Tuesday, July 28, 2020
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Know Your
Enemy
When you are in a battle, you must be aware and know your
enemy’s strategy. You have to pay
attention and not lose concentration for one minute, and even more so in
spiritual battle. Most importantly, you have to be certain of who your true
enemy is.
Satan is the enemy of God. He actively seeks to oppose God,
His purposes, and His people. The enemy has many different names:
- Devil means “accuser,” because he accuses God’s people day and night before the throne of God (Rev. 12:7–11).
- Satan means “adversary,” because he is the enemy of God.
- Tempter (Matt. 4:3)
- Murderer
- Liar (John 8:44).
- He is compared to a lion (1 Peter 5:8)
- He is compared to a serpent (Gen. 3:1; Rev. 12:9)
- He is compared to an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:13–15),
- “The god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4, NIV).
He is crafty and deceptive but unlike God, Satan is not
all-knowing, all-powerful, and cannot be present everywhere at the same time.
Then how does he accomplish so much in so many different parts of the world?
The answer is in his organized helpers.
Satan’s helpers - Paul called them “principalities … powers … rulers …
spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph. 6:12) Charles B. Williams
translates it: “For our contest is not
with human foes alone, but with the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of
this dark world; that is, with the spirit forces of evil challenging us in the
heavenly contest” (WMS). This suggests a definite army of demonic creatures
that assist Satan in his attacks against believers. Soldiers, there is a spiritual battle going
on right now in the earthly realm as well as the heavenly realm.
We are spending energy and time fighting each other when
Satan is the enemy.
We fight people (husband and wife arguing) when they are not the real enemy. Satan pits us against each other so he can get in between us and cause a division. Like the Bible says, a house divided will not stand: Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. Matthew 12:25 Satan knows exactly what he is doing. United we stand, divided we fall. Division always brings a breakdown when it is something that is meant to be united, such as a marriage, a church, or a country.
We fight people (husband and wife arguing) when they are not the real enemy. Satan pits us against each other so he can get in between us and cause a division. Like the Bible says, a house divided will not stand: Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. Matthew 12:25 Satan knows exactly what he is doing. United we stand, divided we fall. Division always brings a breakdown when it is something that is meant to be united, such as a marriage, a church, or a country.
We are wasting our time fighting
people when we ought to be fighting the devil who
seeks to control people and make them oppose the work of God.
seeks to control people and make them oppose the work of God.
Satan’s Abilities - Satan is a strong enemy and we need
the power of God to be able to stand against him. The Book of Job tells what
his power can do to a man’s body, home, wealth, and friends. Jesus calls Satan
a thief who comes “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). Not only is Satan strong, but he
is also wise and subtle, and we fight against “the wiles of the devil.” Wiles
mean “cunning, crafty arts, stratagems, or schemes.” We cannot afford to be
“ignorant of his devices”! (2 Cor. 2:11) The enemy of our souls will do
anything, use any means necessary to lull us to sleep while he removes even the
mention of the name of Jesus Christ from public dialogue. And if he can’t do that, he will try to
reduce Jesus Christ, Savior, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the
world, to a prophet, certainly not the “Son of God”.
Satan’s battle strategy
is simple. He is out to deceive us, to trick us into buying his lies and temptations.
He wants to divide us so that we destroy ourselves and turn away from each
other and from God. He’s been at his plan for countless years, and he’s good at
it. If we don’t know what God’s word says, if we’re not in tune with His
Spirit, we are vulnerable and ultimately, we will fall for the lies. He is on the prowl and ready to devour! The battle is for glory, for the throne of
creation. Praise God the outcome has never been in doubt.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me
safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen. 2
Timothy 4:18
