Category Archives: Enemies

Affliction, Battles, Bible, Danger, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Persecution, Protection, Safety, Scripture

IT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD

ZECHARIAH 9:5

“Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; also Ekron, because her hope has been ruined. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.”

I have had some tough experiences. Let me explain. I have shared with you in the past about my two stem cell transplants. Well, with the first one, I didn’t quite know what to expect. It was a new experience. But when I found out I had to have my second one, I knew what was coming. I could see the days of nausea and sickness. I knew I would be weak and fatigued. I knew what was headed my way. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Asheklon, Ekron and Gaza knew what was coming. They had heard of Tyre and Sidon’s fall. They knew the invading power was headed south towards them. The Lord says in today’s verse that they would “be afraid,” “writhe in great pain” and their “hope has been ruined.” There was no escape. They must have felt completely helpless. Can you imagine how they felt, looking each day to see if the armies of the enemy were approaching?

APPLICATION

Thanks be to God we don’t have to worry about that as believers. Sure, the enemy is always attacking us, but he is already defeated. Our victory is rooted in Jesus. Our tower of refuge is our God and Redeemer. The enemy’s fiery darts may come, but with our shield of faith and battle armor, he cannot make a dent. Jesus defends us.

How do I know that? Because the Bible tells me so. I love Psalm 23. Don’t you? It says in verse 4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” He is always with me. God has my life in view. He can see enemies coming long before I can.

That is why I don’t worry about the enemy. God has it all under control. If the enemy strikes me, it is only because the Lord has allowed him. And if God has allowed it, then with His strength I can handle it. Look up Philippians 4:13. When things don’t look good, look up. He is there – always.

Your vision is trustworthy and sure. I know You are watching over me.

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Abiding, Battles, Bible, Enemies, Fortress, Protection, Scripture

FORTRESSES DO NOT DEFEND YOU

ZECHARIAH 9:3

“For Tyre built herself a fortress, and piled up silver like dust, and gold like the mud of the streets.”

My house has windows and doors that lock. I have a motion light in the back that will come on if someone approaches my house at night. But all the locks in the world cannot protect me if someone really wanted to get in. You may have heard “locks only work on honest people.”

Tyre built an impressive fortress. Look at how it is described.
“The walls, 150 feet high and of breadth proportionate, compacted of large stones, embedded in gypsum, seemed to defy an enemy who could only approach her by sea. In order to make the wall twice as strong they built a second wall ten cubits broad, leaving a space between of five cubits, which they filled with stones and earth.” But even that could not keep away God’s judgment.

APPLICATION

What have you placed your trust in? Are you trusting those locks on your house to protect you? Are you trusting in guns and ammo? There is only one true source of protection. Psalm 61:3-4 says, “3 For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. 4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”

Isn’t that beautiful? You may never see the stones and gates of God that protect you and your loved ones, but they are there. Then why do I get attacked by the enemy all the time? That’s a very good question. Have you read Job lately? Why did God allow Job to be tested so much? God wants to refine us and make us pure. That requires some fire.

I don’t like the tests and trials that God allows, but I do like the results. Every time God has taken me through a trial, and I have trusted Him, I come out better. I come out hardened for battle. I come out further prepared to take on the challenges of my enemy. Who are you trusting? What are you trusting? I pray you are trusting the One who is trustworthy.

Thank You, Lord, for defending me. I rest in Your strength.

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Bible, Courage, Defeat, Defense, Devil, Enemies, Oppression, Prayer, Protection, Safety, Satan, Scripture

FOUR HORNS

ZECHARIAH 1:18

“Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, there were four horns.” 

I am a deer hunter. For all you animal lovers, please forgive me. I love to hunt and eat venison. I put out trail cameras to watch and see what deer are moving through the area I am scouting. I particularly like to watch for the big bucks with their beautiful antlers. The width, height and girth of the antler usually shows the age and health of the deer. The more mature and powerful deer normally have the biggest rack.

As you can imagine, today’s verse sparked my interest. The mention of horns made me curious, just as it did Zechariah when he saw this. Most scholars agree that these horns represented four powerful nations that had the potential to destroy. Benson says this about these four horns in his commentary, “the most ancient and prevailing opinion among the Jews themselves, and perhaps the most probable of any, is, that the four great empires, the Assyrian, or Babylonian, the Persian, Grecian, and Roman, are intended; namely, the empires alluded to by the four beasts, Daniel 7.” Whatever they represented, it definitely caught Zechariah’s attention.

