Sleeping With The Enemy

This is the title of a 1991 psychological thriller movie, starring Julie Roberts.  The plot of the movie revolves around a woman who fakes her own death to escape from her abusive, compulsive husband, moving from Cape Cod to Cedar Falls, Iowa.  Her husband, however, figures out that she is not dead, following her to Iowa and stalking her. 

You’re thinking: How is this relevant to the theme of these blogs?  Well, this is very similar to how we interact with Satan.  We think that we have escaped from his grip because we have been saved; not being cognizant of the realization that he is still very active and stalking us.  Satan has been defeated; BUT, he is still very active.  Many Christians, wrongly, believe that God will fight Satan for us.  This is not scriptural.  We are told: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  We must do the resisting. 

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. (KJV)

This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. (The Message)

We are in a battle not a game.  Even football games, have a game plan and each team scouts out the opponent, more so, in a battle.  In every battle, each side studies their enemy.  Satan is the enemy.  Jesus confronted him daily.  We are to continue His work.  The church must bind Satan.

“I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

When is the last time your minister talked about the enemy.  Would any coach or general not teach their team or soldiers about the enemy.  Hollywood spends more time talking about the devil, demons and spirits than the average preacher.

Again read Jesus’ charge to the twelve and the seventy.

Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, some people don’t know anything is happening. 

Which are you?