Who's the enemy?

Who's the enemy?
- Pastor Ashish Mathews

Ephesians 6.12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

One of the keys in spiritual warfare is knowing who the enemy is. Satan is our enemy. He is the only enemy of a believer. Flesh and blood meaning a human being can and will never be our enemy. Once you know your enemy, you can direct your time, energy and money in the right direction. Don't be mad at people, love people.

Paul said Satan is the enemy of all righteousness. He hates humans because we are created in the image and likeness of God. He cannot touch God so he tries to harm humans and by doing so he tries to touch God. When Adam disobeyed  God, he handed over his authority to Satan. Satan became the god of this world and has caused havoc in this world. But in the fullness of time, God sent forth his Son Jesus. By his death, burial and resurrection, Jesus defeated the enemy, completely paralysed him and stripped all authority from him. Therefore you and I, we are dealing with an enemy who is defeated. If you are in Christ, Satan has absolutely no authority over you. You have authority over Satan and that authority is in the name of Jesus. The blood of Jesus has given you victory over the devil, his forces and his kingdom. Peter says the devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is the king of ignorance. As long as believers are ignorant of their victory in Christ over the devil, they become victims of the traps of the devil.

Satan uses people to harass, pressure and persecute believers but once you know who the real enemy is, you can love people and forgive them for yielding to the devil. Jesus told us to love our enemies because he knew who the real enemy was. Jesus, while on the cross forgave people because he knew who the real enemy was. Satan is your enemy. He's a defeated enemy. Your victory is in the name of Jesus. Have faith in the name of Jesus and exercise your victory over the enemy by holding fast to your word confession. Revelation says they overcame the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Jesus is Lord.

"People are not my enemies, Satan is the enemy. Because I know this, I always love people even those who yield to Satan and oppose me. Satan, I resist and oppose you in the name of Jesus and nothing you do can stop me. I live in peace with all men and I walk in love. Hallelujah”