Combating the enemy - Part 1 "Knowing the enemy"

I Peter 5:8

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

I must admit, I like cats.  I once had a cat named Phantom that would (I guess in order to live up to his name) like to hide in various areas of the large farmhouse I had, anyway he would jump out and attack your legs when you weren’t looking or paying attention.  This was a particularly effective method of attack if you were carrying a large load of laundry in a basket in a darkened room in the middle of the night.  He would come out, grab your legs, maybe a light bite and be on his way before you knew what bit you!  Often referred to as “Ninja-catting”.  Most of the time, these attacks were pretty harmless.  Of course, to him, it was good bit of fun and a great way to get attention if he was hungry.  To his victims however, it usually meant you would have to check your drawers!  There were a few times, I would take a few minutes to compose myself and hold my chest after one of these encounters.  Other times, he would be very cute, and loveable and be sitting on my lap as I would pet him, then for no reason other than he could, he would bite me (somewhat gently) and I would give him a tap on the nose and say “NO!”  To this day, I can’t imagine what goes through their heads, that they feel the need to establish superiority by biting?!

That my friends, is how I picture the enemy.  Sometimes he blatantly attacks you when you are least expecting it, and you have to be on guard as you are carrying your laundry basket through the house, and other times, you are just sitting “minding your own business” and invite the enemy on your lap, and are surprised when you are bit.

There are three characteristics of the enemy we need to be aware of in order to better combat the enemy.

I.                     He is the great pretender. – Genesis 3:1-2,

From the moment we are introduced to Satan, he is portraying himself as something he is not. (A serpent, an angel of light, etc…)  2Corinthians 11:14 Why is it we are surprised when the enemy acts completely in character?  Since he is the great pretender, he is also the father of lies.  Jesus said so Himself in John 8:44. So then, if he is the great pretender and the great deceiver, then we should be all the more aware of his schemes!  One of his biggest schemes is the twisting of the Word of God!  Genesis3:1-2 The serpent certainly knew what God had told Eve concerning the trees of the garden, and yet, twisted the words when tempting her.  Flash forward to the temptation of Christ, Matthew 4:5-7.  So be wary my friends that when using God’s Word, and knowing God’s Word, that the enemy knows it as well!

II.                   His attacks cannot stand against the Kingdom, Word, and Love of God.

A.      Broadly speaking, the kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal, sovereign God over all the universe. Several passages of Scripture show that God is the undeniable Monarch of all creation: “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). And, as King Nebuchadnezzar declared, “His kingdom is an eternal kingdom” (Daniel 4:3). Every authority that exists has been established by God (Romans 13:1). So, in one sense, the kingdom of God incorporates everything that is.

More narrowly, the kingdom of God is a spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who willingly submit to God’s authority. Those who defy God’s authority and refuse to submit to Him are not part of the kingdom of God; in contrast, those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ and gladly surrender to God’s rule in their hearts are part of the kingdom of God. In this sense, the kingdom of God is spiritual—Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and He preached that repentance is necessary to be a part of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17 Also in I John 1:9, John reminds us that God is faithful to forgive. That the kingdom of God can be equated with the sphere of salvation is evident in John 3:5–7, where Jesus says the kingdom of God must be entered into by being born again. See also 1 Corinthians6:9.  There is nothing that can stand against the Kingdom of God.

B.      One of his biggest schemes is the twisting of the Word of God!  Genesis 3:1-2 The serpent certainly knew what God had told Eve concerning the trees of the garden, and yet, twisted the words when tempting her.  Flash forward to the temptation of Christ, Matthew 4:5-7. Satan knows that he is unable to destroy the Word (I Peter1:25), so he studies it, twists it, uses it to manipulate mankind into falsehood.  So be wary my friends that when using God’s Word, and knowing God’s Word, that the enemy knows it as well, and he will use every chance to twist it to his own end.  Answer his arrows with a few of God’s!  Using God’s word strengthens our faith, which is our shield!  (More on this in a few weeks!) When David sang his songs of praise, and recited the Word, demons fled from Saul.  When Paul and Silas worshipped with the Word, their chains fell off.  Reading the Word of God, and better yet memorizing it allows us to go beyond our circumstance, and better know our General.   The Word of the Living God is our very battle manual.  Do not forsake it.  Do not lose it.  Love it!

C.       The Love of God is everlasting, and nothing can be done to separate us from His love.

Conclusion

The enemy is unable to do a lot of things 3 of which follow.

1. The enemy can't destroy us.

                If we serve an unchanging God, and the account of Job is any indication, we are under the protection of the Almighty!  (Job 1:12, Psalm 91:1-16, 2 Timothy 4:8, Romans 12:19)

2. The enemy can't destroy God's Word.

(Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25) If God's word is infallible, and everlasting, then the only recourse the enemy has is to twist the Word. The best defense against this is to know the Word better than the enemy!

                               

3. The enemy can't destroy God's Love for us.

Romans 8:37-39 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:4-5 - But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, evenwhen we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved ...

Romans 5:8 - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Zephaniah 3:17 - The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

1 Peter 5:6-7 - Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Psalm 86:15 - But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

So what is the worst the enemy can do? He can't harm us without permission. He can't change God's word. He can't separate from God's love.  

Remember that when you are under attack.