Opposition is mounting – the enemy is pictured as devious and conniving. As we have already discussed, the bad guys are losing ground. God wins – and when we are on His side, we win too.

It is tough when the enemy attacks. No doubt about it. You may feel that you are in the midst of your own personal land grabbing attack by the enemy, please understand his ways. He does not fight fair and there isn’t anything that he won’t throw at you if he thinks it will work.

He is the personification of lawlessness. If he had chemical weapons, he would use them. If he could kill you slowly and painfully, he would. If he can slow you down by making you sick, he will. If he can throw darts with mean words on the tip, he will. If he can make someone else hurt to divert your attention – that’s in his playbook too. Yes, it is horrible to be attacked by the enemy.

Do you know what is worse than being attacked by the enemy?

Falling prey to his attack. Yep.

The Devil never advances with a one-and-done mindset. He always always attacks with barbed hooks. When he lands a piercing blow against you, there is a rope attached to the end of the spear. He holds you with what he used to pierce you.

It is so much worse to be held by the enemy than simply being attacked. Perhaps this is hard to understand, so allow me to give you an example. A woman who steals from her workplace committed a sin in the stealing, but now she is tethered to the guilt and secrecy of what she has done. She is hiding and fearful of someone finding out. All that comes after the stealing is the rope the enemy uses to keep her close.

A man had an affair because he was angry about being refused by his wife for years. In the constant refusal by his wife came the birthing of bitterness and resentment. The spear of the enemy was thrown into his heart when rather than forgiving and seeking to understand his wife’s brokenness, he diverted to secretly indulging in pornography. Pornography was tied to the end of the spear and eventually, he acted out with his desires and passions and broke his marriage in half.

The enemy never uses a one-and-done tactic. It is really horrible when we fall prey to the schemes of the enemy.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Read the next verse!

Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Jesus has given to us His name to use when we hear the sonic boom of the enemy’s spear coming toward us. We do not have to fall prey to the enemy.

There is one worse thing than being attacked by the enemy and falling prey to the attacks of the enemy.

What the enemy really wants to do, his coup de grâce, is to use you to inflict trouble and sorrow against those who are attempting to do what is right. Then you are working for him, when you think you are working against him. This is his favorite thing to do.

The people of Israel were doing this to each other while the building of the wall was happening.

Nehemiah 4:10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.”

Those whom the wall was being built for, were speaking lies against those who were actually doing the work. Rather than helping, they were stealing people away from the project. They were in agreement with the enemy. They were doing the enemy’s bidding. What a horrible and sad place to be.

Sadly, this is a common thing in the church. Gossip is a regular tactic of the enemy to erode unity and loyalty. One word spoken in gossip can begin the dividing work of the enemy to divert families from where God wants them to thrive, to the place where the enemy wants to strip them to the core.

Let’s learn how to recognize the strategy of the enemy. Let’s not fall prey to his schemes and lose the ground that Jesus has built in and through all of us. And when we are used by the enemy to hurt and thwart each other, let’s take responsibility in humility and say… “I am sorry, would you forgive me for that?”

Father, I am looking forward to the battle being over. One day it will be. Today, we do not fight against flesh and blood. We fight against a very intelligent enemy who knows us. But we walk in the name of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit. We are empowered for every good work and are able to do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us.

Blessings,

Pastor D