Overcoming Our Enemies

 

Our greatest enemies are the ones we must fight from within. We battle the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. We have three powerful enemies that wage war against us in our attempt to live the Christian life.

The world is filled with powerful minefields that can sabotage our lives. James writes, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). We are to beware of this world and to understand that it is not our friend but our enemy.

Our second powerful enemy is ourselves. This refers to the flesh as our sinful nature that is constantly tempting us and pulling us in the wrong direction. We are to beware of our flesh. James explains, “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” James 1:14-15).

Our third enemy is Satan. He is not omniscient nor omnipresent, and neither is he omnipotent; however, he is certainly powerful enough to trap us if we are not relying on the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter warns, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The roadblocks that the world, the flesh, and the Devil put in our path are many, but here are some of the most common. Fear, hopelessness, guilt, shame, and regret.

Fear inhibits our lives and impedes our ability to live for God. It ties us up, so we cannot believe we will succeed. When the ten spies gave their reports about the Promised Land, ten of them were overwhelmed with fear. They made the people’s hearts melt with fear (Deuteronomy 1:28). Joshua and Caleb had different spirits because they trusted in the Lord and were fearless.

Hopelessness is the typical result of being beaten down by the world, the flesh, and the Devil. It is when you feel defeated and have no way out. That is a lie, of course, but your mind tells you it is true. When Hagar ran away from her mistress, Sarai, she found herself in a hopeless situation. The Lord spoke to her and gave her hope.  She said, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).

Shame and guilt run together. The antidote for overcoming guilt and shame is forgiveness. God’s wonderful gift of forgiveness cleanses away all shame and guilt. God’s forgiveness removes our sin as far as the East is from the West (Ps 103:12.

Finally, regret is a result of feeling like your life has been wasted. Joel 2:25-27 states that God can restore what has been lost. There is no regret when we trust God, no matter what has happened in our lives. The Holy Spirit wants to help you subdue your enemies.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. s and desires.

Three Things

The Apostle Paul prayed an incredible prayer for the Ephesian believers, recorded in his letter to them. He prays that their spiritual eyes will be opened so that they will see three things that will change their lives.

Ephesians 1:18-19 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

The first thing is Hope, “that you may know the hope to which he has called you, (Eph 1:18).

Paul wants each of us to have a clearer vision of “the hope God has personally made available to us. Our hope, unique to each individual, has its source in the fact that we were chosen before the creation of the world. God saved us by his grace through faith and has given us the Holy Spirit as a down payment of what is to come. This hope is “the hope of the glory of God.” Living in this troubled world, we each need that hope. Hope is what fights away despair.

 C.S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity

 “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, then; there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same”

 Without hope, we get stuck. Only with the hope of heaven can we navigate the complexities of life with purpose and resilience. Despair is a devastating enemy. This world is broken, and it has always been broken, and it will always be broken. That does not mean we should crawl into our shells and do nothing to make this world right. It does, however, mean we do not put our hope in this world. Our world is in another place. It is in Christ and what he has prepared for us. We need this hope daily—to get out of bed and fulfill our obligations. We need this hope to stand in the face of a depraved world and not cave into its demands.

The second thing is the Riches: “the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” (Eph 1:18). Paul prays that our eyes will be opened to the riches God has for us.  What he wants us to see is that we are God’s riches—“his possession.” He owns all the heavens, but we are his treasures. The redeemed are worth more than the universe. What makes one truly rich are wisdom, truth, gentleness, kindness, love, joy, peace, contentment, self-control, and many other attributes and not material wealth.

The third thing is Power, “and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms” (Eph 1:19-20). This power changes us and gives us victory over sin in our lives. We will see it visibly someday in the resurrection of our bodies, but of now that power helps us navigate life. 

Once, the prophet Elisha was pursued by an enemy army. They surrounded his house in an attempt to capture him. However, that would be more challenging than they thought. Elisha’s servant rose early and went outside, and when he saw the enemy, he was gripped with fear,“Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha, calmly prayed for his servant: “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:15-17).

