Know the Enemy and Fight Accordingly - Ron & Nathele Graham twotug@embarqmail.com
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Timothy 3:1. A person would have to be in complete denial to not see that we are, indeed, witnessing very perilous times. The Greek word "chalepos" is translated "perilous" and, in context, it means: hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage. Have you read the news lately? The perilous times are here. Paul wrote this letter to his young friend Timothy who was the pastor in Ephesus, but he includes a message that spans the ages and is directed to the "last days". These are indeed the last days and we live in perilous times, but how many preachers warn against the evil? The Bible warns us, but many of today's Christians think everything is peachy keen with no problems and that everything is just fine.
Turn on the news and read of the horrific crimes that are committed by the Muslim world, but where is the outrage against it? If the President of the United States wasn't a Muslim, perhaps there would be more of an outcry. There are shootings on college campuses, in shopping malls, on military bases but rather than blame the person who pulls the trigger the blame is put upon the gun. How ridiculous is that? Not long ago I watched a news report that was horrifying. A mother dangled her 2 year old son over a cheetah pit and dropped him in. Both parents jumped into the pit to rescue the boy. Thank God the cheetahs did not attack. What would possess a mother to endanger her child? Possess is the key word....demons are real. Three news reporters presented this story, two men and a woman. The men couldn't stop making jokes about it. One man thought it would make the boy more macho. The other man thought it would have been better to have dropped the boy off at a racy nightclub in New York called The Cheetah Pit and that would have really made him a man. It's no wonder there is no outrage against evil; it's become a joking matter.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" 1 Timothy 4:1. Paul's warnings about the latter times are correct. People shun Christianity and are no longer ashamed of embracing the doctrines of devils. Satan has slowly inserted his lies into Christian thinking and we just ignore evil hoping it will go away. It won't. Demonic activity is alive today just as it was when Jesus cast them out of people. Most preachers don't preach about the evil that surrounds us, resulting in watered down Christian teaching allowing evil to grow stronger. Today we give evil a title, treat it with psychotherapy, and soothe it with drugs. Let's not call it a demon, let's just say mentally disturbed. Brothers and sisters, we are living in the last days and the perilous times are here. We must be fit for this spiritual battle.
During Noah's day evil possessed all of creation and God sent a worldwide flood because of it. The same evil of Noah's time is again permeating all of God's creation and judgment will soon come. Scripture tells us that all who have placed their hope in Jesus will be taken out of the way of this judgment prior to Daniel's 70th week. That gives us hope and comfort but many Christians just don't care or they don't believe it. They are blinded by the watered down teaching of God's word. "And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:4-7. Soon every evil thing will be revealed, including some very strange goings on that haven't been seen for thousands of years. Jesus said when He returns (His second coming, not the Rapture) it would be like the days of Noah. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37. The horrible corruption that occurred prior to the Flood took hundreds of years to corrupt all life except for Noah and his family. Satan is at it again and his evil is waxing stronger daily.
Satan was filled with pride and full of lies. "...He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44. Those same lies affect the world today. He might wrap sin in a pretty package, but the ugly truth is that it always leads to destruction. The angels who followed him in rebellion to God corrupted the entire creation. "The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose." Genesis 6:2. Hybrids filled the earth and God sent the Flood to destroy these unholy creatures. I am not going into a long explanation of Genesis chapter six, but suffice it to say that this account has been twisted by satanic influence to make God look like the one who was evil. Satan would have us believe that the supposedly godly sons of Seth married the naughty girls of Cain and this caused God to destroy every man, woman, child, and all things on the earth. If you believe this then you really don't know God.