APPLICATION

Okay Carl. Let’s see how you apply this verse about horns to us. I’m glad you said that. What powers or forces do you fear? Who has come against you? It doesn’t matter the number. You may have or have had multiple forces come against you. The same God who defended and restored Israel is here today. He stands ready to take on those horns.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that we must be prepared to take on these forces of evil. You have read, I’m sure, the passage on the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-17. But did you stop there? You see, the secret to taking on these horns is found in verse 18. “With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,”

We have to pray, seeking God and His strength. It is not about our strength. It is completely His strength that defeats these horns that come against us. And we must pray for “all the saints.” As we lift up others, God lifts us up. So, pray and believe. Let God smite those horns of evil in your life.

I will trust You, O God, to take up my defense. I will not fear when I see these horns come against me.

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Battles, Bible, Courage, Defense, Enemies, Protection, Scripture

THEY ARE ALL GOING DOWN

HAGGAI 2:22

“‘And I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, every one by the sword of another.’”

When I played football in high school, I was bad about trash talking the opponent. I would get in front of a guy and say things like “You are mine!” or “You’re going down.” I would say just about anything to try to intimidate them. Of course, then I would proceed to hit them as hard as I could on the next play. Trash talk is nothing new. Goliath did it to the Israelite army. Jonathan faced it the day he climbed the hill with his companion.

God is doing some trash talking here in verse 22. Now, I’m not being sacrilegious. The difference is no one doubted His ability to do just what He said He was going to do. He wasn’t bragging. He was stating a fact. He was going to destroy the enemies of Israel. Every soldier and chariot would go down. I bet the Israelites who heard this message from Haggai were jubilant!

APPLICATION

Wouldn’t it be nice if God still did that? Do you have a “hit list” of individuals you wish God would take down? Be honest. Well, that’s a matter for another blog. But He does still defend us and if necessary, take down our enemies. One of my favorite verses is Exodus 14:14 (which I have shared before). It says, “The Lord will fight for you while you remain silent.” Hmm, that’s the hard part – staying silent.

Another passage is Deuteronomy 20:4. “‘For the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’” Do a search for God’s protection. You will be amazed at the number of verses you will find. What will that tell you? That God has your back. He will defend you. He may not step right when you want Him to, but He will in His perfect time.

Let me tell you something else I got out this verse. I don’t want to be one of those enemies in God’s cross hairs. I don’t want to be that person someone else is asking God to take down. To prevent that I have to stay connected to the Lord. I have to be centered in His will. So, if someone does try to ask the Lord to destroy me, He can respond back, “You’ve got the wrong person. I know that guy. He’s alright.” Would He say that about you?

Father, thanks for Your protection. I know You are always there to defend me.

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Allegiance, Allies, Battles, Bible, Choices, Consequences, Enemies, God's Will, Scripture, Truth

BE CAREFUL OF YOUR ALLIES

ZEPHANIAH 2:12

“‘You also, Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.’”

In the ministry I am a part of, Every Man A Warrior, we speak a lot about the importance of having allies. Men need men in their lives to hold them accountable and also to encourage them to walk with God. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, he has a friend who can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.”

The Ethiopians’ error was in choosing the wrong ally. They allied with Egypt against God’s people. They may not have invaded on their own, but they were part of the army that did. God speaks against them in Isaiah and Ezekiel. Their destruction was prophesied. However, they did not heed any of the warnings. They persisted in their hostilities toward Israel.

APPLICATION

We must be careful who we choose as allies. What may appear to be a good idea can prove to be a disaster. Many a person has lost fortunes due to partnering with a dishonest man. Promises made were not kept. Lies were told to get them to join in. Not everything that glitter is gold, right?

The same holds true for us in our spiritual walk with Christ. Not every church out there is teaching the truth. Not every preacher is living what he is preaching. Not every “Christian” brother or sister is a true believer. We must check these things by the Word of God. Through it, God will show us truth from error.

I have several men I consider my allies. Some are my partners in our ministry. I trust these men completely. I know they have my back. More importantly, I know they will call me out if I am wandering from the truth. I need that. You need that. Do you have allies? Do you have people in your life who will confront you if needed? If you don’t, get some. You don’t want to walk this path alone.

