We are at the end of 2020. So many are ready to say goodbye and good riddance to a year that seems to take so much from us with so little to show for it. As we close out the year, I think perhaps we must be careful to spend as little time as possible hating those we think wronged us and whose actions seemed to make our troubles worse. I suggest instead we spend our energy on the one thing that will actually change things. What is that one thing, you might ask? That one thing is to fight the right enemy.
We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. Ephesians 6:12
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I hear this scripture talked about so much, but I see it applied to our everyday lives so little. Rather we spend time trying to change what people think or how they act. We claim to spend our days in the pursuit of truth, but we are really looking for someone to blame. I like to call this majoring in the minors because at the end of the day convicting another human will do little to defeat your true enemy. Sure, it may be true that someone lied, cheated, and even murdered but if your pursuit is to punish them and not hold the real enemy accountable, then you have done a great job in doing something that matters little.
Paul (the guy that wrote a lot of the new testament) was a murderer on the level of Hitler before he knew Christ. Notice that Jesus did not defeat Paul but rather defeated the true enemy in Paul’s life (Acts 9). We are called to followers of Christ so I would submit that we are called not to defeat any human but rather Satan in them. This is why Paul could write so boldly in Ephesians 6:12 about who our true enemy is.
So how do I fight the right enemy?
First, let me clear, the fight you are asking for belongs to God. He does not call on us to defeat the enemy but rather to stand against him. God himself will do the defeating. But Paul does tell us what we are to do when the enemy attacks.
Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. 14 So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, 15 and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace. 16 Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.
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(Ephesians 6:13-17)
Please know this; there is an enemy out there, he hates you, he feels no remorse for your loss, you cannot reason with him and he will never stop his attack until you are dead. Paul is not telling us there might be an attack rather he tells us the evil day will come. He is telling us to do all that we can and then to stand and see our enemy defeated. But in order to be able to stand these evil days, we must be dressed for it. Specifically:
- Know the truth of God and desire justice
- Make sure you are spreading the good news of peace
- Carry a shield of faith so that when Satan lies it never reaches your heart
- Know that you are saved – that your name is in the book of life
- Use THE Truth of God’s Word when you respond to the enemy.
Blessed friends, I want to encourage you to know your enemy and to be ready to stand when he attacks. Because he will and we have seen that all to clearly in 2020. It would be foolish to think that 2021 or 2022 or any other year will be different. He hates you and he will attack as long as you are alive.
So, when your child is acting up, when your spouse is angry with you, when the politicians are less than you need for them to be, please refer yourself to Paul’s direction here in the book of Ephesians. Hate the right enemy, Satan. Dress in the full armor of God. And stand. The Lord you God will defeat your enemy and bless you for all of eternity.
If you are not sure about your relationship with Christ, who your enemy is, or want prayer, please let us know.
