Category Archives: Enemies

Affliction, Battles, Belief, Bible, Confrontation, Corruption, Deceit, Enemies, Fighting, Gospel, Scripture

AGITATORS

GALATIANS 1:7

“which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”

It seems in every body of believers there are those who are determined to disturb and agitate. If they don’t get their way in a committee meeting, they start grumbling and mumbling. Other agitators come in and start complaining about the Pastor’s messages. They are subtle, but impactful. Before you know it, you have a full blown rebellion happening in the church.

Why do I bring this up? Because this is exactly what Paul is speaking about in today’s verse. Those people who came into the Galatian churches after Paul were agitating and trying to change the Gospel which Paul had preached. The Greek word for “disturbing” means “to stir up trouble.” Then Paul uses a word for “distort” that is only used three times in Scripture. It means “to turn or pervert.” These people had ill intentions from the start. “Paul’s message wasn’t good enough. You need this, too.”

APPLICATION

This other gospel that was being preached by these agitators in Galatia is still present today. They were preaching that you need to do certain things to receive salvation. Belief in Jesus wasn’t enough. You needed to keep the Mosaic law. Well, today you may not hear that, but you hear other things are required for salvation. You must do this, or you can’t do that. Listen, all we need in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Paul also says over in Romans 5:1-2, “1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we celebrate in hope of the glory of God.” You can’t get much clearer than that. Nothing will justify us before God except the blood of Christ.

What are you working so hard for? You can’t achieve your salvation through works. You can’t achieve your salvation by going to church every time the doors are opened. You can’t get to heaven on your own merits. You can’t do enough to tip the scale in your favor. But…Jesus’ blood can. Are you washed in His blood? If you are, you are sealed with His promise. Hallelujah!

Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?

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AMAZED, Bible, Choices, Decisions, Enemies, God's Will, Gospel, Relationships, Scripture

WHY I NEVER!

GALATIANS 1:6

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel,”

Have you ever been incredulous about something? You know, you just couldn’t believe that someone would do such a thing. Down here in the South, we say, “Why I never!” to show such astonishment. Some things are just hard to believe, even if you see it for yourself.

Paul was “amazed” that the Galatians had turned from the truth of the Gospel which he had taught them to some other form. When Paul called it a “different” gospel, he meant it was totally different, a different kind. Most scholars agree that this shift must have happened relatively quickly after Paul left them. Paul was often followed by men who wanted to add to Paul’s teachings. They must have been just waiting for the opportunity to swoop in and pervert the true Gospel.

APPLICATION

We have to stay true to the Gospel as it was presented to us. That’s why it is so important for you to get into the Word and study it. That’s why you need to be discipled by someone. You are also supposed to be investing in someone yourself, teaching them to follow Christ’s teachings. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others.” That is so critical to keeping people informed and growing.

The word Paul uses in today’s verse “deserting” can also be translated as “switching sides.” What if a star player on a team decided during half-time to switch sides and play for the other team? That would be foolish. He had been trained by his team’s coach. He had been taught all the plays. If he switched sides, he would be playing against the very things he had been taught.

Don’t let anyone teach you anything contrary to God’s Word. Check them out. Make sure whatever you hear can be verified by the Word. Too many people fall for any slick teaching. If the preacher sounds good, he must be telling the truth. If he has thousands of followers, he must be right. Listen closely to what he is saying.

Keep me loyal, Lord, to Your teachings. Help those who fallen prey to false teachings.

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Allies, Battles, Bible, Crushed, Defeat, Enemies, Fighting, Following, Protection, Scripture

CRUSHED UNDERFOOT

MALACHI 4:3

“‘And you will crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I am preparing,’ says the LORD of armies.”

Okay, this is going to sound weird, but the instant image I got when I read this verse was someone crushing a lit cigarette with their food on the ground. You’ve probably seen someone do it, too. That lit cigarette is smothered and crushed by the bottom of their shoe. Usually there’s some rubbing also to make sure the fire is out. I know – not a very biblical example, but you get the picture.

The Lord is not crushing cigarettes, but He does say the wicked will be crushed that way by His followers. He will give them the strength and power to smother out the fire of the wicked. They will lose all their strength. “On the day I am preparing” is an unknown day. We can rest, however, in the fact that He is preparing it, so it will be right on time.

