Know Your Enemy

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

“Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Great warriors have always understood that. The better one knows his enemy, the more able he is to defeat him. Vito ‘Don’ Corleone in the 1972 film “The Godfather,” made the statement, “Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.” He knew that if he wasn’t ALWAYS aware of what his enemy was up to, he could end up being his unwitting victim. It’s no different in the spiritual realm. We have a very real enemy and we need to remain aware of his tactics.

I believe that the reason so many Christians are bound up and ineffective is because they choose to ignore the devil rather than to resist him. That is tantamount to pretending not to see a robber who is trying to break into your house. Do you remember that time when I was speaking to the youth group about spiritual warfare? I asked why it was important to speak out loud to the devil. The answer is because he can’t read our minds! Thankfully, Satan isn’t omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent.

Some years ago, I was working from home when my Great Dane began barking with great conviction. Being a good watch dog, he only barked like that when he knew something was awry, so I went to see what that might be. As I peered through the sliding glass doors on the back of our house, I noticed a man walking up the driveway of my neighbor’s house. Shortly after he disappeared from view, I heard glass breaking. I immediately let the dog out and called 911. Thankfully, hearing my 180-pound dog snarling just on the other side of the fence frightened off the would-be thief. What do you suppose would have happened had I just ignored my dog’s barking?

It never occurred to me to do nothing in that situation, just as it would never occur to me to do nothing when the devil is attempting to “kill, steal, or destroy,” which is precisely what he wants to do. Nowhere in Scripture are we told to ignore him or to pretend that he doesn’t exist. Neither are we told to fear him. Jesus made one of the most definitive statements of all times when he said to His disciples,

“18I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning! 19And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.” (Luke 10:18-19)

We have NO CAUSE to fear our enemy, the devil. According to the words of Jesus our Lord, we have authority over the devil and his demons. That means the ONLY way he can hurt us is if we choose to let him. I’ve already chosen to NEVER let him hurt me or my family. I regularly exercise my authority over him to keep him at bay. Besides knowing that Jesus gave me that authority, I also have another promise to hold on to.

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

God’s Holy Spirit living in every believer is greater than the spirit of evil who lives in this world, so even if we could add nothing to the fight, God’s Spirit in us would always trump evil. What we must always remember is that though victory is guaranteed, the battles must still be fought. But what a difference it makes when I remember going into battle that I have authority over the enemy, that he can’t harm me, and that I have God’s Spirit in me to empower and protect me.

I recently asked some of the young people at my church if they thought it was necessary to speak (out loud) to the devil, and if so, why. The only responses I received were blank stares. After a brief discussion, we determined that speaking is the only way we can let the devil know what we are thinking. He can’t read our minds, after all, so if you want him to leave you alone, you need to tell him.

I believe that speaking to the devil is the best way to resist him. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He responded aloud with Scripture. We ought not to quote Scripture to the devil because we think he doesn’t know it at least as well as we do. He likely knows it better. We should quote Scripture because God’s Word is our primary offensive weapon against the devil, especially those verses that remind him of his defeat and his ultimate reward.

I have recently experienced one of the greatest spiritual battles of my life. I am still in the fight, but I have every confidence that I will emerge triumphant. I don’t know why I am having to go through this, but I have God’s promises to keep me going.

Every day I remind myself of His Truth.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“But the LORD's plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.” (Psalm 33:11)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

“Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us.” (1 John 4:18)

“4Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! 5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)

Every day I put on all my spiritual armor.

“3We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. 4We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. 5With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ. 6And we will punish those who remained disobedient after the rest of you became loyal and obedient.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

“10A final word: Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. 11Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. 12For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. 13Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. 15For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. 16In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. 17Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.”
(Ephesians 6:10-18)

Every day, when I’ve done all I can do, I stand firm on the Truth of God’s Word.

His Word tells me that my enemy, the devil, “is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). It tells me that anger gives the devil a mighty stronghold (Ephesians 4:27) and that he will use pride to make me fall. (1 Timothy 3:6) But, most importantly, it tells me that “the Son of God came to destroy these works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Child of God, NEVER forget that! Jesus’ death rendered the devil harmless to all those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. To believers he’s like a old, toothless lion—he can roar, but he can no longer bite. Next time he tries to mess with you, remind him of the following:

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20)