Who/What is Your Real Enemy?

 

What are you struggling against in your life? If you wrote down a list of people or organizations that seem to be the source of strife in your life, who would be on that list…I hope I’m not on it! Anyway, one of the keys to having victory in a struggle or battle is to know who or what is your real enemy. If we don’t know who our real enemy is, how can we have real victory? Paul shares some important advice on this as he wraps up Ephesians 6. I will copy in the entire paragraph for context: 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Paul then goes on to describe this spiritual armor but my focus today is verse 12. Our real enemy is not “flesh and blood”. Our real enemy is not the situations or circumstances or even people in our lives. Our real enemy is Satan. Satan is the prince of the power of the air. He is the author of sin. He is the author of temptation. In fact, whoever is hurting you is doing that because of Satan’s activity in his/her own life.

How are you protecting yourself against your real enemy? The “weapons” of this world are not effective against Satan. You must equip yourself with spiritual armor, with armor such as truth, faith, prayer, the gospel and the word of God. These are the weapons that will be effective for victory in this world. Please don’t go into the battle unequipped.