APPLICATION

Psalm 68:21 says, “Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.” We have that promise. Just like He promised the children of Israel to crush the wicked, He will crush our enemies today. In Luke 10:19 we are told when Jesus was talking to the seventy-two disciples He had sent out, “‘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.’”

Now, this is an important point – you have no power to do this on your own. The power, the authority, all comes from Him. He is the one crushing them, not you. So, if we have that power through Him, why do we fear? We have no reason to. He is our strength. It is His heel that crushes them.

The whole time Jesus was on earth Satan was trying to find a way to bring Him down. He even used one of Jesus’ disciples (Judas Iscariot). The devil thought he had won when Jesus was crucified and buried, but his head was crushed by the heel of the Savior on Resurrection Morning. Jesus is just as triumphant today. Trust Him.

O Lord, my God, I praise You for crushing the wicked and my enemies. I have nothing to fear with You so near.

P.S. For my frequent followers, I will be taking a short break when we finish Malachi in three days. I will pick back up on January 1. Pray that the Lord shows me where to go to next in our daily study.

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Allies, Battles, Bible, Defeat, Defense, Deliverance, Demons, Devil, Enemies, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

THE DEVOURER

MALACHI 3:11

“‘Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground; nor will the vine in the field prove fruitless to you,’ says the LORD of armies.”

One thing I have learned from ministry is that we are in constant need of protection from those who want to devour, eat up and destroy what we are trying to do for the Lord. The enemy does not want us to be successful in God’s work. He will do anything to destroy it. He will use anything at his disposal. So, I pray for His protection all the time.

In verse 11 of Malachi 3, God promises the people that as a result of their obedience in giving, which have discussed the last couple of days, He will protect them. I love what Matthew Poole says in his commentary about this verse. “The devourer; all kinds of devourers, the locust, the canker-worm, caterpillar, etc., pests of those countries very often; though they are in mighty armies and incredible multitudes, yet a rebuke from God will check them all at once as if they were but one.”

APPLICATION

Did you catch that last phrase in the above paragraph? “yet a rebuke from God will check them all at once as if they were but one.” Even if the devil sends hordes of demons against you, one rebuke of God will send them all scattering. Woo-hoo! Just one little flick of His finger! We have an all-powerful God watching our back. Who ‘ya gonna call? Not Ghost Busters. I am going to call on Jesus.

We are promised God’s protection today just as suredly as the Old Testament believers were. God is still God. He hasn’t changed. He still loves His children. He still gives His protection when needed. He still moves in and destroys those incoming volleys of the devil.

Look at these verses in Psalms 3. “1 LORD, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Selah 3 But You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.” As a friend of mine used to say, “If that don’t light your fire, your woods wet.” Glory, Hallelujah! We serve a living Savior.

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today; I know that He is living, Whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer, And just the time I need Him He’s always near.”

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Allies, Bible, Chosen, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Purpose, Scripture

ME TOO

ZECHARIAH 14:14

“Judah also will fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold, silver, and garments in great abundance.”

Being included is important. No one wants to be left out and alone, right? When your teenager goes to the school dance, they don’t want to go alone. They want to be part of a group or with a date. When you go to a ballgame, you normally go with someone. You want to be included and not left out. It’s just a normal, human desire.

The same will hold true on the day described in Zechariah 14. Here in verse 14, we see Judah coming to the fight at Jerusalem. Of course, they want to be included in this fight. After all, the Messiah came through the line of Judah. They have a vested interest in this fight. And for their efforts they will be rewarded with the spoils of war, the verse says.

APPLICATION

You are included! You are not left out. You are part of God’s overarching plan. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” He wants you to come to Him. He wants all to come to Him.

You play a part in that. Just as soon as you come into the family of God, you have a part to play. Just like Judah will come to fight on behalf of Jerusalem against all its enemies, you have a role in the army of God. He may send you to some remote location in the world to help reach a lost people group. Or He may send you across the street to reach your lost neighbor. Either way, you have a part to play.

I remember my freshman year in high school playing on the varsity football team. Mind you, all freshmen dressed out for the game, but none of us were guaranteed playing time. I, however, was a big kid, so I actually got to play in a few games, enough to letter. I would stand by the coaches, hoping to hear them call my name. Put me in coach. I want to play. Are you saying that to Jesus?

