Aliens versus Predators
By Janet "Jan" Ross
Copyright © 2016 by Janet “Jan” Ross

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Dedication

It is with these saints who are battle-weary as well as those who continue to fight the good fight of faith in mind that I dedicate this book. It is to the Victor, the Rock of all Ages, and the Strong Tower where we find refuge and strength that this book, my life, and our collective journeys toward victory are ultimately dedicated. For it is He and He alone who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light that the fame of His glory may be spread throughout the earth as His name is exalted above all. - Jan

ALIENS VERSUS PREDATORS

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour”. (1 Peter 5:8)M

My husband loves science fiction movies. And, so does our grandson, Levi. When he was younger, each time Levi came for a visit, his Papa and he would scatter DVD’s out on the table to decide which sci-fi they would watch together.

Actually, Levi’s all-time favorite movies were the Jurassic Park series. I can’t even tell you how many times we’ve watched them. Ron always said it was Levi’s choice, but I think down inside my hubby there’s a real love for the dinosaurs, too. Golly, they make quite a pair … even all these years later.

The guys love watching anything with monsters in it. Not the real gory stuff and certainly not the demonic stuff, but the wildest stretch of the imagination stuff where the good guys always win … those were the favorites around here when Papa and Levi were together.

Now, I must admit that I don’t know much about the movie “Alien vs Predator”. I may have seen bits and pieces of it while the guys watched it, but I won’t even swear to that. I'm not even certain they watched it! But as I was praying about a title for this book, the name of that movie came to mind.

Before we get started, pray with me: Father, thank You for Your Word, for teaching us and leading us into all truth. Help us to recognize our purpose in this life, our role on this earth, and our calling as Christians. Open our eyes and hearts to hear Your word, to discern Your voice, and to accept the challenge You have for us. Lord, be glorified as we focus on Your Word; open our hearts to receive the truth that makes us free—free from the bondage of sin and death. Father, empower us to serve You with every breath we take. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

I was reading my Bible before church one early Sunday morning when it became obvious that the entire Word of God is about this very topic … the war between the “aliens” and the “predator”. Allow me to elaborate just a bit.

What is an “alien”? In the Bible, an “alien” is a citizen of one country living in a country not their own. While most of the references to “alien” in the Word actually refer to heathens, or people who weren't Jewish, living in Israel, we’re going to take a slight detour with this word just for the sake of this discussion. And, no! We’re not going to talk about the little green men from outer space shooting through the sky in flying saucers. Our focus will be turned to our position in this world as aliens living in a land that is not our home.

The Christian is actually an alien, being a citizen of Heaven on mission to this sin-sick world. Philippians 3:20-21 tells us:

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Once we accept Christ, are no longer citizens of this world—our citizenship is in heaven. During our Christian journey, we are being transformed as our minds are renewed through God’s Word (see Romans 12:2). We grow to be more like Him in our role as citizens of heaven sent to this earth with a mission.

Keep in mind that YOU are an alien in this world, but you are here on a mission, sent by God to this world with a ministry of reconciliation—sent to bring the message of redemption to the citizens of this wretched world.

But because we are citizens of Heaven, we have an enemy who pursues us. And, as you may have already guessed, he is the “predator”.

First Peter 5:8 reminds us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”.

COVENANT-CONSCIOUS

Numbers 13:1-3 says, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.’ So at the LORD's command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.”

It’s interesting that God didn’t send just any man to explore Canaan. He took the leaders of each tribe—the leaders of Israel. These were men whose citizenship was in heaven according to their bloodline, all being sons of Israel and in a covenant relationship with the Lord.

These men went on into Canaan with a mission. Numbers 13:17-20 tells us,

“When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, ‘Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.’”

Take note that Moses didn’t send them without a purpose or without a specific mission. They were sent to assess the land, not join in, not become a part of, not to assimilate, and not allow the heathen influence of the land influence them.

Numbers 13:21-25 continues...

“So they went up and explored the land … When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. At the end of forty days, they returned from exploring the land.”

When Joshua and his men returned from exploring Canaan, they brough back with them a huge cluster of grapes, so huge that it took two men to carry it. They brought back an example of the riches or the sweetness of the land.

Now, I know you’ve most likely heard this scripture taught from other perspectives before, but I want you to consider another angle here that helps to frame our discussion. These men brought back and showed the whole camp of Israel the good things, the riches, the sweetness of Canaan. They brought back the physical evidence of that which impressed them most. Their excitement was in what was pleasing to the eyes, the tangible evidence of God’s blessing.

Num 13:26-28 ~ “They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: ‘We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.’”

