Your Real Enemy

Greetings everyone and welcome to today's edition of...

Learn and Grow with Jesus EVERYDAY. 

Today's Topic is YOUR REAL ENEMY

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Bible Reading: Luke 11: 1- 4 NKJV.

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Others, testing Him,  sought from Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.  If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.Luke 11:14‭-‬20 NKJV

Discussion Question: Who is YOUR REAL ENEMY?

I once knew a person who had an irresistible compulsion to steal. Wherever he went, he stole something no matter what. After many near death encounters with jungle justice from the hands of angry mobs, a reknown psychologist offered to help the individual and saved his life. When he interviewed the young man, what he discovered was both alarming and puzzling to him. The young man had very deep regrets about his actions and showed remarkable remorse as he pleaded with the psychologist to please help him because he could not control himself whenever the urge to steal came upon him. Another startling finding of the psychologist was that most the things the young man stole were things he already had, things he really didn't need and may never use.

I recall the story about King Saul and David. The bibles said that evil spirits tormented Saul and whenever those spirits came upon Saul, David would play the instrument and the spirits would leave Saul. One day, the evil spirit came upon Saul and he grabbed his javelin and almost pinned David to the wall if it were not for David's vigilance.

We learn from our bible reading above that the man from whom Jesus cast out demons was mute, but the moment the demons left him, the man began to speak.

Most of us engage in needless battles fighting people over one thing or the other forgetting that our real enemy is the devil and his demons. Most horrible behaviors we notice in people are manifestations of the spirit that is controlling them. Peter, the very apostle about whom Jesus said, "upon this rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it", manifested the evidence of an evil spirit when he tried to discourage Jesus from dying on the cross. Jesus, hearing him, knew that that was not Peter speaking but the devil, and said, "Get thee behind me Satan." 

Please learn to pick your battles. The bible is clear..."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". Ephesians 6:12-13. The day you understand that things just don't happen,  whether good or bad; that there are spirits behind all kinds of manifestations,  you will indeed be more effective in applying the appropriate response to issues. Remember Job. Job was minding his business not knowing that the devil was playing monopoly with his life, his business, his children's lives, his everything. Even his so called godly friends came, and instead of comforting and encouraging him, they indicted him of wrong doing baselessly, amplifying Job's anguish and pain.

Wisdom is the principal thing. So sheath your sword and contend with the enemy in the place of prayer so that the Lord will rebuke the spirit behind your predicament. 

Stay uplifted in Christ always and live cheerfully everyday.

Leader Chinedu Nicholas Obodo for EXOLOM Fellowship.