THE ENEMY WE DON’T SEE - IS THE ENEMY WE DON’T FIGHT
AND IF WE DON’T FIGHT – WE LOSE!
Why is Islam taking over as the predominant religion of the world? Why have most of the churches in Europe been taken over by Islam and converted to mosques? Why is Islam expanding so rapidly into formerly Christian countries; ie: Great Britain, France, Germany, Indonesia and now America? The answer is simple, but largely ignored by the church!
Islam is the religion of the false prophet, Mohammad, and established by Satan; thus Islam is satanically inspired and controlled. This is evidenced by its lust for extreme violence, its worship of death and destruction, and its absolute hatred toward God’s people, both Christians and Jews.
Christians and Jews compose the spiritual kingdom of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Islam has vowed the annihilation of Christians and Jews, or least cruel subjugation as slaves if they won’t convert to Islam and worship their God – Allah (Satan).
So why has Islam advanced so greatly in the past couple decades while Christianity has declined? It’s because it is a war; a spiritual war fought between the kingdom of our Lord and the worldly domain of Satan, and we Christians have not noticed it, have not acknowledged it or are even aware of it. If we don’t fight the enemy, we loose and become defeated. If we don’t recognize the enemy, we can be overrun and overcome by him.
This is first and foremost a SPIRITUAL warfare – and Christians aren’t fighting!
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
We are losing ground because we don’t realize that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare. Our first line of defense is the Word of God, as recorded in the Bible. Too many Christians do not know God’s Word enough to resist the enemy, mush less defeat him as Jesus did during His temptation by the devil while in the wilderness. Too many Christians just don’t know, “It is written…”, or for that matter, what is written or how to apply it.
Ephesians 6:10-13 - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
The armor of God that is listed in verses 14-17 actually consists of various applications of God’s Word and His promises to believers.
Ephesians 6:14-17 - Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
These are our powerful weapons of defense to resist and defeat the enemy’s personal attacks. Then we also have the greatest offensive weapon ever devised that absolutely destroys the efforts of the enemy – the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the Word of God. Yes, there it is again; “It is written…..” defeats the enemy every time.
One other key to winning this warfare is our required preparation and training to fight. This is a great power that is afforded to believers in a most humble position – on our knees in PRAYER:
Ephesians 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Our power and enablment come from PRAYER, our communion and intimacy with our Lord.
Luke 21:36 - Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Christians are so preoccupied with the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, the pursuit of self indulgence of the flesh, the building their our own little domain called their church, that the majority of us don’t recognize that we are in the battle of our life with the enemy of our faith – Satan.
Luke 21:34-35 - And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Satan is fighting against us and he is winning in these last days in spite of the proclamations of the current wave of successful looking and prosperous Laodicean mega churches. Yes, he is winning over many deceived Christians just as scripture warns:
Revelation 13:7 - And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
However, Satan is not winning over the committed remnant of the true Church that Jesus Himself is building, because they are not deceived by the wiles of the devil; even though they may have to pay a price to hold on to that which is true.
Revelation 12:11 - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
The devil is using subversive and covert tactics within our society to destroy our values, morality and trusting the Lord as our source. In addition he is using the overt tactics of spreading his false religions such as New Age, Eastern, Occultism, Humanism and now most significantly, Islam. What is most beguiling is that moderate Islam represents itself as religion of peace. However what Muslims know, and what non-Muslims don’t know, is that a main tenant of Islam is that it is only possible to live in peace if one is under Islam. If one is not under Islam he is to object of Jihad – war, and as such, he is subject to be destroyed; thus we see the brutal atrocities and terrorism.
Daniel 8:25 - And through his (the devil’s) policy also he shall cause craft (deceit) to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes.
The religion of Islam actually caters to the vicious and violent people who use it to justify their militant lust for savagery and carnage. Those moderate Muslims who can control their beast nature use the more subtle means of propagating Islam by infiltration, occupation and re-population.
It is high time for Christians to wake up to the lateness of the hour and take a stand, (Ephesians 6:12), and faithfully fight the fight of faith with your spiritual weapons of PRAYER and the WORD. Pray and intercede for Muslims that they will see the futility of their religion and turn to Christ. Pray for those who are working to get the gospel to Muslims; and pray for their safety in doing so. Pray to bind the principalities, evil spirits and powers of darkness that has blinded those in Islam so they can receive the truth of Jesus as the Son of God, and His Lamb that took away our sins. Pray also that those engaged in terrorism will have their plans exposed so they will be stopped from destroying innocent lives. When you pray, employ God’s Word and His promises as the sword of the Spirit against the enemy. This is how we fight.
If we don’t fight we lose; it’s that simple. And we have been losing because the enemy has been gaining, not only through the spread of Islam and terrorism, but also through the moral decay of our own society and the lack of godly influence of Christians who have compromised and have been caught up in soulish pleasures.
Romans 13:11-14 - And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
It’s time for Christians to stop playing churchianity, stop indulging in selfish pursuits, recognize we are at war, and take a stand for Godliness and righteousness and face the enemy and fight. Jesus has promised to be with us all the way and promised a reward to those who overcome and endure to the end. Please recognize WE ARE AT WAR in these last days.
Don’t allow yourself to be among the ignorant and undiscerning by having your focus on the things of the world, fleshly selfish pursuits or the programs and promotion of your local church. Open your eyes to the whole body of Christ and warfare and deception that Jesus warned about. Heed Jesus’ warning to be on alert to what is going on and to pray and intercede:
Luke 21:36 - Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Remember also that this war is fought in the spirit realm first and foremost. As recorded in Daniel when the angel of the Lord came to him and identified the warfare that ws going on in the spirit realm that affected what happened in this natural realm:
Daniel 10:11-14 – And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
It is in this spirit realm that we need to fight the fight of faith. That is where prayer and application of God’s Word and promises have a profound effect.
Luke 10:19 – Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Again recall the way to fight is with weapons that hinder and bring down the efforts of the enemy:
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Matthew 18:18-19 – “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Remember, in the end WE WIN, but we must fight in this warfare with the knowledge that through Christ we have the victory.
1 John 5:4 – For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Psalm 60:11-12 – Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
Don’t be presumptive and assume anything, we all must fight because we are at war as Paul declared:
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.
