The Real Enemy
10/05/2019 18:54
When we moved into our new home last year, we needed to get some work done! Two workmen came over to do the needful and my husband stayed home from work. Towards lunchtime, everything seemed to ticking along nicely, so my beloved packed his lunch and other essentials and left for work. And that’s when it all started to go pear-shaped. I went to the kitchen to make myself a hot drink and found that the power was off. Had the workmen (in the course of their exertions) damaged our electrical circuit?
The two men walked around the house checking every power outlet. It seemed to take forever. With a frown and a sigh, I drummed my fingers on the kitchen table. The men eventually got back to me—and hooray! They had fixed it. I made my cuppa plus two coffees for our workers, then trotted off to my den to tackle my writing. But when I flicked the light switch on, nothing happened. Sigh. This was becoming all too familiar. Worse—my computer wouldn’t turn on. Was my entire day to be spent discovering that nothing worked anymore? And unfortunately, this time, the two men could not fix it. Like a toddler who was deprived of a toy that had been snatched from her grasp, I felt cheated out of my day’s plans being fulfilled. No, I didn’t throw a tantrum, but I was close to it.
When my hubby returned that evening, he began to turn on all the appliances in our home to check if any of them were causing the problem. The instant our vaporiser was turned on … click—the trip switch went off. He checked again. It went off a second time. So THAT was it! I had been positive that the two technicians were at fault, but apparently their presence was a co-incidence! Wow! My face became hot and my cheeks turned red at the realisation of how wrong I had been in my assumptions.
There was once a tough season in my life when a friend turned against me. No matter what I did to placate her—she misunderstood me, so life with her turned into a battle-ground. One day, as I prayed about it, God reminded me who my real enemy was. The blinkers came off my eyes!
“There is a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy,” said Jesus.
He is the Real Enemy.
Life as we knew it in Sri Lanka changed forever on April 21st. We weep with those who have lost loved ones. We feel deeply for those who have lost hearing, vision, limbs and more, for those who will struggle all their lives as a consequence of this brutal attack. We are angry at our politicians who allowed it to happen. We cannot begin to understand what drove those suicide bombers, but we know it’s not the entire Muslim community at fault. In fact, it's safe to say that it’s a terrifying time for all peace-loving Muslims as much as for the rest of us. As we search for someone to blame and as we process our own ragged emotions, we need to seek the truth. Yes, the government was to blame for failing to protect its people and they have to be accountable. Yes, the terrorists who perpetrated these terrible crimes are responsible for their evil acts.
We also must not forget our Real Enemy!
Our Real Enemy is rampant in our world today. The Real enemy has many names. Lucifer, Adversary, Devil—these are but some of them. The Real Enemy needs to be fought with the weapons of Prayer and God’s Word. We have powerful tools at our disposal. We have the authority of Jesus on our side.
Are you facing a tough battle today? Don’t forget … it is not your argumentative spouse, an angry friend, the neighbour who makes life so hard for you or someone who hurt you, who's the Real Enemy. Your real Adversary is Satan, the prince of darkness. He is an unseen foe battling us in the spiritual realms. But take courage—we are not alone. God fights with us and for us. He has promised never to leave us. He has given us all the armour we need for the battle. In fact, Jesus has already won the war so we have a hope that will never disappoint. Cling to that hope today dear friend. Cling to our powerful God. Our real enemy is a Defeated foe.
And He that is within you is greater than he that is in the world.
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 the
family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
1 Peter 5:8-9
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have
suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm
and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:10-11
