The Enemies of our Warfare

INTRODUCTION

In our last lesson we talked to you about the weapons of our warfare. However, I want to take the time and right here and say a word about who are real enemy is. It’s so easy to engage in battle against the wrong enemy. In fact, how we see our enemy (or who we see as our enemy) will determine how we engage in battle. For example, if we see the flesh as the enemy, we will war in the flesh. We choose our strategy based on the enemy. You don’t attack an invisible enemy with carnal (visible) weapons; that is, not if you want to be effective and win the war!

Ephesians 6:12

Our warfare is not against flesh and blood. Our warfare is against principalities and not the flesh. We are are to pray for our enemies, not take up arms against them. The word ‘wrestle’ means to bring your opponent into a state of submission.

If you wrestle against flesh and blood, you’re going to lose. Moreover, if we are not allowed to ‘wrestle’ against flesh and blood, are will allowed to ‘fight’ against them? Certainly not.

God never gives believers permission to wrestle against flesh and blood.

Matthew 10:16

Sheep aren’t aggressive. They don’t attack their enemies. They are harmless as doves! A lot of Christians are getting this backwards. They’re acting like serpents and thinking like sheep!

Matthew 10:17

Notice Jesus tells them to beware of MEN! Therefore, the ‘wolves’ we are to be as sheep (or harmless as doves) towards are men (people).

Matthew 10:22-25

The key to true discipleship is found right here—experiencing and enduring what Christ experienced and endured. Unfortunately, there are many Christians today who feel that they are above being persecuted or mistreated. Some say, “I refuse to allow anyone treat me that way. You’re gonna respect me.”

Did they respect your Master? Or did they commit all manner of injustice against Him? Are you better than Jesus? Do you think you are above Him?

This is why so many Christians are choosing to war and engage the enemy in the flesh—not only because they see their enemy as walking in the flesh (men), BUT also because they are being influenced by fleshly motives.

Jesus is saying that if you refuse to suffer at the hand of your enemy, but instead choose to war against them, you are proud(you think you are above your Master). If not pride, then you’re being motivated by some other fleshly desire.

James 4:1, 2

James says that ‘fightings’ (or wars) come from our fleshly lusts. He mentions one here—’a desire to have,’ but there are others that motivate men to war like: pride, hatred or the pleasure of exacting revenge against you enemy. Could it be that the reason so many are choosing to hit the streets rather than run to their prayer closet is because they are motivated by a desire to please themselves?

Anytime you war in the flesh OR against the flesh, then (according to James) you are feeding into your carnal desires. Moreover, anytime you feed into your carnal desires you are giving in to the devil and resisting God (i.e. losing the real battle).

James 4:7

When we engage in fleshly wars not only we are failing to engage the true enemy, but when we engage in these fleshly wars out of a desire to please ourselves, then we are waging war against our own selves and giving the advantage to the enemy (1Peter 2:11)!

Matthew 5:38, 39

Now, we just read in James that we are to ‘resist the devil.’ Here we are told NOT to resist evil. Therefore, this ‘evil’ cannot be a reference to the ‘evil one’ or devil. Instead, the word ‘evil’ is a reference to the evil committed by people.

In a time where the defence of men’s rights are on the forefront of our minds these words might sound real strange. Jesus is calling on His disciples to give up their rights for the sake of the kingdom by refusing to resist (fight, defend) against the evil that comes at the hand of our enemies. Instead, we are to turn the other cheek!

As I said, this command runs contrary to our idea of basic human dignity. It goes against those ‘intrinsic rights’ we are hearing so much about these days. Believers should not be overly concerned when their human rights are violated nor when their material or property rights are violated (Matthew 5:40-42).

These instructions seem archaic and even impractical, until we realize that the context of all this is found in Matthew 5:16. The reason God wants us to endure the violation of our rights by the hand of unbelievers (evil) is because He does not want us to sever relations with them. We are to glorify God before them in an attempt to win them. Besides, our battle (warfare) is not against them. Our warfare is against the devil and his kingdom.

We need God to really open our eyes because we are fighting against people we should be trying to save. AND we are aligning ourselves with entities we should be trying to defeat! We’re in desperate need to fight the right fight, the right way!