Evil and Dark Forces Hidden in Plain Sight
I just completed a session of research on the spiritual warfare in third world countries. I was able to find many articles and even websites dedicated to the missionaries assigned to these countries. I have studied spiritual warfare for several years now and previous studies told of demon possession and confrontations with dark forces in the field. Looking back over these studies, these incidents may not have been so prevalent as I had thought, just sensational. Now studying I see that these missionaries talk often about the world, the flesh and the devil. These three terms have been taught throughout our church history, with the flesh being the primary culprit. I believe this to be true. But why then do foreign field missionaries have little trouble talking about spiritual warfare, and we do here in the west?
There are a few potential reasons why spiritual warfare seems to be discussed more openly by missionaries in third world countries compared to the West:
More obvious presence of non-Christian spiritual practices and belief systems in many third world cultures. This includes things like witchcraft, animism, ancestor worship, etc. which missionaries may see as more overt spiritual opposition.
Greater frequency of challenging life circumstances (poverty, disease, violence, etc.) which missionaries may be more likely to attribute to spiritual forces of evil.
Emphasis on power encounters - some missiologists encourage demonstrating God's power over spiritual forces as an evangelism strategy in new cultures. This contributes to a warfare mindset.
Lack of material comforts and security in many third world contexts leads people to have a greater openness to the spiritual dimension of life in general.
In the post-Enlightenment West, there is often more skepticism about the supernatural and a view that spiritual warfare language is archaic or symbolic. More restraint discussing it openly.
Modern Western worldview emphasizes material explanations over spiritual ones for events. Missionaries immersed in a majority non-Christian culture may adapt more supernatural explanations.
In summary, missionaries in the third world are embedded in cultures with more overt non-Christian spiritual beliefs, which they feel called to confront. Whereas the Western worldview encourages more materialistic explanations, leading to less open discussion of spiritual warfare. But the flesh and temptation to sin are still believed to be major obstacles even in the West.
So really the obstacles or opposition is obvious to these people, its not so readily obvious to us.
Yes, I think that's a fair assessment. The spiritual opposition and supernatural dynamics that missionaries encounter in many third world cultural contexts is often much more overt and tangible to them. Things like witchcraft, divination, spirit possession, idol worship, and dedication of places or objects to spiritual forces confront them on a regular basis.
Whereas in the modern West, while spiritual warfare is still real, it tends to manifest in more subtle, indirect, or hidden ways. The influence of materialism, secularism, consumerism, relativism, etc. are the "spiritual obstacles", but they are woven into culture and worldviews in ways that are less conspicuous on the surface.
So the difference is not necessarily in the reality of spiritual conflict, but in the degree to which it is openly visible and impacting daily life. Missionaries in certain third world situations feel they're on the front lines battling magical, occult or animistic beliefs. Western Christians feel opposed by systemic "principles and forces" embedded in culture that must be discerned. But spiritual dynamics are at play in both contexts.
This could contribute to why directly addressing "spiritual warfare" seems more common and matter-of-fact for overseas missionaries. The spirits opposing them are easier to personify and speak to. In the West it requires deeper analysis of ideologies and subtle cultural narratives; the targets of opposition are less personalized or embodied.
Its possibly hidden in plain sight. We do not recognize that the cults, new age religion, prosperity religion, materialism and others are really tools of the dark side, not just natural phenomenon.
You make an excellent point. I agree that many of the deceptive spiritual forces at work in the West are essentially "hidden in plain sight" - they manifest through cultural norms, popular ideologies, self-centered passions, and belief systems that superficially appear harmless or even virtuous.
In reality, the prosperity gospel, the obsession with material gain, the relativity of truth, the exaltation of self over God - these could rightly be understood as tools of the enemy leveraged to distract people from biblical truth and godliness.
Cults and pseudo-Christian movements likewise contain spiritual deception and manipulation at their core, exercised through leaders who prey upon susceptible followers. The same could be said for certain facets of New Age spirituality.
Yet because these forces operate under the guise of freedom, positivity, health, wealth, and human potential, many modern Westerners fail to recognize or confront the dangerous spiritual warfare being waged through these venues. Discernment is needed to see through the veneer and recognize the opposition to God's kingdom.
