IDENTIFY DANGEROUS ENEMIES AND DECLARE WAR ON THEM - PART 1

IDENTIFY DANGEROUS ENEMIES AND DECLARE WAR ON THEM -PART 1

Scripture: Matthew 10:36

Topic: Identify Dangerous Enemies and Declare War on Them - Part 1

"And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household."

Matthew 10:36

To win a war, you must declare war.  To win a war you must become war.  

First of all, you must identify men who are dangerous enemies.  

Secondly, you must identify behaviour that signals aggression and danger. 

Thirdly, you must declare war on identified enemies.  

To win a war you must declare war and become war!  As long as you have not declared war, forces will not mobilize themselves.  The enemy is always happy that you have not declared war.  The enemy always hopes that you will not notice that he is an enemy.  

Many Christians believe that a man cannot be an enemy.  This is because of the Scripture which says, “…we wrestle not against flesh and blood…” (Ephesians 6:12).  In other words, “flesh and blood” can never be an enemy.  But this is not true because Jesus told us that a man’s enemies would even come from his own household. 

There are many human beings who are as much your enemies as evil spirits are! Many human beings are enemies on whom you must declare war!  

It is time to grow up and mature in spiritual warfare.  We are in a war and you must stop thinking like a child.  You must know your enemy even if he comes all dressed in a suit and a tie!  You must know your enemy even if he is your schoolmate!  You must know your enemy even if it is your best friend! You must know your enemy even if it is your wife! You must know your enemy even if he is a pastor! You must know your enemy and declare war no matter what he looks like.  

If Jesus says your enemies are men in your own household, then so it is.  Paul the apostle encountered several different men who were enemies of the gospel.  You yourself as a human being were once an enemy of the gospel.  Certainly, it is not only spirits that can be enemies.  Human beings, flesh and blood can also be enemies.  Here is a list of human enemies from the Bible.  

1. You, yourself as a human being, were an enemy to the gospel and therefore to all those who preach the gospel.  Remember that you are not a spirit but a human being.  You are flesh and blood. 

"And YOU, that were sometime alienated and ENEMIES in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled."

Colossians 1:21

2. Men living in your own household can be enemies.  A foe is an enemy. 

"And A MAN’S FOES shall be they of his own HOUSEHOLD."

 Matthew 10:36

   

3. People that hate you are your enemies. 

   

"That we should be saved from OUR ENEMIES, and from the hand of all that hate us;"

 Luke 1:71

   

 4. There are men (not spirits) who are your enemies and whom you are supposed to love and even lend money to.  You cannot lend money to a spirit.  You can only lend money to human beings. 

   

"But LOVE YE YOUR ENEMIES, and do good, and LEND, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."

 Luke 6:35

   

5. There are earthly-minded and fleshly men who are your enemies.  These earthly-minded men who love their bellies so much are obviously not spirits.  They are flesh and blood. 

"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things."

Philippians 3:18-19

Excerpt from:

A Good General

Bishop Dag Heward-Mills