Having a Good Enemy

Church News August 31, 2008

Walker loaned me a book that has an interesting quote in it…

“The true military man is pleased if he has a resourceful and courageous enemy opposing him. ‘The next best thing to a good friend is a good enemy’ is no doubt a saying of military origin.” On the other hand the professional’s scorn for an easily beaten or unskilled foe passes all bounds.

The Christian after all is a type of soldier in the army of the Lord. Our enemy is Satan. Satan has been around a long time and has been victorious in many battles to subvert the souls of men. He is a “good” enemy, so to speak, to the true soldier of Christ because he is highly skilled. Christ defeated him. It was Satan after all who was behind the Jewish nation and Roman empire when they murdered Jesus. Satan thought he had achieved a great victory. Little did he know that he was playing right into the hands of God. The Christ could not be killed.

The Christian soldier can win great honor in his battles with Satan by resisting Satan’s trickery to induce Christians to sin. The Christian soldier can also win great honor by coming to the rescue of those who are losing their personal battle with Satan.

1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.”

James 4:7, “Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.”

Satan hates every good thing. He doesn’t like seeing people praying. He is weakened by every kind deed. He doesn’t like seeing Christians congregating together. Their singing is repulsive to him. The Christian soldier must prepare himself and be pure and good. He must pledge fealty to his Lord and be unafraid of the enemy. Hunt Satan down and bring back his scalp. Remember this… there won’t be any cowards in heaven.