I am so thankful to be included in Your family and Your army. Put me in Jesus.

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Attitude, Bible, Enemies, Fighting, Peace, Scripture

IN-FIGHTING

ZECHARIAH 14:13

“And it will come about on that day that a great panic from the LORD will fall on them; and they will seize one another’s hand, and the hand of one will be raised against the hand of another.”

Name the worst place you have ever seen in-fighting. I can – Congress. Why do those who are on the same side of “the aisle,” in the same party, fight against each other? We are experiencing that right now in the House of Representatives among the Republicans. They can’t get together and agree on a new Speaker because of all the in-fighting. That will kill a group so fast.

We see in-fighting of a literal kind here in today’s verse. The LORD, on that day, will actually cause the enemies of Jerusalem to panic, and they will start fighting each other. That sounded familiar to me. In 2 Chronicles 20:23 we read, “For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, completely destroying them; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.” The in-fighting in today’s verse wasn’t a new tactic of the LORD.

APPLICATION

Now, in-fighting is not a good thing. It is certainly something we want to avoid in the body of Christ. In fact, we are told to do just the opposite. Look at Ephesians 4:1-3. “1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Did you see verse 3? It’s “the unity of the Spirit” that is the key to peace. It’s not us. We cannot do it. We will start arguing and fighting just because we can. Our flesh wants to fight. The Spirit does not. We believers must be one to show the world how to come to peace, to come to Jesus.

Will you stop your in-fighting? Will you seek to preserve that peace? We can each do our part and prevent it. As the world watches us, they need to see us united for Jesus. They need to see us walking worthy. Unfortunately, there is much division in the Body of Christ. Let us pray to see that dissolved.

Father of peace, let the Spirit in me drive me to do all I can to preserve the peace.

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Abiding, Allegiance, Battles, Bible, Consequences, Devil, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Judgment, Justice, Rebellion, Satan, Scripture

YOU HAVE TO PICK A SIDE

ZECHARIAH 14:12

“Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth.”

I have mentioned before my two experiences with stem cell transplants. Both times I had chemotherapy which is horrible. I was blessed in that I did not have to take it long term. But each time I went to have a treatment I would see other patients who were not so lucky. They were skeletons, having lost so much weight. They had no hair, and their eyes were sunk back into their heads. Each time I saw them I would say a prayer for their healing.

Why do I tell that story? Well, it’s the closest thing I have ever seen to the description in today’s verse. This plague put on the enemies of Jerusalem is consistent with the effects of a nuclear bomb on the human body. I am not saying that is what will happen. God doesn’t need a bomb. He has the power to inflict any damage He desires on His enemies. This is probably one of the worse judgment scenes in the Bible. What a horrible consequence of using their mouth to blaspheme and their eyes to lust after Israel.

APPLICATION

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Why would I quote this verse? Because while we were sinners, we were His enemies. We were enemies of the cross, as Paul says in Philippians 3:18. “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,”

Whose side are you on? God’s or man’s? God’s or the devil’s? That is what it amounts to. In past wars on earth there have been nations that remained neutral, out of the fight. There will be no neutral ground in this final battle. You cannot remain neutral. You must choose a side.

I love the verse in Joshua that reads, “‘But if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served, which were beyond the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’” (Joshua 24:15) How about you?

Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to be on Your side. I want to serve in Your army.

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Bible, Blessing, Enemies, Favor, God's Will, Scripture, Security

SECURITY

ZECHARIAH 14:11

“People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will live in security.”

Today you can secure your home in so many ways. You can, of course, have locks on your doors and windows. But you can also have cameras outside and inside your home. You can install a video doorbell. You can put up fences. Heck, you could even put in a moat if you wanted to. You can hire a company to monitor your home. Your home can be made to feel secure.

Oh, but in today’s verse we see the city of Jerusalem finally being made secure. For centuries Jerusalem has been the target of its enemies. But on this day God will secure it. He will lift the curse or judgment. People will live at peace. Can you imagine? No skirmishes! No battles! No attacks! Peace! That will be a glorious day.

