Know your enemy

WWW.TheDavidAlliance.com

7-17-19 Wednesday

 

 

 

TDAGiantslayer@gmail.com

 

 

Know your enemy.

 

"Exploiting The Opponent’s Weakness Starts With Identifying Your Own"

Strength Coach, Charles Staley

Do you know what is coming at you?

Downloadable porn on your cell phone.

X rated shows on your phone.

Promises of sex with no consequences.

Opportunities to sell your character and Christian witness for money.

It’s coming through the door!

Are you ready?

Unless you’ve been holed up in a closet somewhere you have had to have seen the many retired military men and women on the TV news telling us about all the different strategies and schemes of the Iraqis and various terrorist groups. They have computer generated models and illustrations that help us to understand what is going on in the way and how our men and women can overcome. It’s not that the United States went into this battle with the thought of losing, but they did go in with a level of respect for the enemy and spent much time and poured over much intelligence as they planned their battle strategy. We need to do something very similar as we engage in spiritual warfare.

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. Ephesians 6:11

Once Paul agreed to forgive a brother along with the Corinthian church...so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:11

Like Paul, we need to be aware of Satan’s tactics if we are going to win the war. Let’s look at four helpful ways we can become aware:


1. Satan’s Names Reveal His Tactics


*Satan (adversary)
*Devil (slanderer)
*Lucifer (son of the morning)
*Beelzebub (prince of demons)
*Belial (without profit)
*Evil one
*Tempter
*Prince of this world
*Accuser of the brethren
*Representations include a Serpent, a Dragon, an Angel of Light.


2. Satan Attacks God’s Program, The Church, By...


*False philosophies - Col. 2:8
*False religions - 1 Cor. 10:19
*False ministers - 2 Cor. 11:14-15
*False doctrine - 1 John 2:18
*False disciples - Matt. 13
*False morals - 2 Thess. 2:7


3. Satan Attacks God’s People By . . .


*Directing governments - Dan. 10:13
*Deceiving men - 2 Cor. 4:4
*Destroying life - Heb. 2:14
*Persecuting the saints - Rev. 2:10
*Preventing service - 1 Thess. 2:18
*Promoting schisms - 2 Cor. 2:10-11
*Planting doubt - Gen. 3:1-2
*Provoking sin and Anger - Eph. 4:26-27
*Pride - 1 Tim. 3:6; Worry - Matt. 13:22;

*Self-reliance - 1 Chron. 21:1; 

*Discouragement - 1 Pet. 5:6-8; 

*Worldliness - 1 John 2:16; 

*Lying - Acts 5:3; 

*Immorality - 1 Cor. 5:1-2
*Producing sects/cults - 1 Tim. 4:1


4. Satan’s Power Is Limited


*He is created, therefore not omniscient or infinite
*He can be resisted by the Christian - James 4:7
*God places limitations on him - Job 1:12

Balance and wisdom are crucial in our assessment of spiritual opposition. To assign too much or too little credit to the reality of demonic activity is to error greatly.
My own thought is we assign to much power to him and not enough regarding his strategy based on his nature/names.

 

5. As Believer’s In Christ, We Do Not Fight For Victory, We Fight From Victory. In Christ’s Power We Are Invincible!

 

 

 
Our spiritual enemy is already defeated at the cross of Christ, yet he continues to hurl out lies, insults, and condemnation at the saints. We fight a very real battle against a very real enemy, but we need to know without a doubt that our victory over him is assured if we walk in his victory. We do not fight for victory, we fight from victory when we have his armor on! 

 
In a classic "Twilight Zone" episode from 1960, an American on a walking trip through central Europe gets caught in a raging storm. Staggering through the blinding rain, he chances upon an imposing medieval castle. It’s a hermitage for a brotherhood of monks. The reclusive monks reluctantly take him in. Later that night, the American discovers a cell with a man locked inside. An ancient wooden staff bolts the door. The prisoner claims he’s being held captive by the "insane" head monk, Brother Jerome and he pleads for the American to release him. The prisoner’s kindly face and gentle voice win him over. The American confronts Brother Jerome, who declares that the prisoner is actually none other than Satan, "the father of lies," held captive by the Staff of Truth, the one barrier he cannot pass. This incredible claim convinces the American that Jerome is indeed mad. As soon as he gets the chance, he releases the prisoner who immediately transforms into a hideous, horned demon and vanishes in a puff of smoke! The stunned American is horrified at the realization of what he has done. Jerome responds sympathetically. "I’m sorry for you, my son. All your life you will remember this night and whom you have turned loose upon the world." "I didn’t believe you," the American replies. "I saw him and didn’t recognize him," to which Jerome solemnly observes, "That is man’s weakness and Satan’s strength."

What a true statement that is -- one that I hope we can overcome as we learn of the spiritual warfare that faces us in the days to come.