What was their first impression? And, what did they bring back to the camp? Physical evidence of that which was alluring. Did these men feel compelled to take Canaan because it was the land God promised, or did they want Canaan because of the bounteous riches in the land? What was their motive?

The answer lies in first impressions. I realize that this WAS indeed the land God had promised to them. However, their first impression was that the fruit of the land was mesmerized with the physical aspect of the Promised Land and what it held for them.

The reason I’m making this point is that we already understand that we are sent to this world for a time and season, sent as citizens of heaven, sent as Covenant sons and daughters. But we are so easily distracted by the physical beauty, abundance, and blessings we find in this world. We get our eyes on the bounteous riches the world has to offer and lose sight of the battle that lies before us. Our attention is soon consumed as we get caught up in the race for things, fame, money, notoriety, homes, cars, recreational vehicles, investments, and more.

The predator will present us with whatever it takes to lure our focus away from the true riches of our Covenant relationship and tempt us to focus on this world and all it has to offer. Oh yes, we see the giants in the land, but we are so taken in by everything else that we fail to see the danger in our midst. Joshua and his men weren’t much different.

“Oh, the fruit of the land—the land that flows with milk and honey! There are people who live there who are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. But, look at this fruit! The land flows with milk and honey! We can do this … look at what God is giving us!” (paraphrased)

The story continues in Numbers 13:30-33. “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’ And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, ‘The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.’"

Caleb understood his mission. In God’s strength, they could take possession of the land God promised to them. He saw the predator ready to devour them; however, the mission held greater importance to him. He didn’t allow the blessings in the land to blind his eyes to the mission at hand. He kept his focus as he tried to help the people remain true to the mission.

UNDERSTAND THE MISSION

Do we understand our mission? We likely have an understanding of our position as aliens in this land, sent with a mission from the Kingdom of God.

But are we so focused on the riches life has to offer – the pleasantries, the comforts, the blessings, etc., that the predator (if we see him at all) appears too ominous for us?

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”

“I can’t deal with my husband—his selfishness is more than I can handle!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”

“I can’t win over my son’s drug abuse—he’s addicted, and I’ve given him every opportunity to stop!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”

“I can’t handle my job—the people are heathens, and I don’t fit in!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “I can’t tell my friends ‘no’—they will make fun of me and ridicule me in front of everyone!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “I can’t witness to others—they won’t listen to me anyway!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “I can’t push through this depression—it’s stronger than me!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “I can’t afford to support missionaries or even go on a mission trip—I don’t have enough money!”

“We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” “I can’t stop worrying about the future—the economy is failing and ungodly people are in positions of authority.”

You know, the list could go on and on with every kind of excuse that robs our focus while we neglect the fact that God has called us—He has sent us to this world as aliens representing Him, He sent His Only Son to seal our citizenship and officially grant us the ability to do the impossible through Him. These battles are already won if we would simply take our eyes off the circumstances and faithfully put them on the main task. We can focus on the fact that through Jesus Christ, our battle has already been won—that we are Covenant people and God has given us this land. But we have allowed the “predator” to rob us and hinder us from fulfilling our mission.

What’s our mission? “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel!” But rather than “go ye”, we stumble over the giants while our eyes are focused on the grapes.

Yes, the “predator” is there—the giant in the land. He’s always looking to pursue us, to lure us away from our purpose in this life. And, we allow him to do just that.

Jesus gave us our commission in Matthew 28:18-20.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore,, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

We have been commissioned by the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. We’re appointed to focus on the task, to pursue that which has been promised to us—disciples in ALL nations. But because of this commission, the enemy seeks us out, and the battle begins to rage in our minds. No, we’re not fighting flesh and blood like the Israelites, but our fight is with the predator – principalities and powers and wickedness in high places.

It’s much easier, though, to allow our sites to be set on the grapes—God’s riches!

How many times have we been challenged to give something with an irresistible promised return? “Put your $100 in the offering and God will bless you 100-fold!” Sound familiar? What about the mail that says, “Experience the healing power of God; for only $35 you we will send you this 1-ounce bottle of water from the Jordan River from the spot where Jesus was baptized.” (Note: The tourism trade makes a killing on the gullibility of so many well-meaning people.)

I could go on, but it’s really not necessary. We tend to be Grape-focused rather than Covenant-focused. We are focused on the sweetness rather than on fulfilling our mission.

Caleb had the right idea, which is obvious by his statement: “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” (Num 13:30)

He was surely outnumbered, however. Sometimes I look at those ratios in the Word as a stark reminder of just how few in number there are who are truly “covenant-conscious” … those who are willing to complete their mission as aliens in this foreign land.

One man out of all those who went into Canaan was determined to go forward. The rest of the men feared the predators because their focus was on the bounty. According to Num 13:32-33, “…they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, ‘The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.’”

