Then the battle continues because I'M NOT STOPPING.
Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Me neither. For as David French rightly points out, "These battles will stop only if Christians abandon their historic faith on a truly national scale." [In which case we Christians and Christian culture are toast.] Or if the progressive Left — a/k/a the "new atheists" — decides that it is content to "live and let live" — which I imagine they will never do. Their entire project is that all men must live according to their dictats. There is no way they can possibly succeed in this, as long as America is America. Our historic national self-understanding is that we are a people "under God." But they will never stop trying.
You know, of course, what it is that motivates these godless people: They are seeking to construct a "[social] system so perfect that no one will need to be good." They believe they can erect a humanly-constructed paradise on earth, a Utopia. But all they have managed to do so far is promulgate dystopia....
Not to put too fine a point on it, but they are of the Devil's Party: Their credo is Non serviam — "I will not serve [God]". Saul Alinksy's Rules for Radicals is their holy text.
I find Alinsky's dedication/acknowledgement of this work highly instructive. It goes:
Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins — or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom — Lucifer.Thank you ever so much, dear sister in Christ, for citing the magnificent Ephesians 6:10–20. It is the perfect text on this issue.