So I’m the Enemy

Posted on May 13, 2015 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

So I’m the Enemy?

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity. Psalm 64:2

I remember the old Flip Wilson skit where he would dress up as Geraldine and would always use the excuse “The devil made me do it”. And although while an unbeliever can maybe stake a claim to that statement, we, as believers can’t.

So I'm the Enemy

The Bible is clear that as believers in Jesus Christ the devil has no power over us, he can tempt us with an evil desire if we give him a foothold but has no power to make us do anything.

My focus verse lately has been 1 Corinthians 10:13  “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it”. It is a reminder that when I have an evil thought that is tempting to me it is actually enticing that old man that is at war with the Spirit within me. Galatians 5 tells us “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish”.

It amazes me that the end of the verse says “so that you do not do the things that you wish”.  Sometimes the conversations with myself about the thought of being disobedient are actually a desire and seem to be attractive. One of the avenues of escape for me is what I learned in the Colony, “Play the tape thru”. In other words think about the outcome of the choice that seems so desirable and reveal the destruction at the outcome of that choice.

I often look at Psalms that refer to the enemy that comes against me in verses like the ones in Psalm 64 as “Me”. It’s as though I am talking to myself and begin to feel the victory over temptation as I rebuke my fleshly desires and stake a claim to the truths in God’s word that tells me that. Although the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking to destroy, my downfall can only happen when I allow my evil desires to be enticed as James tells us in the first chapter of his epistle ”But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed”.

So let’s take heed to the opening verses of Psalm 64 that tells us “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation, preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity”. And again in Psalm 61 “Hear my cry, O God, attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Because we know, He will never leave us or forsake us and has the power to protect us even when the enemy is ME. Rob Russomano graduated from the Colony of Mercy and serves full-time at America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 3-5; Matthew 6:19-34

Think About This: Empty relationships are nothing; if we profess ourselves God’s servants and do not honour Him by our obedience, we take but an empty title. Richard Sibbes

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “ … in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.” Titus 2:7-8

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