Getting To Know Your Enemy part 1

Here is the first of a four part series that I cover during our Spiritual Warfare Conferences.

In speaking to hundreds of believers, pastors, and missionaries many seem to be spinning their wheels like an old truck stuck in the mud. And even if they were to get unstuck, they wouldn’t know where to go or how to get there.

Yes, I truly believe that the church in America has lost it’s vision. Oh don’t get me wrong, we still are sending the gospel around the world. We are still giving hope to the widows, orphans and fatherless. Yet we aren’t seeing the battle right in front of us.

During any battle, the hardest part and most important part I dare say is the planning and preparation which takes place behind the front lines. A soldier, sailor, airmen, or Marine must not only know their role in the battle, but they must be familiar with everybody else’s role on the team in the battlefield as well.

Logistical support which brings supplies to the front lines must understand the needs of the front line, not just a piece of paper that logs which item to send. Those who are on the front lines must understand how their weapon functions, be trained in the proper use of their weapon and understand that if their gear fails, then the team as a whole fails.

The local church has become greatly used of God in some extent to provide the right training to our missionaries, pastors and evangelists. We’ve become experts at building big buildings and through the means of technology our logistical support of those sharing the gospel in far away lands are having their needs met faster than ever. And let’s not forget that there are tens of thousands of Christian book stores ( I use that term with hesitation) to help us gleam a deeper understanding of God’s Word.

However for all of our training, logistical support, and hours of Bible study, we as Chirstians forgot one major aspect of the battle.

Who is our real enemy, how does he wage's warfare against us, and how can we live victoriously in our christian walk.

The Bible warns the believer that he/she is in a spiritual battle.

The Bible makes it plain that both the believer and the local church along with its leadership are not to be ignorant of the enemy of God. Satan’s desires, craftiness, strategies, deception and subtility are who he is by nature. Yet with the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit… Ephesians 6:17, we can understand not only how he attacks, but how we can attack him and his kingdom as well. 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: we are not ignorant of his devices.

The Bible also warns the Christian in 1 Peter 5:8-9a Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith.

Are you watching and aware of the enemy?

Remember, a lion doesn’t come right out and attack its prey nor does the lion always sneak up on the weakest of the herd either. However he attacks the most susceptible to the defeat. If we aren’t watching for and resisting the enemy daily, we will become susceptible to the attacks of our enemy.

Now, concerning Spiritual warfare, the reason why it is so hard to find information concerning this topic form a fundamentalist point of view is because many American believers have an Americanized view of Christianity. We often tend to rationalize away the Bible fact that the Christian life is a spiritual life.

Also,the unsaved teacher and reader alike are not protected by the Armor of God, nor are they guided by the Spirit of Truth. They are however opening themselves to countless seducing spirits, false perversions and the doctrines of demons, 1 Timothy 4:1-3

Can you answer the following questions:

Do you know how to resist the enemy?

Are you capable of recognizing his attacks?

Are you living a life of victory or defeat?

How do you know your not being deceived?

Why do so many Christians fail in spiritual warfare?

To be honest with you, most western / Americanized believers fail in spiritual warfare because they fail to recognize who Satan is.

Spiritual warfare isn’t really about severe demon possession, territorial spirits or even generational bondage and curses. In all practicality, it’s mainly about overcoming Satan’s lies, deceits, and craftiness in our own lives and in the church.

Many Christians who love the Lord and are faithfully serving in their local church will often get so wrapped up in serving others, that they fail to see a trap set right before them. Soon it’s almost too late to realize how far away from God we have drifted.

We must be careful to remember what the Bible states in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing that his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

To successfully live the Christian life and battle the enemy effectively we as believers need to be able to recognize our opponent, his character, and why he does what he does. When we understand all of this, we can effectively stand our ground and wage successful spiritual warfare against him. Ephesians 6:10-13-Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

Our Four Ringed Arena of Conflict

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespass and sins; wherein times past ye walked according to the course of this World, according to the prince of the power of the air,, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

From these three verses we learn that our battle is continually fought on four separate fronts. It is the goal of the following pages to present to you a clear and concise biblical understanding of the following four fronts, and what you, the child of God can do to protect yourself and wage a proper spiritual battle.

1. The World

2. The Devil

3. The Flesh

4. The Mind

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