This is a picture of what is available to us in our scary world. We need hope, God’s riches, and his power to be victorious.

The Sough of Despair

People have weaknesses, strengths, failures, successes, defeats, and triumphs. David had all of these. He is the shepherd boy we love and the one with enough courage to fight a monster giant named Goliath and win with a slingshot. However, other moments, such as when David experienced explosive anger against Nabal and his impulsive decision to take vengeance against him, were not so impressive. He didn’t do it only because of Abigail’s courageous intervention.

In chapter 27, David falls into what John Bunyan called the “Slough of Despond.” Now, we are shown another episode in David’s life that is not impressive. For the next 16 months, David will not write any psalms. There are no recorded prayers. During this time, David makes his decisions from a humanistic viewpoint. This is one of the darkest periods in David’s life.

Here, David chose to live under the protection of the Philistines and even collaborate with them. How puzzling since the Philistines were the archenemies of Israel. We all talk to ourselves, but when we lie to ourselves, we are on dangerous ground. This is David talking to himself and ignoring God’s promises and God’s track record of providential care. “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.” (1 Sam 27:1).

What is so odd about David’s action is that he chooses what he says he does not want. He abandons what he says he does not want to lose. He embraces what he says he does not want. He forfeits his “share in the heritage of the LORD” by fleeing (1 Sam 26:19-20). Was David looking for a ship to Tarsus like Jonah? It appears so.

Incredibly, we often do the opposite of what we really want when discouraged. That is why it is perilous to make crucial decisions when disheartened. Our conclusions will be inaccurate, and our actions will take us where we do not want to go. Psychologist Rollo May has said, “Man is the only animal that runs faster when he has lost his way.

David experienced the kind of crushing doubt that overcame Elijah many years later in the aftermath of his great day of triumph. Elijah, who had undergone the supernatural power of the Lord in marvelous ways, then faced a battle of doubt and fear. Both Elijah and David do the very thing they have feared—the very thing they have been protected from experiencing. Discouragement can drive us away from God and from his path for us. Fear, doubt, and emptiness cause us to make impulsive decisions like David and Elijah.

The gifted David was a man with a sinful nature like all of us. The only difference between David and Saul was David’s commitment to the Lord, which is wavering now. It doesn’t matter who we are. We are in trouble when we stop trusting God for our deliverance and start figuring it out on our own.

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Have You Caught Anything?

The light had replaced their darkness since they had seen the resurrected Christ. He had appeared twice to his disciples. Peter was now hopeful but still trying to process how this would all work with Jesus going to heaven. The fisherman traveled 80 miles to Galilee to do some fishing along with six other disciples who decided to join him.

Though it had felt good to be back on the water, it turned out to be a fruitless night as they caught nothing. The disciples were tired and frustrated and ready to call it a day. They probably were not thinking of the Lord, but unknown to them, Jesus was thinking of them and was watching them. Early the next morning, Jesus, standing on the shore, called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered (John 21:4-5). That was a critical moment to admit their failure. Failure only works in our favor if we are willing to accept it. Jesus was planning on turning things around for these seven, but it would start with their admitting failure.

Jesus instructed them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat. They still had not recognized him, but they obeyed, and when they did, “they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish” (John 21:6). At that moment, John recognized that it was Jesus which prompted Peter to dive in and swim to the shore. Though they had caught 153 large fish, the net did not break because Jesus was directing their work. Things are so different when we follow God’s direction after admitting our own failure.

After landing, they saw a fire of burning coals with fish and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught” (John 21:9-10). Interestingly, Jesus asked them to bring some fish they had just caught. He didn’t need them, but he wanted them to know they were needed and wanted by him. God doesn’t need me, but he wants me, and that thought is enough to change my world when I realize it. 

Hope in Despair

Despair is a sinister enemy that is debilitating in every way. It diminishes our motivation and our sense of value. If you can’t see any purpose in going on—you stop living, and that is a dangerous place to be. In the dark cave of depression, no sunlight arrives. No feelings of hope grow in that dark place.

