As Christians, we live in this world with our fair share of trials and tribulations. Nothing is given to us in a silver platter and we have to work for what we want to achieve. God has promised us abundance, protection and a happy life but as His children, we need to prove that we can overcome these obstacles and that we are indeed faithful enough to hang onto Him even when things get rough.
The three enemies we should watch out for are:
1. The Devil
We all know the Devil; we’ve encountered him day in and day out in one form or another. He is there during our darkest, lowest moments, lurking, waiting to take us into his possession when we are at our weakest. However, he is also there at our highest and brightest, standing by just in case life becomes difficult again.
Although, there really is no reason to fear the Devil. According to Revelations 20:10, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
2. The Earth
We, as a society, are far from perfect. As a Christian, you need to look out for:
a. People pleasing or putting people in a pedestal where God should be.
b. Off ambitions where we get so caught up in achieving greatness that we forget the power of the real Savior.
c. Idolatry or the worshiping of trivial idols other than God.
As 1 John 2:15 best states it, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”
3. Yourself
Perhaps there is nothing more difficult than battling oneself when you is all you have. According to Romans 7:15-16, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.”
Some things we need to look out for are:
a. Pride
b. Perfectionism
c. Pretending
d. Burn-out
e. Being out of focus
How to Fight the Enemies
For the devil, all you need is to aware when his presence is near. That is when you need to hold onto the Lord that much more.
For the Earth, remember that nothing of this world is worth praising because nothing in this Earth is real. Only God and God alone is what is real and perfect.
And as for yourself, never forget that you do not belong to yourself; that you belong to the Lord and the Lord alone. He will renew all that was lost in you.
