Sometimes you gotta EXPOSE the tactics of the enemy. For what person goes to a battlefield but doesn't already see what their enemy did or strategized in a past battle? What professional sports team goes to a sports stage and hasn't watched film of their COMPETITOR PLAYING? Come ON, people! It's playoff season, we all know every team has watched footage of the other team thus far. Like I'm talking Golden State Warriors watching footage of LeBron James wondering how they're gonna' defend him. Wondering how they're gonna' defend against those dunks, against the driving, against the layups, against the physicality of it all.
Yet, sometimes you have to understand how your enemy moves, PIVOTS, plants decoys, LIES, shoots and steals from you... now if you know me, thus far, I'm talking spiritually, yes!
Because there is an ENEMY out there that "prowls around" (per 1 Peter 5:8) in the dark, like evil Cupid but with "flaming darts of the evil one" (per Ephesians 6:16) and loves to come in and "steal, kill and destroy" (per John 10:10) like I'm pulling from Scripture in these quotes here that the enemy does to 'attack' people. So, I'm gonna' EXPOSE the enemy because he's a liar, fear monger, who spins truth and manipulates people, situations, context and things. Because if he can get you to be trapped out in sin spirals and grief and shame he can keep you from EVER realizing who God says you are (i.e. made in His image, loved, deeply and wonderfully made, and filled with purpose per Jeremiah 29:11, etc).
Because if he can keep you in a sin spiral, he can keep you away from EVER realizing who God says you are and walking in His authority. I'm reminded by the revolutionary war here where one of the reasons WHY we won was because colony militia men attacked vulnerable British supply carriers when they least expected it and were at their most vulnerable.
I came here to not only EXPOSE the enemy but to SAY that the enemy will ATTACK you at the place of your greatest vulnerability!
He'll attack you when you wanna give up, he'll attack the smallest or largest mistakes you've ever made and he'll surely extrapolate them, he'll attack you with fear (even though Scripture says we "have not been given a spirit of fear"), he'll attack you when you're feeling down, he'll attack you when you wanna lash out, he'll attack you when your energy is real low so he can draw you into temptation, when you're upset, when you're mad at someone (he LIKES TO twist the situation and cause conflict). So, people it's time to PUT our MOAT up, guard our hearts, and minds, and gear up with Ephesians 6:10 spiritual tools as Paul writes below because an enemy is on the prowl:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
You know what we gotta' learn about the enemy, per what Scriptures says, is that if we RESIST him, he'll flee. He'll run away. That if you resist him he will flee like what James 4:7 says. That if you resist him with the help of your spiritual armor (sword of the Spirit, belt of Truth in which holds you together, the gospel of peace in which you stand upon and walk on, and the breastplate of righteousness) like Ephesians 6:10 says to arm with that the enemy could flee based on that assistance stemming from that Scriptural parallel.
So, to EXPOSE the enemy, we must realize what he does. How in some seasons the perceived warfare is different than in other seasons. So, the ways he attacks change in season but the typical concepts intrinsic within it do not change... Because the ways the enemy attacks are established precedents for the general way he typically does it: temptation, lies, manipulation, stirring up conflict, lust, pride, miscommunication, attacks on people and not the problem itself, and on and on.
Lastly, you're a threat if the enemy attacks you. If you've got a target on your back, the enemy is afraid of what you could become. You know your dangerous then. But if you know that if God allows the enemy to penetrate His armor around you, you know He will still be faithful to guard you as you both walk together taking the flaming darts out and pressing FORWARD!
However, I was thinking on this concept: we only fought in world wars or revolutionary wars because it seemed as if the cost against our desired freedoms and human rights as to "if-we-didn't-do-it" was > than if we did. It was almost essentially a fight to prevent the future from becoming how it was in the present. So, if the ENEMY has attacked you and you know it, you must believe that God has deposited something on the inside of you and the enemy is scared of your CHAIN CRACKING anointment because if he was scared of it in the present leading to some type of warfare, he is scared of what God is doing on the inside of you moving towards the future.
I pray this encourages you and inspires you who need to hear this.
EXPOSE the ENEMY!
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