Lord, I know the strands of cord are strongest when they are woven together. Give me allies who will make me stronger.

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Abuse, Battles, Bible, Enemies, Humility, Modeling, Scripture, Taunting

TAUNTING

ZEPHANIAH 2:8

“‘I have heard the taunting of Moab and the abusive speech of the sons of Ammon, with which they have taunted My people and boasted against their territory.’”

No one likes to be reproached or reviled. Taunting is uncomfortable, isn’t it? In my childhood, I can recall a couple of times when I was taunted by someone. Once on the playground by a class bully. Another time in high school a classmate tried to get me to fight by saying some bad things about me. Taunting is not something God approves of.

Here in Zephaniah, we see the taunting of the Moabites and the Ammonites against God and His chosen people. It reminds me of David and Goliath when Goliath stood and taunted the army of Israel. David rightly pointed out that Goliath wasn’t just taunting and reviling Israel. He was reviling God. All reviling against God’s people is reviling against Him.

APPLICATION

Have you been taunted by someone or made fun of? Maybe someone has made fun of you because of your beliefs. Perhaps you were picked on as a child and have never gotten over those comments. Give it all to God. He can soothe those hurt feelings. Remember, you are His child and created in His image. He made you, and He doesn’t make any junk.

Maybe you are the one taunting others. Maybe you are the bully. Oh, you wouldn’t call yourself a bully, but you say or do things that revile or taunt others. You even do it in jest and try to make it seem like a joke. That does not honor God, and He is not pleased. Ask God to forgive you of that taunting spirit and then ask those whom you have hurt to forgive you.

Whether you are the taunter or the tauntee, we have a lesson to learn here today. God is not pleased with a reviling spirit. He wants us to have peaceable spirits. He desires a humble heart and one that serves others. Romans 12:10 says, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” That’s my new memory verse. Live that today.

Father, forgive me when I have reviled You by taunting others. Give me that servant heart so I can show them honor.

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Accused, Allies, Belief, Bible, Commands, Defense, Enemies, God's Will, Scripture

AGAINST YOU

ZEPHANIAH 2:5

“Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will eliminate you so that there will be no inhabitant.”

I’ve said before that I don’t think I have any earthly enemies. I try my best to be at peace with all men (Romans 12:18). I don’t like to be in conflict. I won’t run from a fight if faced with it, but I don’t pursue conflict like some people do. I really want to deal with conflict quickly. I don’t want anyone or anything to come against me.

Zephaniah tells the Cherethites and Philistines that “the word of the Lord is against” them. Whoa! That would be horrible. Instead of the word of the Lord coming “to” them, it is against them. Why? Because they were the ones who were against His children. They pursued aggression and hostilities against His chosen people. And for that, God was against them.

APPLICATION

How would you feel if the Lord was against you? Terrified? Fearful? Worried? You should! Hebrews 10:31 tells us “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” To openly rebel against God’s commandments and thumb your nose at Him only invites His wrath. Who would do that?

Unfortunately, many in our world today are doing just that. They scoff at God’s Word. They reject His truths as spelled out in Scripture. They make God into their own image, rather than allowing Him to make them into His. They want God to fit their idea of Him. How preposterous. How ridiculous. How can we even begin to comprehend God?

But God tells us very clearly how to follow Him. He tells us to trust Him. He gives us the faith to believe. Faith is a gift. Once we acknowledge Jesus as Savior and Lord, He gives us belief in Him. He discloses more and more of Himself to us as we pursue Him. What a great God! He is not against you. He is for you!

O Lord, I am so thankful You are for me. I am grateful for the faith You have given me.

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Abiding, Belief, Bible, Enemies, God's Will, Rescue, Salvation, Scripture, Trust

WAVE RIDER

HABAKKUK 3:15

“You trampled on the sea with Your horses, on the foam of many waters.”

I love to watch the waves as they crest and then break on the beach. The power in each wave is incredible. I have never personally seen twenty or thirty foot waves, but I know people who have. They tell me they are not only powerful but are also terrifying and destructive. Can’t you just picture that?

Habakkuk paints a portrait in today’s verse of God riding the waves, leading the charge against the enemy. Albert Barnes quotes a couple of other Old Testament verses that give the same picture. Isaiah 63:13 says, “who led them in the depths;” and Zechariah 10:11 reads, “And He shall pass through the sea.” Barnes says, “God was literally there.”

