“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” — 1 John 3:8

We often sentimentalize the Christmas season. We drift into a soft focus of silent nights, peaceful mangers, and gentle lullabies. We view the Nativity as a heartwarming story of a baby born in difficult circumstances.

But if you pull back the curtain and look from the perspective of heaven, the Incarnation was not a peaceful visit. It was a tactical invasion.

The world was occupied territory. Since the fall in Eden, humanity had been held captive behind enemy lines. We were bound by sin, death, and the tyranny of the serpent. The enemy thought he had won. He held the keys. He controlled the culture. He thought the silence of God meant the defeat of God.

And then, under the cover of night, the King landed.

He didn’t come with a legion of angels to burn the world down, though He could have. He didn’t come with thunder and lightning to terrify the nations. He used a strategy of infiltration. He came as a seed.

He slipped behind enemy lines in the most unassuming form possible—a baby. This was the wisdom of God on full display. The enemy was looking for a conqueror on a white horse; he missed the Savior in a feeding trough. He missed the infiltration until it was too late. By the time the enemy realized who the baby was, the beachhead had been established.

First John tells us clearly why He came. It wasn’t just to teach us to be nice. It wasn’t just to give us good morals. It was to destroy the works of the devil.

The word “destroy” here means to loosen, to dissolve, to untie. Think of a massive, tangled knot of chains binding a prisoner. Jesus came to untie the knots the enemy has tied in your life.

The knot of addiction that has held your family for generations? He came to untie it. The knot of shame that keeps you silent? He came to dissolve it. The knot of death itself? He came to break it.

This season, as you see the lights and hear the carols, do not be lulled to sleep. Remember the reality. This is war. The King has landed on the beachhead of earth. He has established a foothold of righteousness in a land of rebellion. And He has enlisted you to continue the advance. You are not a civilian shopping for gifts; you are part of the invasion force. Act like it.

The Warrior’s Prayer: King Jesus, I honor Your arrival. Thank You for infiltrating the darkness of this world and the darkness of my own heart. I align myself with Your mission to destroy the works of the enemy. I refuse to coexist with what You came to destroy. Use me as a soldier in Your army to untie the knots of bondage in those around me. Let Your Kingdom come. Amen.