Isaiah knows we all falter, so we begin to think thoughts that are harmful to our spiritual life. He challenges those thoughts and our pattern of thinking, Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?” (Isaiah 40:27-31).

When we come to church, we often do not get what we need. Sometimes it’s the preacher’s fault or the worship people because they are unprepared, but other times it's yours because you do not admit your need. We all need help to see our despair. There is the despair about what we can’t fix, our relationship with our parents, or our spouse, or our child. The brokenness we possess cries out at us—you are a lost cause. We hear a voice, “Nobody cares about you, and nobody cares about your problems!” You are worthless to others and even to God. Why is it we say the things we say? Why do we think the way we do? Where does our sense of abandonment originate?

It comes from our disconnection with meaningful people in our lives. Most of all, it comes from our disconnection with God. Isaiah knows what we need is a new vision of who God is, Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom (Isaiah 40:28). Isaiah points to the discrepancy, “Do you not know?” and “Have you not heard? It is as if he is saying, Judging from your actions, you must not know this. It appears that you have never heard this before. From the way you are living your life, you must not know God. Isaiah wants us to look at the eternal God.

Our perspective of life is narrow. We exaggerate our problems and exhaust our energies on things that don’t matter. We panic when things don’t fall into place. From our place in the universe, things look like a disaster, but from God’s eternal perspective, everything is on schedule. How much of your frustration comes from unmet expectations? Our expectations fall far beneath what God wants for us. What brought you such disappointment in the larger scheme of things is so unimportant and petty.

The one question that has been essential for Isaiah has been not what but who. It’s not what events shape history but who shapes history. Is the purpose and meaning of our lives totally up to us, or is God involved in the day-to-day meaning of our lives? Isaiah says, Yes, God is involved! God gives strength to the weary, and he gives power to the weak. Those who are physically weary of life, those who are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually fatigued; those who are on the verge of calling it quits—can find help from God.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:30-31).

Yesterday, my two-year-old grandson was telling me stories like The Three Little Pigs and The Little Red Hen. He could only describe parts of each story, but I knew exactly what he was talking about with his few words. When he finished each story, he would ask, “Did you like it, Grandpa?” I would answer, “I loved it, Neal!” We must tell our stories to God because he will love them. He will listen and encourage us. Isaiah says those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Put your hope in God, and let Him renew your strength.

Salt & Light

What does it mean to be without hope? It means that life has become a complete drudgery and there is no joy in living. It is the place where you stop living and merely exist. Many of you know what this kind of existence is like. Over the years, I have seen many people without hope. I have been there when someone is dealing with the loss of a loved one who just took his life. I have met with families who just got the news that a family member has two months to live. All of these kinds of losses leave a person feeling hopeless, but none is so bad as the person who feels completely alone and without God. Paul reminded the Ephesians that each of us feels this way before we come to know God, “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).

When we meet Jesus and invite him to live in us, he transforms us from the inside out. Not all at once, of course, but little by little as we are willing to love him and serve him. Luke describes when Jesus passed by Levi who was sitting at his accounting desk collecting taxes, most likely quite rich but without hope. Jesus invited him to come and follow him. Surprisingly, Levi got up and left everything and followed Jesus for the rest of his life.

People saw tax collectors as despicable in Jesus’ day. They overcharged and enforced payment with their thugs. People hated them, so it was no shock that when Jesus accepted an invitation to a banquet at Levi’s house, there was criticism. Jesus critics’ asked why Jesus was sitting in the company of sinners and tax collectors. Jesus’ answer is remarkable, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 6:31-32).

Jesus made it clear that he was looking for people who knew they were sinners and were not afraid to admit it. The same way a sick person seeks out a doctor, so sinners seek out a savior. Jesus was not interested in saving people who did not believe they needed saving. Jesus is still looking for sinners, and he will find you the way he found Levi if you want to be found.

Years later, Levi became Matthew, which means gift of God, and he wrote down Jesus’ words:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

Once Jesus saves us and transforms us, we become salt and light. When those around see how we live, they praise God and are drawn to give their lives to Jesus.