Knowing our Enemy

     Knowing our enemy, they say, is half of the battle, the key to victory.  It is true even in the Christian life.  Here are some verses of Scripture reminding us of who our enemy is.


First we need to know that we have an enemy.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

What kind of enemy do we have?
First, he is a schemer:
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 (NIV)
10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if there was anything to forgive--I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,
11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.    
     The Greek word used for "schemes" here is noema, which denotes "that which is thought out".  Satan doesn't just attack us at random, or whenever he wants.  He schemes, he plans to do it.  The context of the verse above is relationships.  Ever wonder why all of a sudden you have a relationship problem?  Satan schemes against us so that we may not forgive.


Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
     The Greek word translated "schemes" here is methodeia, which denotes "craft, deceit".  The devil is a crafty fellow, who will come out with deceitful ways just for us to sin.  

He is the tempter.  Satan tempts us to sin against God.
Matthew 4:2-3 (NIV)
2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 


And he is also the accuser.
Revelation 12:10 (NIV)
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

He will tempt us to sin, and then after we sin he will accuse us!


Knowing our enemy must lead to knowing how to fight against him.
1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) 
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
     Be self-controlled.  When Satan tempts us he targets our "self", our strengths and weaknesses that go opposite that of God and His Word.  To be self-controlled is to be conscious of the working of the Holy Spirit in our life and controlling the ways of our self, allowing the ways of the Lord to be seen in us.
     Be alert.  Never put your guard down!  Be aware of circumstances and situations that attack our spirituality, our walk with God.


1 Peter 5:9 (NIV)
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 
     We are to resist the devil.  We should not play around with his schemes.  We need to fight back.  But not with our own strength, but standing firm in the faith, in our trust in God's strength.


Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

     We are to be in the defensive always.  We are to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  We cannot fight Satan with our own strength.  He is not human, and so will always overcome us.  We need to fight him with a greater and more powerful strength - the mighty power of God!
     And it is the armor of God that grants us this power.  With this armor we are to take our stand, stand our ground, and remain standing even after the battle!
Our greatest defense is standing with God, using His armor and strength.
Our greatest offense is also with God - using His Word, His promises, and trusting completely in Him.


James 4:7 (NIV)
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
     It is in our submission to God, in our hearts, in our walk/lives, where we find God's strength and have the power to resist Satan.  Remember, the schemes and methods he uses are all geared towards our flesh and its desires.  Our defense and weapon must all come from He who is Greatest and the Most Powerful of all!  It is in Him that we have the victory!