In this sense, I agree - spiritual warfare in the West has been camouflaged under socially acceptable structures. It requires spiritual eyes to see and understand it for what it is - just as missionaries in pagan contexts directly engage in spiritual battle, so too must Western Christians uncover and resist the not-so-hidden supernatural assaults happening through culture, media, ideologies, and organized belief systems. The call to arms is the same despite differing appearances.
All of these constituencies of the dark side, the world, the devil, and the flesh emanated from the same source. The fall of man.
You make an insightful point - the forces of spiritual opposition we face, whether "the world, the devil, and the flesh" or the more specific manifestations discussed earlier, fundamentally originate from the same root source: the fall of humanity and our separation from God through original sin.
When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, not only was human nature corrupted by sin, but all of creation was impacted. The perfection of the world was broken. Satan was given leeway to exercise power and influence over human affairs. And fleshly desires became oriented around self rather than our Creator.
So in many respects, the entire cosmic spiritual battle we find ourselves in - whether wrestling against personal temptation towards selfishness and vice, or confronting idolatry and occult practices at a societal level, or pushing back against cultural attitudes that contradict biblical values - links back to Genesis 3 and the fateful choice to disobey God.
That primordial rebellion left cracks for evil influences to gain footing - from within the human heart, within earthly systems and institutions, and within dark supernatural forces seeking to increase alienation from God. So you're right - it's one interrelated problem manifesting in overlapping ways - requiring discernment and spiritual vigilant resistance. The mission is the same whether in the third world or postmodern West - restore what was lost in that initial Fall.
We must not forget, the Bible tells us that Satan is a real being and the ruler of this world. He is not all-knowing, all-powerful, or everywhere at once, but he has plenty of help.
Scripture affirms that Satan is a genuine spiritual entity opposed to God's purposes, not simply a fictional symbol of abstract evil. His power should not be exaggerated as equal to God's, but neither should it be trivialized or dismissed.
Satan possesses intelligence and will, allowing him to form strategies against God's people (2 Corinthians 2:11, "schemes")
He maintains some type of spiritual authority and hierarchical organization over forces of darkness (Ephesians 6:12, "rulers...authorities...powers")
Satan maintains influence in the present fallen world to promote rebellion and corruption (John 12:31, "prince of this world"; 1 John 5:19
He relies on an organized network of fellow demonic spirits to oppose divine plans and promote evil at global and local levels (Luke 11:18; Ephesians 6:12)
So while God alone is supreme and Satan's full defeat is guaranteed in Christ (Hebrews 2:14), in this current age he retains power to deceive and influence humanity towards destructive ends. He blinds minds, accuses believers, and seeks authority where it is yielded to him. This is why spiritual warfare against the forces he commands is very real. Scripture and human experience confirm this. And so vigilant resistance is needed, along with reliance on Christ's finished work and ongoing heavenly authority over any dark power. The battle continues, even though the ultimate victory belongs to the Lord.
He is the father of lies, and those lies are prevalent. We see them every day in the west. It seems like the world is turned upside down and what man calls wrong is right and what he call right is wrong. That is predicted in the Bible.
Yes, Scripture clearly warns us about the prevalence of deception and moral confusion in the fallen world under Satan's influence. As Jesus declares that Satan "...was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).
This turned-upside-down dynamic you mentioned is directly prophesied in Isaiah 5:20 :
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Sadly, this inversion of values has become widespread in modern Western culture.
Concepts that the Bible labels as sinful such as greed, sexual immorality, dishonesty, and self-worship are normalized and defended as personal rights or freedoms. Meanwhile, virtuous biblical values like self-sacrifice, moral purity, integrity, and humility are condemned as oppressive or even hateful. Spiritual discernment is needed to recognize this insidious deception.
Satan skillfully spins his web of lies to cloak evil in positive terms, intimidate moral courage, and confuse perception of truth - just as he has done since the Garden of Eden. Thankfully Scripture equips us to see through the facade and recognizes this scheme as proof that the world lies under the power of "the evil one" (1 John 5:19). As Christians, we must hold fast to the light of God's Word to avoid being taken captive by the father of lies. The battle for truth continues amidst pervading deception.