APPLICATION

God is still out front defending us. He is riding the waves in our defense. He will drown our enemies the same way He drowned Pharoah’s army in the Red Sea. What seemed to be an obstacle for the Hebrew children became their way of escape and their source of salvation.

We don’t understand the ways of God. We certainly don’t understand them when we are going through hard times or if our very lives seem to be crumbling. But God is at work, in His time. His timing is always perfect. He is never late. When the time is right, He will ride that wave and wash away our enemies.

I don’t begin to say I understand that. I’ve tried and failed. I have come to the conclusion that I have to just trust Him. I know that sounds too spiritual. But it is the truth. We must come to the point that we simply trust Him who has saved us eternally to save us temporally also. If it His will to rescue us here on earth, praise His name. But if He should choose to rescue us by bringing us home eternally, then so be it. It’s really a win-win now, isn’t it?

Lord, I will watch as You ride the waves in my defense and will praise You if You carry me home.

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Affliction, Battles, Bible, Enemies, God's Will, Judgment, Justice, Oppression, Restoration, Scripture

LOOK WHO IS SHAKING NOW

HABAKKUK 3:7          

“I saw the tents of Cushan under distress, the tent curtains of the land of Midian were trembling.”

People who boast and brag about their exploits can get on your last nerve. Am I right? I am not saying that we should feel that way, but it is hard to constantly hear that stuff. It is especially hard when you know they have hurt people in the process. You see the wake of destruction they have left. Yet they brag about it. It makes you wonder sometimes if God knows what they are doing.

Oh, He does. Habakkuk tells us so right here. Cushan and Midian had been thorns in the side of Israel for years. Midian used to raid Israel and leave nothing for the people. They would leave them impoverished. Both of these nations disappear after their defeats. All their successes vanish into thin air. God will have His vengeance on His children’s oppressors in due time.

APPLICATION

Perhaps you are being oppressed by someone right now. You feel there is no escape. You pray and are wondering if God is even hearing you. Oh, child of God, our God never sleeps and never slumbers. He is totally aware of your circumstances and is preparing to answer you in His perfect time.

So why does God allow suffering in our lives at the hands of unrighteous people? All I can tell you is that everything that touches our lives as believers goes through God’s hands first. I do not understand why He allows certain trials in certain people’s lives. I only know I can trust Him to see me through the trials He places in mine.

It is not my place to plot revenge on those who harm me. God will avenge me in due course. I may not be alive when that happens, but He will handle the situation according to His perfect will in my life. Do you believe that? Do you trust Him? Just allow Him to work. He loves you with an everlasting love.

I trust You, Lord, even when I can’t see You working. I know You are there.

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Bible, Darkness, Death, Destruction, Devil, Enemies, Fighting, Satan, Scripture

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION

HABAKKUK 3:5

“Before Him goes plague, and plague comes forth after Him.”

We all have seen scenes of death and destruction in pictures from wars or disease or famine. Those images burn into our minds. They are hard to forget. We feel helpless to do anything to cause any change. Our hearts break for the families of their loved ones caught in such scenarios.

Habakkuk describes the scene here where death and destruction go before God as He conquers all His enemies. He has sent plagues and pestilence. He used hornets and wild animals. Regardless of His instrument, the result was and is the same. His enemies are destroyed. Nothing can stand before Him. We would do well to remember that.

APPLICATION

People today think they can thumb their nose at God and keep on living as they wish. I don’t have to list the abhorrent lifestyles that are being exhibited everywhere, even in churches. Anything goes. There seems to be no moral compass left in the world. The enemy appears to have totally brainwashed society into believing that God has no say in the affairs of men.

But oh how wrong he is! Just like in Habakkuk’s day, God will rise up and defeat all enemies of the cross. We must remain faithful and true. We must continue to share the good news. We have to let our lights shine brightly. Even the smallest light can pierce the darkness. Let it shine.

I refuse to be afraid of those who speak against our Savior. I refuse to allow their disregard for God dampen my passion for Him. I am called to be a soldier of the cross, so I will wield my sword and give my life to advance His kingdom here on earth. I know my God has my back and will be victorious.

Your enemies will scatter, Lord. All You have to do it show up!

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