Three things everyone needs to know: #2 Know your Enemy

In The Art of War, Chinese general Sun Tzu famously said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” As believers, we must understand that we are members of an army: the army of God. If we do not know our enemy, we will suffer much unnecessary defeat in this life, as that enemy will be able to surprise and deceive us into all kinds of evil.

Many do not realize that they even have an enemy. Many do not even believe that there is an unseen enemy actively operating in this world. They assume that the obstacles, trouble, and tragedy are all just “bad luck.” Jesus and His disciples spent a good deal of time casting out demons, as did the early church. (See also Why Cast Out Demons?) Somehow they knew when a demonic force was involved in a sickness, malfunction, or situation, and they exercised God’s power and authority to expel it. Had they not known how to deal with these demons, the problems would have remained. So much joy and freedom resulted from both their knowledge and in the exercise of that knowledge! This joy can be ours also.

Can we know our enemy as well as they did? We certainly can, and possibly better. The Bible – which those early disciples did not have as we have it — gives us plenty of information that can help us discern the work of demons, and it is clear about our authority and the right methods to address them. By taking the time to understand how the enemy operates, we can not only undo the devil’s work but often prevent it. We will avoid venues and activities where the enemy is known to easily tempt people to do wrong. We will purposefully acquire habits and skills that are known to make us more resistant to temptation and more bold in the fight. We will stand firm in even the most trying attack because, if we do so, we will know that the enemy cannot outlast us.

So study what the Bible reveals about your enemy, and thereby equip and prepare yourself for the very real battles of this life. You “need not fear the result of a hundred battles” because you will learn to be victorious in every one!
(2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Timothy 2:3, Luke 10:1,17-19, John 10:10, 1 John 3:8 DBY, Ephesians 6:10-18, James 1:3-4)