Reaching 3 – Being Aware of our Enemy
This is the third post in a series of posts entitled, “Reaching Those who Need Christ.”
Jack Hayford once said, “You will never reach spiritual maturity until you realize you are in a spiritual battle.” This profound statement holds the secret as to why many of us today are limited in our effectiveness to reach people for Christ. In addition it holds the key to changing us into becoming more fruitful in our witnessing experiences.
There is a real enemy alive on planet earth, and is working 24/7 to keep the kingdom of God from moving forward; that includes you and me! Whether you believe it or not, you are in a battle. It is too late to change your involvement. In fact, it is unwise to ignore it. When you got saved, you got the marching orders to fight for the King. Christianity was never intended to be a “Love Boat” but a battleship.
Our adversary has one mission in mind; to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Unfortunately that includes you as well. It is amazing how quickly we forget that we are the carriers of the most powerful transforming truth on planet earth, and it is us who He is attempting to distract, resist, hinder and even destroy. He started in the garden with Adam and Eve, continue with his attempts to destroy Moses (the carrier of the message) and even took a stab at Jesus, the Message Himself. Don’t stop and think for a moment that you aren’t on his hit list as well.
As a threat to the enemy’s purpose, he will do whatever he can to keep you from seeing your true purpose here on earth. That purpose is to share the good news with everyone, everywhere (Matthew 16:15). That is why Paul admonishes us to remember there is an enemy and we need to be aware of his cunning schemes. He writes in 2 Corinthians 2:11, “Do not be ignorant concerning the enemy’s tactics…” There are two basic tactics the enemy has used for centuries, that have never changed. Our ability to realize and discern these daily will determine whether we are successful in touching the lives of those that desperately need Christ.
His first tactic is to paralyze the church (you and me). There are five predominant ways he accomplishes this task. They are; intimidation, fear, apathy, busyness, and deception. Stop for a moment and think about the last time you felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to share with someone. Did any of these five thoughts or emotions surface? Chances are they did. Unfortunately, statistics would say that you may have succumbed to his soothing voice and missed an opportunity to touch a life for Christ.
If we are not careful, we can allow the enemy to influence our actions in the most subtle ways, without ever even knowing he was the instigator of our actions. The Apostle Peter drives this point home and gives us some great advise, “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
The second tactic of the enemy is to paralyze those we are trying to reach. It is amazing to see the distaste that has been created in the minds of the unbeliever towards Christ, His church and His followers. I do admit, some of this is our own fault, but much of it has to do with the enemy’s strategy to create a spiritual DMZ zone between us that believe, and those that don’t. Distance is the greatest deterrent to the gospel message. Paul hits the nail on the head by revealing this truth about the devil’s deterring schemes. He says in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” We are the light of the world! God’s ultimate plan is that people without Christ will ultimately see the light of Christ in you. So if the enemy can put a distaste in their minds regarding you, the church-the light of Christ, he has accomplished the second part of his strategy to distance them from you and from the message that will save their souls.
The challenge then lies in us to realize the spiritual battle we are in, and do our part to destroy the works of the devil. Evangelism is one of the most resisted activities on planet earth and we must do our part in waging a good fight in the spiritual realm, if we are to be successful in reaching people in the natural realm. It is imperative that each of us recognize the enemy’s tactics as well as our place of spiritual authority in this real war we face daily. Over two-thousand years ago, Jesus made a riveting statement that still applies to you and me today. “I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you” (Luke 10:19).
It is time for each of us to realize we are in a spiritual battle and become spiritually mature in discerning the tactics of the enemy by realizing the authority that has been entrusted to our care and use it to win people to Christ.
Our next post, Reaching 4, we will discuss how prayer plays a role in dismantling the enemy’s tactics.
I feel it’s far too easy to be a “Christian” in America today. It just doesn’t cost much, and to follow up your point Marc, How much value will we place on something that costs us next to nothing?
I think we are spoiled, constantly searching for the “power of God”, but not living lives that are worthy of seeing miracles. Over the last few years I have felt convicted of this and have begun to make small changes in my life, but I can’t help shake the feeling that I need to do more.
It makes me wonder: Should I, as a follower of Christ, literally forsake everything to follow Him?
Considering my wife, children, job, and the world we live in today, how do I literally do that?
I believe the true heart of what Jesus wants from us is that we make Him first and give Him our best. Matthew 6:33 says to, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” This scripture implies that God desires to be first in our lives. If we can keep this as a conviction and lifestyle, God is willing to bring other blessings into our life, because He knows our priorities are straight, not take them away (although He could do this as well).
God doesn’t expect us to walk away from everything, yet at times He may take away things that are precious, always with our best interest in mind. Each of us will face times where God gives… as well as times where he takes away. I have lived through a few difficult life-experiences where He took something precious, only to find out it was what was best for me.
ALthough there are seasons where God does take away, He never intended us to live a life with nothing. If He did there would be no scriptures concerning how to manage our money, treat our wife, raise our children, do well at our job, etc. I believe the context of what Jesus is saying is that Christian discipleship is founded in self-renunciation.
For most of us, this is a goal we wish to achieve, not one that we have mastered. All of us face this challenge daily. It is only with His grace and strength operating in our lives that we can be overcomers of those things that distract and detour us from His purposes.
It should be our goal to live a life of self-denial aiming to put others before ourselves in all that we do. Let’s together make it our aim.
Reformed Pope:
I do understand that it is ‘easy’ to be a Christian in America. The question must be asked, what do you mean by Christian? If you what you mean by Christian is the average church attender, who doesn’t read their Bible or pray, doesn’t reach out to individuals and lives for themselves, and doesn’t look any different from the world, then it would be very easy to be a Christian.
In the original context of the word, Christian means one who follows Christ. The process of following Christ causes one to become more like Christ. The sad truth is that to be a true follower (I hate having to say true…it’s just because the original word has lost it’s meaning…that’s why some Christians have started calling themselves Christ-followers) one has to overcome the culture that so entangles, the selfishness that binds, and the pride that rules and reigns.
To be the average Christian in America it is easy…but to be a true Christian it remains a hard task. This difficulty is lessened by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
i love it all. and you eat alot of ice cream too!!
ashish,
It’s easy to be a Christian because all you have to do is BELIEVE. Whether you are a “true Christian” or “average Christian” doesn’t matter, it cost the same for your salvation. NOTHING.
Imagine if Buddhists JUST HAD TO BELIEVE that their next life would be better…
…I bet cows wouldn’t be treated so well.
Imagine if Muslims JUST HAD TO BELIEVE that they would get their own heaven (or whatever they get)…
…I bet there wouldn’t be many suicide bombers out there.
And imagine if Christians had to “read their Bible and prayâ€, “reach out to individuals and live for othersâ€, and “look different from the world†to earn salvation…
…I bet there would be a lot more “true Christians†out there.
Yes Ashish, it’s easy to be a Christian. It’s easy because it’s impossible.
We can’t possibly live up to the standards that have been set; so God sent someone who could (Jesus) and it cost Him everything… and that is what makes it so difficult.