“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12
The real enemy
It is so important to know who your enemy is in a battle. In war times it used to be helpful that the armies wore uniforms so with one glance you could tell if you were facing a fellow soldier, the enemy or a civilian. However, the lines have become so blurred by modern warfare, no longer does the military fight wars against other military armies but terrorists, the worst kind of enemy. They lurk in the shadows, disguise themselves as civilizans and it’s no longer clear who you are fighting.
Spiritual Warfare
It’s the same with spiritual warfare. Unfortunately, the enemy of your soul is a terrorist, hell’s army is an evil band of demonic terrorists. Like modern real world warfare, it requires special intelligence to know your enemy. This week we will look at who is our real enemy because believe me it is NOT necessarily who or what you think!
Ephesians 6:12 is a perfect intelligence report from Heaven’s War room. Your Daunter is NOT the flesh-and-blood person or thing that you feel is attacking you. As hurtful as the lies that are coming from that former friend are, as difficult as it is to listen to your boss put you down one more time, as hard as it is to deal with the never ending debt and bills, as hard as it is to see that rebellious child, as frustrating the news and media are to listen to, and on and on, THEY ARE NOT THE ENEMY!!!!
Yes, they are vessels through which the enemy is attacking you, and the enemy would love you to focus on the Daunters. Their goal is to have you so distracted and turned around that you start acting in a way that isn’t Christlike.
Let’s take a look at a possible situation.
You have been informed that someone, whom you once trusted, has said some really ugly things, that are lies, about you. That arrow hits us square in the heart and the blow takes your breath away with pain. You can’t breathe, you can’t think, you can’t speak, all you can do is cry.
Now the time in prayer you were about to spend is gone from your mind, the devotion you were about to read is gone from your mind, that scripture you were going to send to a friend that’s having a hard time is gone from your mind, that Bible story you were going to read to your child is gone from your mind. Do you see the enemy’s initial assault, you are stopped dead in your tracks, lying in the mud and muck of the battlefield.
Suddenly, you get that sudden rush of adrenaline that is that natural fleshly response to pain. You are going to take her down! How dare she say that about you! How cruel can someone be? The things she is saying are not even true and just lies someone else told her. You are going to knock her off her prideful pedestal and you are going to make sure it hurts!!!! Enemy’s tactic part two, you just let your flesh take full control of you, and now you are a tool the enemy can use.
Decision time!
You are now at the crossroads of how this battle with this Daunter will go. In all that rage and hurt you stand posed to take her down. In worldly terms, you would be completely justified. If you counteract the whole situation will turn into a mess beyond comprehension. The enemy will sit back in their recliner with popcorn and watch the show as two sisters in Christ will tear each other to pieces and the enemy didn’t have to lift a finger.
A friendship lies dead on the battlefield, reputations reduced to ashes, others pulled into the destructive mess and wounded.
The real enemy through the whole mess was the powers and principalities behind the lies that caused the hurt. You see that friend isn’t the Daunter you are fighting, she is just as much a victim of the Daunter as you are.
She was the first one that the enemy hit, he sneaked in like the snake in Eden and whispered lies. Sweet sisters, we need to be so careful about how we handle gossip, slander, rumors, and lies. If someone comes to you with an arm long laundry list of things another sister in Christ has done wrong, for starters ask the gossip how much they have prayed for that person. It’s very hard to gossip about someone when you are praying for them.
It is interesting how we categorize sin, oh this is an abomination but this, well, I do it so it’s ok, it’s not really sin, we are ‘sharing’! Listening to lies and slander makes you just as guilty, and to repeat it is even worse.
How do you respond?
When someone comes to you about another person you need to be careful before you engage. If someone is coming to you out of a misguided need to warn you about someone ask them if they dealt with the matter in a Matthew 18 way. Firstly, did they go directly to that person and bring to light what was going on? Secondly, if the person didn’t put it right then did they take a witness and go to them again? Finally, if they still didn’t put it right did they bring it before the congregation? Also, if they haven’t forgiven the person why have they ignored Christ’s words about forgiving seventy times seventy? Basically, if they have not followed this biblical model then shut them down and pray with them. Pray that God will give them wisdom and courage to do the right and responsible thing.
Above all, if you do hear things about another person make sure they are the truth and not rumors. Make sure that there is clear evidence and not just heresay or slander. In addition, the Bible tells us to test the spirits, so make sure that it’s a spirit of truth and not lies you are listening to.
Your response.
Probably the most important thing is, what will you do with these accusations? For instance, if they are true then you are being made aware of someone that is in a world of trouble. Does their soul and eternity matter to you? Jesus told us to love our enemies and bless those that curse us, which includes this person that you have heard all those horrible things about. It’s easy to love the people we like.
Let’s go back to that phone call you just received. I know it hurts. Sometimes, the wounds of a friend are not always faithful when they are not done out of love but at the hands of the enemy’s bidding. Don’t lift your sword against her. Don’t repay evil for evil. Fall to your knees and lift her up in prayer. Ask God to severe the ties that enemies have entrapped her in. You are not fighting her but you need to fight for her!!!!!!
The only way we can fight in heavenly places is to pray.
Take up spiritual weapons. You aren’t fighting your Daunter you are fighting the powers and principalities that are coming against you. By chosen to focus on the real enemy there will be a really powerful thing happen, you will set the other person free too! Remember, God collected all your tears and one day when the war between heaven and hell is over those tears will be poured out on the real enemy.
Knowing your true enemy will save you from wasted fights on battlefields you never belonged on. It’s a heavenly battlefield and you will only fight there on your knees.