How To Fight the Enemy

What if someone told you there was a man down the street who is planning to attack your family?  And he worked out every day and gathered intel on your family so that he would know when to attack and make it look like an accident?  His goal is to steal, kill, and destroy.  How does that make you feel?

This is exactly what our enemy does; and if we are not ready for him, we may think it was "just an accident."

Let's be real.  You and I have given into anger, rage, bitterness and bought into a load of lies recently - perhaps this morning.  And all of which were motivated by our flesh, mimicking the world or listening to doctrine of demons.  Let's call all three of those attacks "the enemy" because they all exist to drown out what God is telling us.

Let's make it even more personal.  Last time my wife was angry, I sat back and had chose this "sucks-to-be-you" attitude - a completely evil and offensive mindset in God's eyes.  Here's what was really happening; my wife was under attack from the enemy and I sat back and did nothing.  With absolute clarity, this picture hit me: imagine there was a dude in unibomber type outfit pummeling my wife in the corner.  Would I sit back and say, "sucks-to-be-you!"  Absolutely not!  I would lay down my life for my wife.

When I fail to realize what is really going on, I become selfish.  When I realize the attack that is occurring, I can take my thoughts captive and attack the enemy instead of the victim of the enemy.  Practically speaking, my gentle answer may turn away wrath.  Speaking truth is easy.  Speaking the truth in love is the more difficult, but most effective strategy in defeating the enemy.

Every time I'm chewing out my kids and they respond with a gentle answer, my wrath almost always dwindles like air rushing out of a popped tire.

Its like a robber comes and points a gun at my face from the doorway while i'm laying in bed.  Rather than trying to fight him and getting blasted, I call my friend who is a trained sniper in the room behind him.  Choosing to combat the enemy myself is equivalent to trying to fight all the temptations in my mind with my own power.  Choosing God to demolish the enemy for me is equivalent to calling on him in the midst of the attack.  Instead of fighting the situation, I now say, "Lord.  I can't win this fight.  You do something.  And yes, I submit my mind, mouth and hands to let you say what you want to say in this situation, even if its nothing at all.

The Word is the primary weapon in spiritual warfare; prayer is the means by which we wield the sword.  The Word is the gun, scripture is the bullets.  Time to shoot bullets into the lies that the enemy throws our way.  Time to shoot holes into the enemy that has my wife, children and neighbors in a rear naked choke.  No more laughing at people who are being attacked, but to take God's perspective and have heart full of compassion.

Something like that... hope that made sense :)