Was that the confession of a covenant-minded man who took the word from the Lord seriously? No! In fact, what they were saying was, “The enemy is too mighty for us, and we will be devoured.”

Since when did the enemy become too big for God? Don’t you think God was aware who was living in that land before He sent His people there?

While we want to look at the Christian life as a “grape-life”, a life where there is only the sweetness of the Kingdom of God, the Lord has led us into a land where we will face predators. We will face giants that make us seem like grasshoppers in our own eyes. God was aware we’d face an enemy here on earth before He commissioned us as His ambassadors.

Of course He did! And, He still does! The evil lurking around, seeking whom it may devour, is no surprise to the Lord. He made provision. He made a covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ. We are covered.

We’re taken care of. God has a plan.

EYES FIXED AND UNRESPONSIVE

Why are we so afraid? Why are we so distracted by the predator? Why are we so fixated on “grapes” rather than going forward and taking the land God gave to us?

I can’t tell you how many people have asked me for prayer—the enemy’s pursuit often seems overwhelming. His pursuit is hot, and the closer we are to the Lord, the hotter his pursuit. But we so easily forget the promise of God—the covenant of victory through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Yes, we’re human. It’s hard to overlook our emotional responses to circumstances in life. But that’s part of God’s chosen battle for us. The predator would have us become more aware of what we see with our eyes than what we know to be true in our spirit as God has assured us in His Word.

We cannot allow the human-ness in us to be lured into a trap of seeing only the giants in the land. We must keep our eyes on the promises of God—the fact that He led us here, smack dab in the midst of giants. In other words, our eyes must be fixed and unresponsive to the enemy’s distractions and allurements.

God hasn’t led us in this life along a path without resistance. It is through this resistance that we are formed, cut, and polished into the gem He created us to be. His purposes are being fulfilled in us when we face giants. He is glorified when we face our giants and see only victory ahead.

Victory is ours when our eyes are fixed and unresponsive to temptation.

How can we have a “poor me” attitude and still be fixed on victory? We can’t! How can we feel sorry for ourselves when God has already given us the victory? Where has our victory celebration gone? When was the last time you looked at a “giant” in your life and began to celebrate for the victory already won?

Caleb knew the task ahead of Israel would be hard, and it was! But the battles they fought were already won in the mind of God. God led them through, one by one. When Israel was willing to do things God’s way, victory was theirs—usually it was a remarkable and miraculous victory, and it’s no different with us.

The predator—the enemy of our soul—is no match for our God. He puts up a good smoke screen, so we find it hard to see the victory as we go through the battle, but it doesn’t change the fact that God is there, leading us into battle, leading us into victory.

We have GOT to put our battle garments on (the armor of God) and fight these battles as if we’re victors and not victims. We have got to resist the victim mentality—the mindset that says everything is wrong in life. We’ve got to stop telling ourselves it’s no use to even try. We have got to march onward into battle like soldiers of the cross!

We are not poor or feeble people who are left here to wander on this earth being tossed to and fro by every little whim of the enemy. Absolutely not!

We bear the resemblance of our Maker—the Mighty One, the Victor, mighty in battle—and we need know no defeat.

We are not a defeated people! Instead, the predator is a defeated foe! Why are we continually giving him the victory? Why are we so determined to feel sorry for ourselves by letting circumstances overwhelm us?

STAND UP AND MARCH

Stand up, soldiers! Stand up, aliens! Stand up, Christians! Go forward into victory! March to the beat of the Master’s drum! Follow His lead. Line up behind His banner! March into victory! Declare victory from the onset of battle and DON’T LOSE FOCUS!

Whatever it is you’re facing, no matter how hard it appears, God is right there in the midst of the situation, showing you the way out, leading you through to victory. Don’t plant your feet in the miry clay with the sense that you are fighting a losing battle. Put your marching shoes on and march! March! March on to victory! March following the Lord’s footsteps!

Do I keep repeating myself? You bet! You’ve got to get this, friends!

You’ve got to get it fixed in your heart and in your head that you are not victimized by the predator unless you allow him to victimize you.

Stop it! Don’t let him do this to you! Remember who you are and Whose you are! Fight the battle like you’re a child of your Father, like you’re commissioned to march in His army, like you’re on your way to experience His victory. It’s time. It’s time to go forward into battle. It’s time to lose the “grape-mentality” and refuse to fear the giants. If God gave you the promise, the manifestation is yours.

God led the children of Israel to the Promised Land—Canaan. Why on earth would our Holy and Righteous God lead them to a land where they would be defeated? He led them to a land where they would face obstacles—giants—that would give Him the opportunity to prove His covenant love to them by giving them victory after victory.

