Discerning your enemy's camouflage

Luke 10:19 (ESV)

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

The legendary preacher, Charles Spurgeon once said, “Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right.”

Often the question is whether something is "right" or "wrong”, and may be answered quickly and easily. But sometimes we are faced with a much more difficult discernment: the difference between “right" and "almost right”. I love to take the kids to the zoo, and whenever we go we always go into the snake house to look at all those beautiful slithering reptiles– but more often than not they are so well camouflaged that they aren't easy to find. Once you've spotted one, however, and recognized its markings, it becomes much easier. So Ron, why are you telling me about your trips to the zoo?

The Bible identifies our enemy as a serpent, and just like the ones at the zoo he camouflages himself extremely well. Satan knows that the Lord has given us authority over him, so he has to seek ways in which we fail to recognize him. He knows that defending ourselves would be much easier if he came out and said, "I'm here and I hate you!" So he lurks in the background, in unsuspected places waiting for an opportunity to steal, kill or destroy— and much of the time we don't realize he's there until we find ourselves in the thick of an attack. And what is his "camouflage”? Looking as much like a good guy as he can, so we would never suspect his true nature and intentions. That's why Spurgeon gives us the advice about discernment between "right" and "almost right"; and why the Lord Himself told us to be "wise as serpents"!

Pray to become skilled in discerning your enemy's camouflage, remembering he comes as a "minister of righteousness" or an "angel of light" who knows how to blend into your world, and to look and talk like a friend. Don't go by feelings alone, be careful about flattery, know your Lord through prayer and let God's Word dwell richly in you being filled with His spirit. You want to be well defended against the subtlety of the Serpent, especially these days!

Dear Lord, give us the wisdom that we need to discern the enemy’s camouflage. Help us to stand firm against him. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

All For an Enemy

Romans 5:6-10 (New International Version)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

In the days of the American Revolutionary War there lived in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, a preacher by the name of Peter Miller who enjoyed the friendship of General George Washington. There also dwelt in that town one Michael Wittman, an evil-minded man who did all in his power to abuse and oppose this preacher.

One day Michael Wittman was involved in treason and was arrested and sentenced to death. When the old preacher heard this news, he started out on foot and walked the whole seventy miles to Philadelphia to plead for this man's life. He was admitted into Washington's presence and at once begged for the life of the traitor.

Washington said, "No, Peter, I cannot grant you the life of your friend."

The preacher exclaimed, "My FRIEND?? Why, this man is the bitterest ENEMY I have."

Washington cried, "What? You've walked seventy miles to save the life of an ENEMY? Now that puts the matter in a different light. I will grant the pardon."

And so he did. And Peter Miller took Michael Wittman from the very shadow of death back to his own home in Ephrata -- no longer as an enemy, but as a friend.*

Due to our sins, you and I have been found guilty and sentenced to death. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 3:23; 6:23). However, Christ walked the road to Calvary to seek reconciliation to God for US (His enemies) Romans 5:10. But unlike Peter Miller, Christ did not just enter "the very shadow of death" to save us; He actually gave His life so that we might be reconciled to God.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a RIGHTEOUS MAN, though for a GOOD MAN someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still SINNERS, Christ died for us! Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For IF, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the DEATH of his Son, HOW MUCH MORE, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his LIFE!" (Romans 5:6-10).

Through Christ you and I can be reconciled to God, IF. we will respond to Him in faith (Hebrews 11:6), repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confession (Romans 10:9-10), and baptism (immersion) for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Then, as we CONTINUE to walk in the light of His Word, the cleansing blood of Jesus will CONTINUE to wash our sins away (1 John 1:7).

The VALUE of something is often determined by the PRICE one is willing to pay for it! Consider the GREAT price that was paid for OUR reconciliation (a restored relationship) to God.

Dear Lord we thank You for being our friend even when we were Your enemy. We pray that we would be the friend for those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Shooting the Saints or the Enemy?

1 Peter 3:8-9 (New International Version)

 8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Dr. Leslie Flynn writes about the time when the English and French were at war in colonial Canada. "Admiral Phipps, in charge of the British Fleet, was ordered to anchor outside Quebec, a city on the St. Lawrence River. He was to await the coming of the British infantry and then join the land forces in attack.

"Arriving early, Admiral Phipps, an ardent nonconformist, was annoyed by the statues of the saints that adorned the roof and towers of the Catholic cathedral. So he spent his time shooting at them with the ships' guns. How many he hit we don't know, but history recorded that when the infantry arrived and the signal was given for attack, the admiral found himself out of ammunition. He had used it for shooting out the saints." I often wonder in the church how much of our efforts are poured into fighting among ourselves over insignificant trivialities instead of uniting our efforts to attack the real enemy.

Dear Lord we pray today that we would focus on the enemy to defeat him rather than fighting amongst ourselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.