Over the past few weeks I have felt like everything that could go wrong has. If there was ever a time when life was turned upside down, it was now. When a storm hits it can bring confusion. During this storm I have taken many blows. I felt like a boxer in the ring taking blow after blow. The more blows I get to the head the more confusing it got. I felt like David all throughout the Psalms when he went from praising the Lord to crying out to God wondering if He was listening.
Recently, I had a breakdown and spent time literally bawling my eyes out to God asking where was He and just why, why am I feeling these punches. After my time on my face I felt a peace come over me. Then right after it was like God said, are you finished getting it all out, now let me show you how my hand has never left you. He showed me His protection had never left, His purpose had never left and His plan was still in motion. After that time with the Lord I felt like I needed to ask for God’s forgiveness because what I saw was the work of the enemy, who blinded me from what God was doing, using the distractions of the day to confuse me. I heard God say, “know your enemy.”
KNOW YOUR ENEMY! How profound right. The Bible says, “the thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10a – NLT). Steal, kill and destroy are some very strong words. Let that sink in for a minute. That means with every effort the goal is to wipe us out. So everything that gets thrown at us is to make us lose focus on God and to look the other way so we can feel overwhelmed and powerless. News Flash…the enemy only has the power we give. Through Jesus we have authority over the enemy. With Christ in us, the Bible says, “look, 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 – NLT). God said, NOTHING. Through Christ Jesus we start our fight from the winners circle. My struggle could be summed up by a quote said by Canelo Alvarez regarding sports, “if you don’t take an opponent seriously, they surprise you.” For a moment I didn’t take into consideration the seriousness of the goal of the enemy, and I certainly didn’t consider the power of my team, team Jesus.
The thing to remember is that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies” (Ephesians 6:12 – TS2009). What we see in the natural is not what it is. It is an attack from the enemy. Nicola Adams said, “boxing is like chess. You encourage your opponent to make mistakes so you can capitalize on it. People think you get in the ring and see the red mist, but it’s not about aggression. Avoiding getting knocked out is tactical.” The tactical approach we use comes from reading the Word of God, praying, fasting, listening and being obedient to the instructions God gives. The Bible says, “yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]” (Romans 8:37 – AMP). Overwhelming victory, not fear. We must know our enemy to be strategic in our thoughts and actions, reminding the enemy we are not fragile but warriors for Christ.
I want to leave you with this last thought. A quote made by Mr. T says, “when I am ready to fight, my opponent has a better chance of surviving a forest fire wearing gasoline drawers.” The quote left me laughing but I love what it says. The enemy doesn’t have a chance against the power of God so why fear. We walk with the power of the Holy Spirit and nothing can stand against it. So in essence the quote is right, the enemy “has a better chance of surviving a forest fire wearing gasoline drawers,” because WE WIN. The End. Nothing beats the power of God.
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