too real. When we walk in our own
confidence and not in faith in the Lord, we are given a false sense of security
and given the opportunity, our enemy will bring up old pain from the past. We
must constantly walk in that assurance and trust that only comes in God (Jer
17:5, 7).
The Lesson and Promise
Remington’s
words to Patterson near the end of the scene are what really bring this all
together. Dumbfounded, he asks, “You exchanged weapons? You went into battle
with an unproven rifle?” We may not have a spiritual “rifle” per say, but we do
have a sword (Eph 6:17). But I will say this: the Bible is only as good to us
as we are trained to use it. We cannot fight and defeat our enemy if we just
hold it up and fire off empty shots. Precision and victory only come through
time and familiarity with our weapons of warfare. Maybe you have been knocked
down as the end of the clip suggests; and maybe you do get up. Keep in mind though
that our adversary will continue to prowl, seek, and devour those in his path-
that is until he meets a highly trained warrior that goes on the offensive and
skillfully and masterfully hunts him down first.
For He will give His angels charge
concerning you, to guard you in all your ways…You will tread upon the lion and
the cobra, the young lion and serpent you will trample down. Because he has
loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high,
because he has known my name. –Psalm 91:11, 13-14
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