In the Star Trek universe, the Borg are a parasitic race. They conquer other races and incorporate their technology and knowledge into their own. The individual does not exist within the Borg. There is nothing that sets each part of the collective apart from any other. As they encounter new races, they send a preemptive message, “Resistance is futile.” Many worlds put up valiant defenses but each culture and world falls like each world before.
We often talk of how we resist things in our life. We resist the actions of our boss. We resist the changes in our families. We resist the Lord’s leading to follow Him in some area. But resistance is also an outside force at work in our lives. Resistance can be similar to the Borg trying to destroy the life God desires for you.
Steven Pressfield in The War of Art discusses resistance as a force acting against us. Here are a few characteristics he lists:
- “Resistance is a repelling force. It’s negative. Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.”
- “Resistance has no conscience.”
- “Resistance is always lying.”
- “Resistance aims to kill.”
Pressfield talks of resistance as a power or something like the Force working in our lives. For followers of Christ, Pressfield’s descriptions fit Satan to a tee. So our biggest obstacle to God’s mission for us is Resistance. When we choose to be disobedient, it is often because we believe the lie told us by Resistance.
“You’ve had a hard day at work, you should rest instead of ministering.”
“Don’t bother discussing spiritual things with your coworkers, you’ll just make them mad.”
“If you go overseas, how will you find a spouse?”
Resistance is not trying to make us into a cybernetic collective, but it does want to assimilate us. It wants to take away our individuality, our gifts and dreams. It wants docile masses that don’t rock the boat and don’t risk anything.
Resistance wants to dull our senses.
That’s why materialism and consumerism are so rampant in our culture. If we spend all our time accumulating things we never use and watching reality TV, then we lose sight of God’s mission for us. The Borg didn’t attack people it saw as inferior. But when we see through the smoke screen and focus on our mission, then we become a bigger threat and it’s time for total war.
So how do we fight Resistance? The Borg were technologically superior and had overwhelming force. The same is true with Resistance. We can’t overcome it with our own wisdom or strength. Fighting Resistance is a spiritual battle.
Many shy away from the topic of spiritual warfare. I’m not one to see everything as a spiritual battle. However, when I take a holistic look at the forces keeping me from my God-given mission, that is the very definition of conflict. My fear of failure, lack of energy or proclivity for procrastination are beachheads for Resistance. He’s not going to attack fortified bunkers when he has unguarded beaches to maneuver through.
We need to prepare for battle. As His child, we have access to the only arsenal that can defeat Resistance. We have to gear up for battle. In our own power, we are a beleaguered squad tasked with holding the front lines against a coming Blitzkrieg. However, we have overwhelming air support at our disposal that can repel any attack. We simply have to recognize the attack and call in our coordinates.
As followers of Christ, we have an enemy at work against us. He is capable of total war, but he is more likely to use terror, sabotage and misdirection to get us to give up on our mission. What are the dreams and desires God has given you? More than likely those circumstances that have kept you from moving forward are not coincidence.
We need to pray that God would help us see the battle for what it is. Then get in the fight and fulfill our mission.
Scott Gottreu has been a web developer for a medical clinic for 2 years now. After successfully completing a half marathon, he is now training for his first marathon in February 2012. He’s been on mission trips within the United States, as well as Asia and Mexico, and his next trip will be to Vietnam. He loves the Lord of the Rings series, books by Louis L’Amour and Clive Cussler, and music by Jonathan Coulton. Scott blogs at www.codeoffaith.com and you can follow him on Twitter @sgottreu.