Did you ever wonder where demons originated? Did God create this pure evil and send it out into an innocent world to possess and destroy man? When the fallen angels (sons of God) and human women (daughters of man) had offspring, they were neither angel nor human. They were hybrids in both body and spirit. Upon death the souls of these ungodly creatures couldn't enter Paradise and looked for a place to take up residence. Hence, demon possession. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12. Our enemy is supernatural, so must our weapons be supernatural. " Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.". Ephesians 6:13. God is our defense. In this life we must always be prepared for satanic deception and the demonic attacks of the enemy. What's going on in the realm of the supernatural is now spilling over into our dimension and becoming visible to the human eye. You must put on God's supernatural weapons of war.
Most of the demonic phenomenon occurring these days is ignored and brushed aside because of a lack of knowledge, belief, or even interest. Some of this ignorance might even be generated by fear. Not only fear of the demonic itself, but fear that believing demonic forces exist might not be what a Christian should think about. If God wanted you to be ignorant of this evil He wouldn't have allowed so much about it in His word. Not only does He say it is around us, but He tells us how to fight it. First, don't open the door for it to enter. Drugs are weapons of Satan. They numb your mind and you cannot fight the enemy when in a drug induced stupor. In our society today give our children on drugs at a very young age. If little Johnny has too much energy, we give him drugs instead of discipline to stop him from bothering us. Horoscopes are satanic, so don't read them. Ouija boards are not entertainment, but a portal to evil. Yoga invites evil spirits to enter us. "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Don't open doors.
Draw closer to God. Study your Bible and don't have a "that was then and this is now" attitude. Every word is there for your edification so make it a part of you...let it rule your life. When God's word says not to be a part of abhorrent lifestyles, He means it. When he says to not be yoked with unbelievers, He means it. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" Romans 1:18. God's wrath will come against those who hold back His truth. If you don't study His word because you are afraid it might warn against a sin you enjoy, then you are on Satan's side. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15. When Christians don't study and understand God's word, Satan has the advantage.
Always pray. Prayer is a powerful resource for Christians, but is often ignored. There are some wonderful prayer warriors around, but most Christians don't bother to pray, or when they do pray little thought goes into it. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16. Worship services usually include a time for prayer requests and then a minute or so is spent asking God to be with those who have lost loved ones or are ill. Don't misunderstand, these things need to be taken to God. The problem is that a quick prayer is said and off we go to sing the next hymn. When was the last time a prayer request was made regarding spiritual warfare and demonic activity? When was the last time that Holy Spirit inspired prayer was prayed, calling on God's power to come against the demons lurking behind our government, entertainment, public schools, news agencies, etc.? When was the last time you really prayed for a new convert who has invited Christ into their life but now needs to come away from the sin of which they've been forgiven? Do you know someone with a drug addiction? If so, don't just pray a quick "God help my neighbor with his drug problem" then move on. Go "boldly unto the throne of grace" and linger there in prayer. Spend 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or even an hour before God's throne. Boldly pray for old and new believers. Pray for government leaders...pray against the evil power that wants to rule them. Prayer is powerful. Go before the throne of God in prayer.
Before we accept Christ as our Saviour we are blind to Satan's ways, but once we accept Christ we need to learn Biblical truth, and that includes recognizing Satan's ways. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesians 2:1-3. Don't be in denial that evil supernatural exists. More importantly don't deny that God is more powerful than any evil. Satan will soon show his hand - reveal what he's up to. He and his minions of evil are obsessed with prevailing against God, and Christians are asleep. Satan believes if he can disrupt the plan of God by deceiving the masses that God will be made a fool and a liar. God is neither a fool nor a liar. Satan is a deceptive liar and the father of lies. Don't be deceived. He twisted God's words in the Garden of Eden and mankind was expelled because Satan's lies were believed over God's truth. He is still twisting God's truth and people still believe his lies. We fight a battle against the supernatural, but we don't admit there is evil supernatural to fight. Satan wants it that way.
These are very dark times and we are in a battle that may not be over soon enough. There may be many casualties before Christ removes His ekklesia (the called out body of Christ), then again we may be Raptured before you finish reading this commentary. Whatever the case, Jesus tells us to be spiritually prepared for the spiritual battle.
Know the enemy and fight accordingly.
