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Enemy at the Door

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ENEMY AT THE DOOR

Satan (false accuser), our enemy is a defeated foe (Col 2:15) and yet he stands between us and a spiritual feast (Psalm 23:5). He and his defeated forces are arrayed against us (Eph 6: 12). We only need to “put on the whole armor of God” and stand, holding fast to and in the victory and triumph of our Lord Jesus. His end has been predicted- to be captured and cast into the lake of fire to be tormented for ever (Rev 20:10). Yet, he is active and determined to undo the work of the cross and bring despair and fall of every believer
Apostle Paul talks about the “wiles of the devil” in Ephesians 6:11. ‘Wiles’ in the original is a compound word combining travel and trickery – literally ‘leading up the path’. Satan puts in an appearance in the initial pages of the Bible itself and on 3 occasions he physically appeared and attacked – Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to deceive, in heaven to destroy Job and alongside Zechariah to discredit ( accuse) him. Today also he carries out his attacks directly as well as indirectly.

Direct Attack
He attacks: • Possessions: wealth, livestock, jobs, houses etc. as in Job 1:14-17 • People ( close to us) as in Job 1:19- sons, daughters • Person as in Job 2:7- physical illness like sores , boils
He also • Prevents saints from carrying out the Lord’s work as in 1 Thess 2:18

Today also he carries out the same manner of attacks- missions, evangelists and believers. But just like Job and Apostle Paul and many others – all are granted Grace from above and let all say ‘…blessed be the name of the Lord’(Job1:21) and like the apostles rejoice that they were ‘counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name’ (Acts 5:41)
However, the mind is the playground of the devil and that’s where he attempts to trap us and spoil our witness and lead our hearts astray. 1. Deception: means to cheat, beguile, ensnare, corrupt, mislead, wander from the right path. Eve was deceived- so convincingly he made out that God was withholding good things and he is only pointing it out. ‘Satan himself fashioneth himself into an angel of light’ (2 Cor 11-14). Media, movies, social norms are all his weapons today to sow seeds of deception and thought control. 2. Doubt: Creating doubt in our minds is another powerful tool he uses. ‘Did God really say….’(Gen 3:1). Even today he creates doubt in every believer- about God’s word, His promises, His wisdom, His working in our lives, and even our own salvation! 3. Discouragement: another tool used by Satan especially during difficult times- recession, job losses, some behavior from fellow believers’, difficult children, life-long illness, children’s illness – all will make you feel inadequate. The Israelites on seeing Goliath, every day was ‘dismayed and terrified’ (1 Sam 17:11). 4. Diversion: Divert means to change course or track, so that all our energies are chanelized there. Our attention is directed to trivial issues and the main work is side-tracked. E.g.: Jonah left for Tarsus instead of Nineveh 5. Distraction: The devil will bring distractions, so that our time is wasted. You are going about doing the Lord’s work and something catches your attention and you focus there, thinking that you can always come back and do that later – a sports event, friend comes on Facebook, some TV show, and so on. Delilah was a distraction for Samson. (Judges 16) 6. Delay: The devil will entice us to put off doing some good – the contribution you were planning to make will be shown against some expense coming up, visiting a sick brother or sister (maybe tomorrow after work?) and so on. Most of all, he will make a person delay the decision to accept the Lord as personal saviour. 7. Defeat: The devil will make you feel whatever you are facing will remain and it is no use struggling against or with it and then we give up. Personal sin is a prime example. True defeat is when we give up. And he wants us to do just that. 8. Desires: He played with Eve’s desires in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:6) and all through we see the same- David, Achan, Samson and so on. We all have desires and the devil plays with it- a bigger and better house, a better job. He will bring temptations in line with our desires and seek to ensnare us. The world and all its pleasures are right before our eyes- and remember he offered it to our Lord even!

Some wiles are targeted at the assembly as a whole. 9. Divisions: In the 1st century church itself the devil managed divisions (1 Cor 3:4 and 11:17). Catholics, Protestants and now countless denominations- he has indeed succeeded, beyond his wildest dreams. He will ensure that positions taken are hardened, making reconciliation impossible. 10. Disputes: Difference in doctrinal interpretation, church discipline, dress codes or anything that will result in disputes/ debates leading to loss of time and energy. 11. Discrimination: based on social status, wealth, position, family etc. (James 2:2-4). We align ourselves based on these mores and what we perceive to be our importance. Less of barriers and more of ‘the love of God shed abroad in our hearts’ (Rom 5:5).

Let us not allow him bring us to despair and defeat; for as the Lord says to Cain ‘...sin lieth at the door.’(Gen 4:7). And even as we are buffeted let us like the Apostle Paul say ‘We are pressed on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed but not in despair’ (2Cor 4:8)

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