Who is my enemy? An “enemy” is someone who seeks to do you harm. Doesn’t it seem wise to id these people, the ones who want us harmed? So whom can we name as an enemy?
Well, let’s start with the obvious. “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 So Peter tells us that Satan is an enemy. Kind of hard to argue with that. He wants to, and tries to, do me harm. I guess I would put him as number 1 on my enemy list.
Obviously all of ISIS and the others out there who want to kill me because I’m Christian or just not a muslim. Not much doubt they go on the list. Some others who burn my country’s flag and protest against America. I would have to say they go on the list.
Certainly all those of different political parties from mine are enemies. It’s pretty troubling, but I’m thinking maybe the whole government is my enemy. It certainly seems to be seeking to do me harm. It wants my money and wants to use it for purposes with which I don’t agree. It seems intent on harming things and people whom I hold precious. I don’t want to believe that the government that I served for 11 years is my enemy, but the evidence seems to be overwhelming. I know that the government is made up of people, surely they aren’t all enemies. If, however, they aid and abet in the seeking of harm, I guess they have to go on the list as well, each and every one. I have voted for some of these, but yet they still seem to want to do me harm or to stand by as others do so. I think they have to go on the list.
What about all those people in Hollywood and on Madison Avenue? They are trying to sell me a harmful lifestyle and products that might kill me or at least won’t make me any better off than I am. That sounds like they want me harmed. On the list they go.
I’m thinking some of my enemies are sneaky. They won’t come out and admit they want to harm me. They may even deny it, but they certainly don’t have my best interests at heart. Their beliefs are so radically different from mine and they are so passionate about them I have to believe they would rather if I weren’t around. I think they belong on the enemies list.
In fact, lots of the people who claim to be on the “same page” with me are suspicious. I know leaders of groups I have served passionately are willing to throw me “under the bus” if someone has the slightest thing against me. On the list they go.
Frankly, the more I think about it there are so-called “friends” and even family members who talk a good game about love and support and all that but won’t tell me what I need to hear, that start to play with their phones when I try to tell them something and when I’m hurting they seem to look for salt to pour on the wounds or just prefer to talk about their own “problems.” The list is really getting long, but it’s important to be thorough.
The bottom line is I think the enemy list may include every person of flesh and blood on the earth. In some way, either by their obvious hate or by their benign indifference when I really need them, belong on the enemies list. This sure is a lonely world, when everyone is against you.
Is it possible that Paul was serious when he said, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Is it possible that my enemy list should just have Satan and his minions on it? I mean the demon minions not the flesh and blood ones I have discussed. Could it be that from those who would kill me if they could to those who just don’t always treat me as they should, that they all are just, at least sometimes, tools of the real enemy?
Could it even be that sometimes, maybe even a lot of the time, I’m just a tool as well? Am I on everyone else’s enemy list?
It’s important to know who is your real enemy and who isn’t.
Be the first to reply