God bless you all,
Ron & Nathele Graham
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." 2 Timothy 3:1. A person would have to be in complete denial to not see that we are, indeed, witnessing very perilous times. The Greek word "chalepos" is translated "perilous" and, in context, it means: hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage. Have you read the news lately? The perilous times are here. Paul wrote this letter to his young friend Timothy who was the pastor in Ephesus, but he includes a message that spans the ages and is directed to the "last days". These are indeed the last days and we live in perilous times, but how many preachers warn against the evil? The Bible warns us, but many of today's Christians think everything is peachy keen with no problems and that everything is just fine.
Turn on the news and read of the horrific crimes that are committed by the Muslim world, but where is the outrage against it? If the President of the United States wasn't a Muslim, perhaps there would be more of an outcry. There are shootings on college campuses, in shopping malls, on military bases but rather than blame the person who pulls the trigger the blame is put upon the gun. How ridiculous is that? Not long ago I watched a news report that was horrifying. A mother dangled her 2 year old son over a cheetah pit and dropped him in. Both parents jumped into the pit to rescue the boy. Thank God the cheetahs did not attack. What would possess a mother to endanger her child? Possess is the key word....demons are real. Three news reporters presented this story, two men and a woman. The men couldn't stop making jokes about it. One man thought it would make the boy more macho. The other man thought it would have been better to have dropped the boy off at a racy nightclub in New York called The Cheetah Pit and that would have really made him a man. It's no wonder there is no outrage against evil; it's become a joking matter.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" 1 Timothy 4:1. Paul's warnings about the latter times are correct. People shun Christianity and are no longer ashamed of embracing the doctrines of devils. Satan has slowly inserted his lies into Christian thinking and we just ignore evil hoping it will go away. It won't. Demonic activity is alive today just as it was when Jesus cast them out of people. Most preachers don't preach about the evil that surrounds us, resulting in watered down Christian teaching allowing evil to grow stronger. Today we give evil a title, treat it with psychotherapy, and soothe it with drugs. Let's not call it a demon, let's just say mentally disturbed. Brothers and sisters, we are living in the last days and the perilous times are here. We must be fit for this spiritual battle.
During Noah's day evil possessed all of creation and God sent a worldwide flood because of it. The same evil of Noah's time is again permeating all of God's creation and judgment will soon come. Scripture tells us that all who have placed their hope in Jesus will be taken out of the way of this judgment prior to Daniel's 70th week. That gives us hope and comfort but many Christians just don't care or they don't believe it. They are blinded by the watered down teaching of God's word. "And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3:4-7. Soon every evil thing will be revealed, including some very strange goings on that haven't been seen for thousands of years. Jesus said when He returns (His second coming, not the Rapture) it would be like the days of Noah. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37. The horrible corruption that occurred prior to the Flood took hundreds of years to corrupt all life except for Noah and his family. Satan is at it again and his evil is waxing stronger daily.
Satan was filled with pride and full of lies. "...He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44. Those same lies affect the world today. He might wrap sin in a pretty package, but the ugly truth is that it always leads to destruction. The angels who followed him in rebellion to God corrupted the entire creation. "The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose." Genesis 6:2. Hybrids filled the earth and God sent the Flood to destroy these unholy creatures. I am not going into a long explanation of Genesis chapter six, but suffice it to say that this account has been twisted by satanic influence to make God look like the one who was evil. Satan would have us believe that the supposedly godly sons of Seth married the naughty girls of Cain and this caused God to destroy every man, woman, child, and all things on the earth. If you believe this then you really don't know God.
Did you ever wonder where demons originated? Did God create this pure evil and send it out into an innocent world to possess and destroy man? When the fallen angels (sons of God) and human women (daughters of man) had offspring, they were neither angel nor human. They were hybrids in both body and spirit. Upon death the souls of these ungodly creatures couldn't enter Paradise and looked for a place to take up residence. Hence, demon possession. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12. Our enemy is supernatural, so must our weapons be supernatural. " Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.". Ephesians 6:13. God is our defense. In this life we must always be prepared for satanic deception and the demonic attacks of the enemy. What's going on in the realm of the supernatural is now spilling over into our dimension and becoming visible to the human eye. You must put on God's supernatural weapons of war.