If we are defeated in battle, it’s because we have become disobedient and/or because we’ve lost our focus. The children of Israel found this out often as well. When they faced defeat, they blamed God, which is no different than many of us. Don’t fall into that trap. If you are defeated, look inward. Look for areas in your life where you’ve neglected to trust God, to trust His promise, to believe He was leading you. Look for areas where you went off on your own to fight the battle your way.

Our idea of fighting will lead us to defeat. Our strategy will constantly remind us that we are but grasshoppers. Our flesh—our humanness is no match for the enemy. We will be defeated every time. But if we march on in the Spirit, fighting the battles with the Word of God, we are guaranteed victory every time.

Pick up your cross and follow Jesus, marching into battle, facing the defeated foe. Reminds me of a song—the first song I can remember from my childhood:

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.

Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before .

Onward then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the King,
This through countless ages men and angels sing.

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

Let’s be Calebs, ready for battle, ready to stand firm against the predator, although we’re aliens in this land. Let’s change our expectations from “grapes” to “victory” and march onward.

Put on your battle gear—just like the Bible said in Ephesians 6.

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes”.

Remember also what Paul instructed concerning the battle:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and againstthe spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

And, how do we handle it?

“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.”

And how do we stand?

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Eph 6:11-18).

VICTIMS OR VICTORS?

Aliens versus Predators … it’s easy to see that although the movie had no eternal substance for the Christian, the title sums up our mission. We are aliens in this land, bought with a price, sealed with the blood of Christ, commissioned and sent forth in this foreign land, being citizens of heaven with a mission to spread the Good News until all have heard.

We face a predator going to and fro seeking whom he may devour. Who is going to win? Are we going to allow the predator to consume us and lead us away from the victory intended for us? Or, are we going to stand our ground and go onward as Christian soldiers, marching as to war with the cross of Jesus going on before?

The choice is yours—the choice is mine. Every day, in every situation, in every circumstance … how are we going to respond? Like victims or victors? Like aliens with a mission or under the thumb of the predator?

Let’s pray …
Father, it is so apparent that we have been blindsided by “grapes”, expecting this life—this mission—to be filled with sweetness while neglecting to comprehend the importance of our mission. Forgive us, Lord, for not recognizing our commission as aliens in this land. Forgive us for conforming to this foreign land rather than standing our ground and fulfilling our mission. Lord, show us, moment by moment, how to walk into Your victory, how to follow You through the land of the giants, how to conquer the predator, how to evade his allurements to this world. Show us, Lord, every time we take our eyes off the cross of Jesus going before us. Help us see the detours we take, to walk in Your light, along Your path, under Your banner, into Your victory. Father, help us to keep our eyes off ourselves and what this world has to offer and to focus on how we can glorify You by letting the world see You through us. Make us steadfast warriors, Lord, solid citizens of Heaven, not wavering, not falling, and certainly not forgetting who we are and Whose we are. For Your glory, for Your victory, and in honor of Your covenant with us sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we pray, amen and amen.

Friends, let this be a time of recommitment and refocus. Don’t ever forget Caleb’s response. Commit—VOW—to never be like the others who stood in fear of the giants but rather commit—VOW—to be like Caleb who said,

“We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

About the Author

Having experienced God's divine intervention in several difficult and seemingly hopeless circumstances of life, Jan has emerged victorious with her faith securely anchored in Jesus Christ. Reaching across denominational and cultural barriers, she embraces every opportunity to be an ambassador of God's Kingdom to this world. Jan's passionate approach to ministry without compromising the integrity of God's Word allows her to remain transparent as she shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of her life experiences, including personal involvement with the multiple aspects of adoption. Her hope is that her audiences will grow in their understanding that our extraordinary God works in and through ordinary people, just like Jan.

As a well-known author of devotional, teaching materials, and commentary on current events, Jan has written hundreds of articles and is a contributing author published in several anthologies and Christian media.

Jan’s latest publication series, Seasons of Refreshing, is on sale now. The devotionals provide the reader with a daily dose of inspiration and self-examination based on her inspirational

teachings, which began nearly three decades ago. With readers from all over the globe, Seasons of Refreshing will be counted among the readers’ favorites as she speaks from her heart about real-life issues that most everyone faces at one time or another in their Christian walk.

Click here to learn more about the Seasons of Refreshing devotional series.

Jan makes her home in Willard, Ohio, where she lives with her husband of 50+ years. They have six adult children and thirteen grandchildren.

You will be blessed, challenged, and encouraged as you experience the unique ministry that radiates from this servant's heart for God.

Jan Ross
Willard, OH 44890
[email protected]