Articles
Know Your Enemy
The United States Army has a manual on leadership, FM 6-22 [I knew it as FM 22-100 many years ago], and it has one point worth noting not just for those in leadership positions, but for anyone who ever faces an enemy. One statement in particular is worth noting for Christians, whose enemy and adversary is the devil: "Good judgment includes the ability to size up subordinates, peers, and the enemy for strengths, weaknesses, and to create appropriate solutions and action." [FM 6-22, Chapter 6, ‘Leadership Intelligence,’ p. 6-2]
In the book The Art of War, Sun Tzu wrote, "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat." [Sun Tzu, The Art of War, p. 17.] Clearly, for those whose task it is or was to contain or even defeat enemies, and winning battles where lives are on the line, knowing the enemy is an important part in a successful battle. We should pay close attention!
Let us be clear in the beginning: our spiritual enemy is the devil; he is not our friend. Peter warned, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). He is, again, our “adversary” — he is, by definition, one who "opposes or attacks; opponent; enemy." He is not on our side. We would do well to admit that is who he is, and treat him accordingly. Let us also be clear that, since he is our enemy, he is the opposition in our spiritual battles and fight. Yes, we are in a fight! In fact, Paul admonished Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12), and near the end of his life, Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). Paul considered his lifetime of service to God and Christ a fight! So should we.
If we are in a spiritual battle that has eternal consequences, doesn't it make sense to treat it seriously, and to engage the enemy for the purpose of defeating him — not just once, but every time he launches an attack against us? Wouldn't it be wise to know our enemy so our battles will result in consistent victories, rather than one defeat for every victory? Yes, it would be wise, so let's take the time to learn a few things about our enemy so we may be better prepared for the fight that will come to each one of us.
He Is The Father of Lies. The first thing we must know about our enemy is that he will say anything to get us to do what he wants. He will lie, if it serves his purpose, and he will use partial truths to convince us he really is looking out for our spiritual good. But let us not be fooled; Jesus reminds us the devil “was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).
Just remember this when you hear things like, "There is no God," or, "There is no absolute standard of right and wrong," or, "Religion is merely a superstition and a crutch for the uneducated," or, "You can live however you want because you'll never have to give an account to anyone." Remember, there is no truth in him. It's all a lie. Your spiritual enemy wants to defeat you by causing you to believe a lie, even as he says he speaks truth.
He Appears As A Promoter of Truth. One of the most frequently-used tactics in warfare is that of camouflage and deception, and our spiritual enemy is no stranger to this method for, as Paul wrote, “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:15). Yes, our spiritual enemy will sometimes come in the form of someone who will tell us he speaks God's word and he cares about truth just as much as we do.
The thing is…he doesn't speak truthfully from God's word and he has not one bit of interest in the truth. He will quote Scripture (cf. Matt. 4:6), but it will be used out of context or interpreted or applied incorrectly so the original meaning and intent is lost altogether, leading one away from the truth, instead of understanding it better. He may just read from the Bible, but be careful how he interprets and applies it because it is possible to be misled as to its meaning and application.
It is for this reason John warned, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). So when someone tells you they are speaking God's word, open up your Bible and check it against the written word; not everyone who says he loves God and speaks His word is actually doing so. I've watched a certain well-known TV preacher read from his Bible [an old King James Version translation with the archaic language], and then continue speaking in the Old English style long after he quit reading out of Scripture, with many people thinking he was still reading from God's word! Brethren, your spiritual enemy wants to defeat you by getting you to believe he speaks truth when, as Jesus said, “there is no truth in him.”
He Will Take The Word Away From Some Hearers. In the parable of the sower, Jesus explained that the seed that fell by the wayside was like those “who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved” (Luke 8:12). In the context, the parable speaks of those who initially hear God's word, but let us not think he is not still trying to get the word out of the hearts of even believers; if anything, he will be trying all the more to get it out!
If it is the word that will help us to grow spiritually (1 Pet. 2:2), then you can bet he will be trying to keep it out of us, and us out of it. He will discourage us from reading it and studying it because he knows it will have a positive effect on disciples if they are allowed to get into God's word, and if God's word is allowed to get into them (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15). Your enemy wants to defeat you by taking away your most effective ammunition against him: God's word. Don't let him win because of ignorance of God's word!
Resistance Will Defeat Him. Here's something your spiritual enemy won't tell you: If you “Resist the devil…he will flee from you” (Jas. 4:7). That is why Peter urged disciples to “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Pet. 5:9). We don't need some complex solution to our spiritual enemy and his attacks; we just need to resist him!
But how? What sort of resistance must we put forth to defeat our spiritual enemy? First, we must have God's word with us at all times; not carrying around a Bible, but having it in our minds, ready to answer every attack. Jesus showed us by example (Matt. 4:1-11) that answering with the written word will defeat our enemy's attacks, and Paul reminds us God has provided a way of escape should those attacks come (1 Cor. 10:13). To resist effectively, though, means we must know how to wield our sword (Eph. 6:17) properly.
Then, we must make the things of this world no longer desirable; after all, it is “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16) by which he will make his efforts. If the things of this world are no longer desirable, they will no longer be tempting. So, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).
It's time to fight the fight! —— Steven Harper
