I just watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens for the second time last night and the universal theme of good vs. evil and the spiritual analogies of the movie really stood out more so than it did 30+years ago with the first film. While George Lucas may not have equated “The Force” with the God of the Bible, or the epic battles with the final battle in the book of Revelation, Christians cannot help but see the underlying analogies.

A galactic, spiritual war of Light and Darkness is encroaching forcefully upon our society day by day. It’s becoming more and more evident in our culture as we allow our Judeo-Christian foundations to be eroded. In our affluent, comfortable, “me-centered” society, are we even aware that there is a battle?

“There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it? The Dark side, and the Light,” says Supreme Leader Snoke.

Unfortunately, non-believers and many Christians alike slumber in apathy as the war intensifies. How can we do battle if we aren’t even aware there is a war? Or, if we don’t believe in an all-powerful Creator who is the Light at the very core of the universe who will prevail in the battle?

In an earlier movie, Han Solo gives voice to our post-modernism view of God: “I’ve flown from one end of this Galaxy to the other. I’ve seen a lot of strange stuff but I’ve never seen anything to make me believe there’s one all-powerful force controlling everything.”

But in The Force Awakens, Solo declares the Truth he’s discovered: “It’s true, all of it. The Dark Side. The Jedi. They’re real,” confesses Solo.

The first step in defeating any enemy is realizing that he exists!

“We are caught up in the midst of a collision of kingdoms–the Kingdom of God advancing with force against the kingdom of darkness, which for the moment holds most of the world in its clutches,” says John Eldredge in his book, Moving Mountains. “

Only when we really believe and trust in an almighty God of Truth, Light, Love and Power, and understand that He has called us to do battle with Him in a great cosmic war, will we be ready to begin our training as a soldier of God.

” I am no Jedi, but I know the Force. It moves through and surrounds every living thing. Close your eyes… feel it… the light… it’s always been there… it will guide you. The saber, take it,” says Maz Kanata to Rey.

We are invited not only to take up the most powerful weapons of warfare that God has given us to use in this great battle, but to entrust ourselves totally to the most powerful Force in the universe, embodied in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and given to us as our inheritance through the death and resurrection  of Christ. As you take your place as a true soldier in the real cosmic battle between good and evil, light and darkness, may the true Force be with you!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians‬ ‭6:10-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬)