In order to be more successful in our spiritual battles we need to have a better understanding of what we are up against...

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lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. -- 2Corinthians 2: 11 (NKJV)

Far too often these days we see Christians struggling where they ought to be walking in power. Limited where they ought to be thriving. The reality is that more often than not they are merely ignorant where they ought to be vigilant. The Bible makes it very clear that we are in a spiritual war. This war is ongoing and there are no breaks. The agents we must face do not get vacations or sick leave. When we wake up every day there are attacks on us from three different sides. Each is unique yet works together. Each seeks our destruction but we need not fear in this spiritual war because we serve a greater God than our enemies. But the secret to winning the spiritual battles is knowing what we face and to be vigilant against it, instead of ignorant of it.

The first thing working against us is the world in which we live every single day. The Bible says that the things of God are foolishness to those in the world. They hear what we have to say and literally think we are fools for believing. We are complete opposites beloved yet there we can be, messing around where we do not belong.

You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. -- James 4: 4 (NLT)

Look at the language God is using here! When we divide our loyalties between this world and God we are actually adulterers to Him! Remember we are the bride of Christ and He does not want us defiling ourselves with the world. That being said, the challenge is in that we live within the very system we are not supposed to partake of and that becomes very taxing. The problem is in that we are supposed to view ourselves as not part of the very system we must live in:

Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. -- 1Peter 2: 11-12 (NLT)

Note here that God is acknowledging for us that the worldly desires actually wage war against our very souls. The world embraces much different ways of thinking than Christ. The world pushes an independent mentality and rewards self-reliance while God encourages dependence upon God and rewards humility. The world encourages a win at all costs mentality that embraces cut-throat competitiveness while God wants us to consider others before ourselves at all times. The world preaches that he who dies with the most toys wins while God reminds us that he who dies is still dead and has to answer for all of his indiscretions before a holy God. In every single area, the world simply is opposite of God. It values the opposite. It teaches the opposite. It believes the opposite. Yet we must live in it -- but only as temporary residents! This struggle is not new! Way back in Genesis we see this when Abram and Lot first split up:

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. -- Genesis 13: 12 (KJV)

Sodom was renowned for its evil in the days of Abram. So evil that God eventually rained fire down and destroyed it. But here we see an interesting choice of words in describing the choices of Abram and Lot. Abram dwelled in the Promised Land -- he stayed within the promises of God. Lot however pitched his tent toward Sodom. He pitched his tent towards the evil world system. I understand and I am sure we all do. The lure of the world is strong. Your co-workers are going to happy hour and you don't want to explain why you shouldn't go. Your buddy wants you to go to the big football game but you have to explain why it is important for you to be in church instead. The sacrifices are real. The lure is real. But so is the danger -- even from merely pitching your tent towards the world. Because the next time we see Lot -- He is living in Sodom! That is what the attraction of the world does. It sells us on the fact that pitching our tents towards it is harmless when it is really just baiting the hook. The Bible says believers should have no fellowship with darkness.

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. -- Ephesians 5: 10-12 (NLT)

We also need to carefully consider what pleases the Lord because there is an enemy to our souls. The second factor working against us is the devil and he is very real beloved. He has done a masterful job in convincing those in the world that he either does not exist or is just a cartoon caricature with a red suit and pitchfork. When you see stories like the one out of Colorado this past week you need to realize how real the devil is. The world mentality will be to try and explain how someone could just walk into a movie theater and slaughter 12 people while injuring so many more. Realize this is only the latest story so it sticks in our mind. We had the Virginia Tech shooting before this. We had the deaths of Whitney Houston and Heath Ledger -- one addicted to legal drugs and the other illegal. We had Columbine. We have these national scars because of one reason and one reason only -- pure evil. It exists and is embodied within Satan, who the Bible says rules this earth:

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. -- 2Corinthians 4: 4 (NLT)

The things of God are foolishness to them because the devil has blinded them. He rules the earth and he knows his time is short according to Revelation. There are not rational reasons why the theater shooting happened. The media and experts will try to fit the shooter into a box so he can be labeled and we can go on feeling better about ourselves but at the end of the day the only reason these keep happening is we are in the end days and the devil is stepping up the offensive war he is waging against God's creation. But the Lord has given us instructions on dealing with the devil:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. -- 1Peter 5: 8-9 (NIV)

But look at the first two imperatives -- be self-controlled and alert. Most of us even in Christian circles do not live life alert to the schemes of the enemy. We are largely reactive believers. When something happens to us we seek God. When something happens to us we think about how to fight the enemy. We are not proactive Christians. There is not enough preaching on the enemy and how to win the spiritual wars we are in every single day. That is the true damage from the candy coated gospels that are out there. They omit the crucial things we need to know and learn as Christians so that we can be successful in our spiritual wars. Instead we have generations of believers - ill equipped for battle - who do not understand why they keep circling the same mountain year after year. Why so many Christians are spiritually bound and crawling into heaven. The enemy is having a field day with believers today because we do not understand the power which Christ appropriated for us on Calvary. Add to that a complete lack of discipline, or self control. It takes discipline to deny the forces arrayed against us. But self control, a fruit of the Holy Sprit is also rarely preached on because the sermon would then have to deal with another unpopular topic -- sin. Without a hard look at good and evil & righteousness and sin, you cannot expect to be self controlled.

The final thing working against us is our flesh. The least talked about part of this unholy trinity because it hits too close to home for many of us. Our flesh is in complete rebellion to God. It has been since the fall of man. We were born into it. It does not go away and only gets worse as we grow up in the world system. Our flesh is constantly at odds with the Spirit of God within us:

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!" -- Matthew 26: 41 (NLT)

A great deal of the time within Christian circles we like to over-devilize things. Quite frankly we give the enemy too much credit for the desires of our flesh. The devil cannot make us do anything; if he could he would kills us. All the devil can do is present us with a choice but the choosing is always up to us. He will present the choice in concert with the world system that will agree with him and playing to the flesh nature we all have. Other extremes see Christians encasing themselves in a bubble to protect them from the very people they are supposed to witness to. Neither side however gives the proper credit to our flesh nature, born as a sinner. When Cain murdered Abel it was his flesh that rose up in anger. When Achan hid the devoted items under his tent it was his flesh that lusted them. Sure the world system and the enemy played their part but we seek to dismiss the flesh too easily so that we can play the victim. In the Garden of Eden Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the snake but the true perpetrator was their fleshly desire to be like God. Sure the devil mixed some truth and some lies but it was only when Eve saw the fruit was pleasing to her eye (flesh) that she took and ate. In the spiritual battles we cannot dismiss any of the enemies we face.

So what is the answer then? With so much coming against us, how can we expect victory? Well, I have saved the best news for last. For even though we see these three things working together for our detriment -- we also have the Holy Spirit inside of us working for our good. The devil does not stand a chance. The world does not stand a chance. Even our flesh does not stand a chance when matched up with the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead! The odds are in our favor beloved if we would ever learn to completely trust the God that we serve. Is the world system going to still be there fighting against us? Yes but here is what God reminds us today:

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." -- John 16: 33 (NLT)

Will the enemy still be working his pitiful schemes against us? Absolutely. He does not sleep. He does not stop. But greater is He that is in me then he that is in the world. Once again, God instructs us:

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. -- James 4: 7-8 (NLT)

Note the difficulty we usually have with the two imperatives God gives us here. If we were honest with ourselves we would admit that we can have a difficult time humbling ourselves before God or anyone else for that matter. The devil feasts on our pride. As for resisting -- we practically invite the devil to stay in our homes with what we watch on TV and online. This is a spiritual war beloved and the victory starts with humility and resistance. But even then, what can we do about the very flesh that we live in? What do we do with that natural sinful nature we were born with?

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. -- Romans 8: 12-14 (NLT)

Through the power of the spirit inside of us we must put to death the deeds of our sinful nature. We must be led by the spirit of God. We use Christianisms all the time in church circles that must drive people crazy. One such saying is that we need to "walk in the spirit." What this is trying to say is that in order to gain the victory over our flesh nature, the enemy and the world, we must be led by the Holy Spirit within us at all times. Daunting? Yes but not impossible. All things are possible with God. Will we fail from time to time? Absolutely, but the quicker we get back to following after the Spirit inside of us the quicker we can get back to being successful for God and in our walk. The key verse today says that we must know our enemy and not be ignorant to his schemes. The truth is that we have enemies, not just an enemy. They work in concert together against us and against the nature of God. Forgetting any of them is hazardous to our health. If we minimize the flesh then we exempt ourselves from blame and play the victim. If we minimize the devil then we are engaged in a war without knowing the true enemy. If we minimize the world then fail to see the harm in pitching our tents towards Sodom. They work together. Take the sin of adultery. The world downplays this to the point where now there are websites devoted to help you have an affair. So the world sets the stage by mocking the morality of God. The flesh sees the pretty co-worker and wants what it wants. The world only serves to assist the flesh in pursuing what it wants -- morals be damned. And there in your office, with the world telling you it's no big deal and your flesh demanding the sin, the devil comes along and whispers in your ear that there is no harm in a little flirt. Put your foot in the water"it's warm. You aren't doing anything wrong. It's not like you are cheating. When David saw Bathsheba bathing the world told him he was king! The flesh demanded that someone go and fetch her. The devil whispered that he needed to cover it up by murdering Uriah. They work together for our destruction.

But glory be to God for the Holy Spirit is stronger than all three of them combined! It isn't even a fair fight. The world says adultery is not a big deal but the Spirit of God inside of you reminds you what God has already said. The flesh nature demands sin but we are no longer obligated to it. The devil says to go on over and say hello"just a harmless flirt"but that Spirit of the Living God inside of you tells Satan to get behind you because your marriage and your sacred vows to God and your wife mean more to you than any fleshly desire. It isn't even a fair fight when we properly reflect to and walk in the Holy Spirit. When we are no longer ignorant of what we face. When we pitch our tents towards heaven.

Reverend Anthony Wade - July 23, 2012

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.