DISCERNING THE ENEMY (Part 2 of 4)

  1. The Dagger and the Kiss

If your enemy cannot kill you with a dagger, they will try it with a kiss. Whichever way, you shall have been dead in the end.  If they cannot get you at the bloody battlefront, they might seek you out on a cherry party floor.  If they cannot get you by a poisoned arrow, they could still send their death by a poisoned apple.  Watch out.  The battlefield is no less the arena of conflicts than the bedroom and the party floor.  Samson did not fall on the battlefield but in the bedroom which was no less a battlefield. He was down and out all the same, no matter the means by which it was achieved at last.

  1. They Resist your Throne

In Luke 19:27, Jesus further describes the enemy as anyone who opposes your reign in life, who resists your exaltation, or fights and schemes to ensure that you never get to prominence.  Having enemies sometimes has nothing to do with you, with how you have been unfair or unkind.  It could have everything to do with the innate evil disposition of the other who cannot be pleased with whatever you do, even if you were Jesus the holy Son of God.  The only joy that such enemies seek is your pain, your death, your grave.  According to that passage, an enemy is whoever fights your promotion, frustrates your reign, or schemes for you not to reign in life.

But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me (Luke 19:27).

  1. There was War in Heaven

It is tragic stupidity to pretend that you have no enemy; that you have been too nice to attract any enmity.  Even God has enemies.  In the passage above, in the parable in which Jesus had been speaking allegorically of Himself, He spoke of “those mine enemies (Luke 19:27).

It is reported in the ancient records that “there was war in heaven” – in heaven of all places (Revelations 12:7).  Thank God that God was not taken by surprise.  In the times of peace, He had been prepared for the war that came, for He had a standing army and a chain of command at the head of which was Michael the archangel. He did not wait for the war to come before He had swords for His angels.  Don’t be so religiously naïve.  “But those mine enemies…” (Luke 19:27).

What did God do wrong to attract a war?  What mismanagement in His government was responsible for the massive rebellion of one of His closest officers?  If it was war in Nigeria or Kenya or China or Ukraine, we might have said that it was because the intercessors there failed, or because the government had been evil.  But war “in heaven”!

  1. Poisoned Arrows and Poisoned Apples

It doesn’t matter how the desperate enemy gets you, whether by a poisoned arrow that draws blood or by a poisoned apple that does not.  The goal is to get you, and you shall have been dead all the same for all that the enemy cares.  A corpse is a corpse, whether bloodied or bloodless.

According to Psalm 71:10, all enemies do not portend a physical attack, but they attack all the same.  For some, their weapons are not swords but words: “mine ENEMIES speak against me.”  Enemies would usually “speak against,” not for.  Mark those that always speak against you or your works… and walk wisely. Know them by what they say.

Who says that words are harmless sounds or letters, unlike swords and bullets?  Words were the one weapon by which Delilah “pressed” Samson down until she pressed the life out of him and he was counted out of the fight.   The report is that “she pressed him daily with her words.”   In the titanic bout between the two, that fragile woman pressed down the super heavyweight world champion with what some ignorant folks would dismiss as “mere words,” or “a woman’s chatter.”  She pressed him until “his soul was vexed unto death,” and he died (Judges 16:16).  All enemies do not attack with swords; some attack with words.  Both can kill.

From The Preacher’s diary,
January 10, 2024.

Continued in Part 3 of 4

 

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Elliot Fiberesima
Elliot Fiberesima
1 year ago

Terrifying revelations. My heart is skipping. Help me, O, LORD

Jacqueline
Jacqueline
1 year ago

Extremely useful insights and revelation on the subject of enemies

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