APPLICATION

Let me ask if you are secure. Are you? What is it based on? I love what Deuteronomy 33:12 says. “May the beloved of the LORD live in security beside Him Who shields him all the day long, And he lives between His shoulders.” Isn’t that beautiful. We live between His shoulders. Wow! That’s pretty secure.

We also know this. Ephesians 1:13 says, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,” Now, if God seals you, you are sealed. You are secure. I don’t care how firm your grip is, you are not going to remove that seal that God puts on you – the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, if you are not in Christ, you are not secure. Your future is just the opposite. You are destined for another ending. We know that all who do not profess Jesus as Savior will face judgment and eternal damnation. That’s harsh, but it’s true. Even more reason for us to spread the good news. Let’s make everyone secure. How about it?

Father, thank You for making me secure through the blood of the Lamb.

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Abiding, Appearance, Bible, Confrontation, Enemies, Forgiveness, God's Will, Grace, Humility, Kindness, Scripture

THE HIGH GROUND

ZECHARIAH 14:10

“All the land will change into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin’s Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses.” 

Anyone with any knowledge of battle plans knows the importance of the high ground. From there you can see all around and monitor your enemies. You can defend your camp better from high ground. The downside of that high ground is your enemy can also see you. The high ground has its pros and cons, I guess.

The landscape around Jerusalem is going to change one day when this prophecy occurs. Verse 10 today tells us about this changing landscape. Jerusalem is currently surrounded pretty much with hills. But on this day, all those hills will be leveled a plain. Jerusalem will have the high ground. All will be able to observe the holy city. Jesus, the Messiah, is there for all to see.

APPLICATION

The application for this verse today has to be taken more allegorically. Will you give me some leeway today? Let me encourage you today to take the high ground, the high road, when it comes to conflict. Let your actions in response to your earthly foes be one of above reproach. I am reminded of the question posed by Peter regarding forgiveness. Matthew 18:21-22 tells us this story. “21 Then Peter came up and said to Him, ‘Lord, how many times shall my brother sin against me and I still forgive him? Up to seven times?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy-seven times.’”

The rabbinical law taught to forgive someone three times, so Peter thought he was going above and beyond by saying seven times. Jesus blew his mind with his answer – 77 times! What?! Then Jesus went on to tell a story about a king and a slave who owed him a great amount. You know the story. I bet Peter got the message.

How about you? Can you take the high ground, the high road? Can you be the one to extend forgiveness 77 times? And if others refuse to forgive you, just keep loving them. Let me rephrase that. Allow Jesus to love them through you. Die to yourself. Give it to Him. He can and will accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time.

Father, I want my life to be lived in such a way that I can be observed as if on high ground with nothing to hide.  

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Advocate, Allies, Battles, Bible, Covenant, Defense, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Guard, Opponents, Protection, Rescue, Safety, Scripture

THE LORD IS ON OUR SIDE

ZECHARIAH 14:3

“Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.”

Everybody remembers the childhood games when kids gathered outside and picked sides to play a game. Whether it was baseball, football or red rover, getting picked last was the worst. No one wanted to get picked last. Getting picked first was the sign of being one of the best, if not the best, players. Get picked anywhere – just not the last.

Well, in verse 3 of chapter 14, we find the LORD getting picked to fight on the side of Israel. Woo-hoo! They just scored the best and most powerful player. When all the nations of the earth turn against Israel, the LORD will jump in. Those nations have no idea what is about to hit them. They don’t see the LORD, but He is there. They will feel the full force of the Creator of the universe.

APPLICATION

He is on our side, as well. Did you know that? The same God who will defend Israel has joined us in our daily battles. Deuteronomy 3:22 says, “‘You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.’” How about this one? Joshua 23:3 reads, “‘And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.’”

You are probably saying, Carl, those are Old Testament verse about God fighting for Israel. That’s just like our verse today in Zechariah. Okay, how about this one? This is one I have referenced before. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” We have God’s armament!

We have nothing to fear. God is on our side. He is fighting for us. All we have to do is yield to Him. Then He can unleash the forces of heaven against our enemies – in His time. We have to wait on Him. He will come through. Never doubt that. He may seem to be late, but He is not. He is always right on time. He will fight for us!

Thank You, Lord, for fighting my battles daily. I may not see You, but I know You are there.

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