Understanding the Enemy!

[George]

Hello my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

I thought I write about the flip side of a topic, and how to recognize the attempts of the enemy to destroy lives and how you can walk in His victory!

For the Apostle Paul taught us not to be ignorant of enemy's tactics and strategies.

2 Corinthians 2:112  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

So often, we can learn lessons by learning and playing "devil's" advocate.  When we read this passage,

Mar 3:26  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 
Mar 3:27  No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strongman; and then he will spoil his house. 

Here we learn a lesson that in order to plunder one's house you must first BIND up the strongman.  While we realize in this particular passage this is referring to God binding up the strongman (Satan) and this is how Satan's house is plundered.  But if you carefully analyze the enemy -- you realize that he uses the same tactics on us!  Your house cannot be plundered -- unless you are first bound.   And then Satan can plunder your house!

Let's take a marriage situation.  A husband and wife are newly married and they are just getting by.  The wife hasn't had a new dress in some time, and while she's out and about -- she stumbles across a dress that is 75% off and a steal!  She's in need of some new clothing and thinks to herself -- I should get this while it's soo cheap!  Meanwhile, her husband is looking over a mountain of bills and thinking to himself, the only way to get out of this mess is to work "overtime" and starts to figure out how much he needs to work to cover all their bills.  When the wife comes home, she's looking fine in her dress and the first thought of her husband -- planted by the enemy -- can you believe that your wife spent money on a dress?  Of course, this feeds into his mind and reacts to the thought -- and gets angry at his wife and demands that she take the dress back.  So he's ignoring the fact how good she looks in the dress, and ignores how cheap it was -- and allows a foothold to be set!  The wife can't believe it -- and let's the emotion burn in her while biting her tongue.  

A few weeks goes by, and the husband is out and about and sees a fishing rod on sale -- and buys it!  The wife sees the new fishing rod -- the enemy then brings back that emotion of what happened a few weeks prior about the dress -- and suddenly she explodes!  And now you have the beginnings of how the enemy has taken footholds and then created strongholds -- and for the ultimate purpose of dividing a marriage!

Now let's look at Luke and see what lessons we can learn from it.

Luk 11:20  But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 
Luk 11:21  When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 
Luk 11:22  But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 
Luk 11:23  He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 

If you notice this, the strong man who's armed -- ready for battle -- ready to face whatever comes his way -- he's living in PEACE!  

If we recognize the first steps of the enemy's work in our lives -- knowing he's trying to create footholds -- you'll begin to understand why?  He can't rob, kill and destroy you -- unless you are FIRST bound up!  So we need to be armed with the Word, armed with the knowledge of the enemy's tactics, and be ready to defend what is rightfully ours!  We need to take authority over the powers of darkness because that authority was given to us at the cross!

Luk 10:18  And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Luk 10:19  Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

So we fight the good fight of faith, standing in His victory and be ready to pounce on every thought that is not of God -- that is being used to BIND US up!   Be prepared to battle today -- put on the full armor of God -- and be ready to pounce on every thought that would seek to create a foothold in your life!  When you do this, truly you will become a strong man who's possessions are at perfect peace!

Your brother in the Lord with much agape love,

George

[JesusisGod2]

Hi George,

Great stuff brother and right on time. I have been dealing with some things lately and this sure helps.

[Andrew007]

Amen!

[Faith1]

George,

Thats great and so true. Is seems that just when you think (and probably have) forgiven something done to you..wham! something else happens and so on and so on and I guess it is the Lord teaching us forgiveness and the freedom that brings and blesses us with.

That satan is such a wyly clever thing ever looking us up and down searching for a way to bring us to an end...

You know I find that when I am close to our Father and feeling secure with Him, that is the time when things happen, and really it is of no surprise is it? that satan and his demon hordes would choose the right moment to attack and malign God's children...

Thanks for your topic George it has bought a fresh focus for me that I may have over looked in the past day or so.

Blessings

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[George]

Let's look at an interesting passage in Matthew to see just HOW IMPORTANT forgiveness truly is:

Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Notice that Jesus was telling Peter how often he was to forgive! He was telling this to a believer in Messiah. This message was not addressed to unbelievers -- but to believers!

Matthew 18:23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

Notice closely that we are just like this servant -- OUR SINS which are so GREAT -- we could never repay, but we come to the Lord in repentance in true worship -- the Lord LOOSES us and forgives us the debt that we owe.

Matthew 18:28-33  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

What happens when choose not to forgive? Watch this closely!

Matthew 18:34-35  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Unforgiveness = being delivered to the TORMENTORS! It's the greek word -- basanistes and it's only used once in the entire NT. It literally means -- one who elicits the truth by the use of the rack; an inquisitor, torturer also used of a jailer doubtless because the business of torturing was also assigned to him.

Because of unforgiveness you could easily be delivered to the tormentors -- the tormentors of bitterness, resentment, hostility and anger! These torment your soul because in your heart of hearts, you want to be in tune with the Lord -- in His perfect agape love -- in His perfect shalom (life, fullness, and peace).

Learn to easily forgive your neighbor then you will find yourself FREE -- and in His freedom, you can enjoy the fulness of the fruit of the Spirit -- love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith and self-control!

Learn the enemies tactics -- recognize the world around you -- recognize the enemy wants to bind you up so he can steal from you! NOW THAT YOU RECOGNIZE the tactics of the enemy -- do something about it -- learn to easily forgive, if it means you need to fight through the feelings of anger, then fight through it and forgive!

It becomes easier and easier to forgive once you have opened your understanding that through forgiveness -- the joy of the Lord replaces the pain of the sins that you didn't want to forgive in the first place.

Your brother in Messiah with much agape love,

George

[JesusisGod2]

Praise the Lord!

Thats some heavy stuff there brother, I have to get ready for church now, and man does that put one in the right spirit.

Thanks George, as with your daily devotionals-- your post are always refreshing.

God bless you brother.

In Jesus

Kevin

Keep it coming Brother,

[Faith1]

Amen JIG2 - real meaty get your teeth into stuff I printed it off and going to do some more study on it later and prayer..

Thanks so much George what a blessing you are

[Faith1]

Matthew 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

[RGR]

Again, what a timely word from George. So very true in my personal life as well as our lives on here. Satan would love to destroy us personally and he would to destroy these boards and he will use other Christians if necessary. We ALL, including and especially me, need to ask if we're doing the Lord's business or contributing to the problem. I think the best thing we can do is to either ignore threads that Satan would use to bring these boards down or hijack them with a discussion of weather or music or something and do a lot of praying also!

[Faith1]

RGR - Very true brother! and I hope your birthday was a blessed and sweet one!

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