Most of the demonic phenomenon occurring these days is ignored and brushed aside because of a lack of knowledge, belief, or even interest. Some of this ignorance might even be generated by fear. Not only fear of the demonic itself, but fear that believing demonic forces exist might not be what a Christian should think about. If God wanted you to be ignorant of this evil He wouldn't have allowed so much about it in His word. Not only does He say it is around us, but He tells us how to fight it. First, don't open the door for it to enter. Drugs are weapons of Satan. They numb your mind and you cannot fight the enemy when in a drug induced stupor. In our society today give our children on drugs at a very young age. If little Johnny has too much energy, we give him drugs instead of discipline to stop him from bothering us. Horoscopes are satanic, so don't read them. Ouija boards are not entertainment, but a portal to evil. Yoga invites evil spirits to enter us. "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Don't open doors.
Draw closer to God. Study your Bible and don't have a "that was then and this is now" attitude. Every word is there for your edification so make it a part of you...let it rule your life. When God's word says not to be a part of abhorrent lifestyles, He means it. When he says to not be yoked with unbelievers, He means it. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" Romans 1:18. God's wrath will come against those who hold back His truth. If you don't study His word because you are afraid it might warn against a sin you enjoy, then you are on Satan's side. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15. When Christians don't study and understand God's word, Satan has the advantage.
Always pray. Prayer is a powerful resource for Christians, but is often ignored. There are some wonderful prayer warriors around, but most Christians don't bother to pray, or when they do pray little thought goes into it. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16. Worship services usually include a time for prayer requests and then a minute or so is spent asking God to be with those who have lost loved ones or are ill. Don't misunderstand, these things need to be taken to God. The problem is that a quick prayer is said and off we go to sing the next hymn. When was the last time a prayer request was made regarding spiritual warfare and demonic activity? When was the last time that Holy Spirit inspired prayer was prayed, calling on God's power to come against the demons lurking behind our government, entertainment, public schools, news agencies, etc.? When was the last time you really prayed for a new convert who has invited Christ into their life but now needs to come away from the sin of which they've been forgiven? Do you know someone with a drug addiction? If so, don't just pray a quick "God help my neighbor with his drug problem" then move on. Go "boldly unto the throne of grace" and linger there in prayer. Spend 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or even an hour before God's throne. Boldly pray for old and new believers. Pray for government leaders...pray against the evil power that wants to rule them. Prayer is powerful. Go before the throne of God in prayer.
Before we accept Christ as our Saviour we are blind to Satan's ways, but once we accept Christ we need to learn Biblical truth, and that includes recognizing Satan's ways. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesians 2:1-3. Don't be in denial that evil supernatural exists. More importantly don't deny that God is more powerful than any evil. Satan will soon show his hand - reveal what he's up to. He and his minions of evil are obsessed with prevailing against God, and Christians are asleep. Satan believes if he can disrupt the plan of God by deceiving the masses that God will be made a fool and a liar. God is neither a fool nor a liar. Satan is a deceptive liar and the father of lies. Don't be deceived. He twisted God's words in the Garden of Eden and mankind was expelled because Satan's lies were believed over God's truth. He is still twisting God's truth and people still believe his lies. We fight a battle against the supernatural, but we don't admit there is evil supernatural to fight. Satan wants it that way.
These are very dark times and we are in a battle that may not be over soon enough. There may be many casualties before Christ removes His ekklesia (the called out body of Christ), then again we may be Raptured before you finish reading this commentary. Whatever the case, Jesus tells us to be spiritually prepared for the spiritual battle.
Know the enemy and fight accordingly.
God bless you all,
Ron & Nathele Graham
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