RECOGNITION OF THE ENEMY GOD WILL USE TO PROMOTE YOU

Hi people!

Hope you had a wonderful week, as I did.

I thank God for friends and family, they are God’s gift to us in times of trouble and difficulty. The proverb rings true, ”A friend is made for all times, and a brother born for adversity.” A toast to them!

Before I begin, let me celebrate you. Thank you for taking the time to come” listen” to my musing… it’s the audience that makes the artist. Thank you!

I am currently reviewing Robert Greene’s The Art of Seduction: 24 Laws of Persuasion, (I have to catch my breath, what a book!) I was tempted to blog it first, but, in keeping with my emphasis in the last blog (the Shepherd preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies), allow me to share with you some of the insight I gained from a chapter on the same from Mike Murdock’s The Law of Recognition.

I chose to share this chapter (and that on the Recognition of your Dominant Weakness- to be posted later) with the understanding that life can be a battle field, and in this season of war, the best intelligence mechanisms demand that you know the roles each character is playing in the theatre of your life and adjust accordingly, lest you be caught unawares.

Btw, this blog is pretty long…

Hope you will enjoy:

Baraka:
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Even Jesus had enemies, he always had enemies. An uncommon achiever must recognize an adversary:
The common resent the uncommon
The impure despise the pure
The unholy despise the holy
The lazy despise the diligent.

THREE FACTS JESUS REVEALED ABOUT ENEMIES:

1.Jesus expected his disciples to stir enemies: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake.” (Matt 22) “The disciple is not above his master, nor is the servant above his lord. It enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they called the master of the House of Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household?” (Matt 10:24, 25)

2.Jesus instructed his disciples to anticipate enemies. Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves, be ye wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Mat 10:16)

3.Jesus warned his disciples ahead of time that men would become their enemies: “But beware of men, for they will deliver you to councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues: and ye shall be brought before governors for my sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles (Mat 10;17-18) Jesus did not merely warn them of the devil, he warned them of men.

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR ENEMIES:

1.You will always have an enemy (Mat 22)

2.Your enemy is someone who tries to sabotage the assignment God has for you (Gal 5:7-9, Deut 13:6,8,9)

3.Your enemy is any person who resents your desire for increase and the reward it brings. (1 Sam 17:28)

4.Your enemy is anyone unhappy about your progress. Nehemiah faced this, Ezra faced this. They had accusations and letters written against them.

5.Your enemy is anyone who increases or strengthens a personal weakness God is attempting to remove from your life. A Delilah, perhaps (Judges 16)

6.Your enemy is anyone attempting to kill the faith God is birthing within you. God may be birthing your ministry. Your vision may be exploding. Your enemy is any person who makes any attempt to abort the emergence of your dream, calling or assignment.

7.Your enemy is anyone who would discuss your past rather than your future. Yesterday is in the tomb,(Isaiah 43:18-19) tomorrow is in the womb.

8.Your enemy is someone who weakens your passion for your future and your dream. The ten spies were used by the enemy to weaken the resolve of Moses to enter Canaan. The crowd instructed the blind man to be quiet.

9.Your enemy is anyone who attacks the weak around you. Some people in your life are too weak to discern a trap. They are blinded by personality, looks or even blessing.

10.Your enemy is someone of your own household “And a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. (Matt 14:36)

11.Your enemy should not be feared. “And fear not them, which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both the body and soul in hell. (Matt 10:28)

12.The perfect will of God is your deliverance from your enemy. “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for not all have the faith” (2 Thes 3:2)

13.The Holy Spirit will provide answers concerning the enemy. “The Holy Spirit will tell you what to speak” (Mat 10:28)

14.Your enemy is often discerned ahead of time by your mentor (Luke 22:31-32)

15.Your fasting can move the hand of God in destroying your enemy (Joel 2:15, 19, 20)

16.God will fight against your enemy. “The LORD your God will fight for you, you need only be still” (Deut 20:9)

17. Your enemy is not all that (i just had to throw that in...)

18.Your enemy will not be allowed by God to win. (Psalms 118:6) The LORD is on my side, I do not fear. What can man do to me?

19.Your enemy is a natural and necessary part of your life. (John 15:19-21)

20.Satan is your eternal enemy, (Eph 6:12) we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers, and world rulers of this present darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

21.You cannot defeat your enemy with your own strength. (2 Corinthians 3:5) “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves, our sufficiency is of God…”

22.God expects you to prepare your defense against your enemy (Eph 6:10, 11) finally brethren, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the evil day, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore…”

23.Overcoming your enemy is key to your rewards (Rev 3:5, 12)

24.The spoils of war, not your enemy, must remain your focus. (Rev 3:21, I Peter 4:13-14)

25.You will always have a warfare companion during every battle with your enemy (Isaiah 43:1-2) “I will be with you…”

26.Your enemy provides God an opportunity to reveal his commitment to you (2 Cor 12:9, 10) My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in your weakness…”

27.The wisdom of conquering your enemy will be imparted to you in the place of prayer (Psalms 27:5, 6)

28.You should never disclose in public the amount of damage done by your enemy. (Prov 29:11) “A fool uttereth all his mind; but a wise man keepeth it till afterwards…”

29.An uncommon enemy will require uncommon wisdom. James 1:5” If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God who gives liberally and without reproach…” (Psalm 119:98) “Through thy commandments, thou has made me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.”

30.You should never reveal your strategy against the enemy to those uncommitted to you or to your cause. (Prov 29: 11)” A fool uttereth all his mind…”

31.Your warfare with the enemy is always seasonal (Ecc 3:1,3,8) To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to love, a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace.”

32.Your greatest weapon against the enemy is the Word of God (Eph 6;17) And take the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

33.The Holy Spirit will teach you the principles of warfare against your enemy. Blessed be the LORD, my strength, which teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight (Psalms 144:1)

34.You must enter every battle against your enemy for purposes of bringing glory to God. (1 Sam 17;45, 46,47)

35.You should expect to win every battle against the enemy (1 Sam 17:46) “Then David said to the Philistine, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day will the LORD deliver you into mine hand: and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee: and I will give the carcasses of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel”

36. Your enemy is still not all that...

37.Your enemy will be opposed by God even when you are unable to defend yourself. (2 Chronicles 20:15, 17) The LORD is a man of war, the LORD of hosts is his name (Exodus 15:13)

38.Your enemy is often ignorant of your past victories which makes them vulnerable and unprepared for you. Goliath did not know that David had fought the lion and the bear.

39.Your enemy, when aware of your past victories, becomes more fearful of you. Remember what Rahab said about the children of Israel when they came to spy Jericho.

40.The Holy Spirit will reveal any snare prepared by your enemy (2 Cor 2:11) “Lest satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

41.The Holy Spirit is more powerful than any enemy you will ever face (1 John 1:14) “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”

42.Your enemies will never discern the protective wall of angels surrounding you in battle (Psalms 34:7)

43.Your enemy can not withstand the weapon of praise during times of battle (Psalms 34:7)

44.Your enemy reveals by his attacks that he is fully persuaded by your ability to obtain your goal. (Phil 4:13)

45.Your enemy will attack you at the birth of any significant season of your life (Mat 4, Luke 4, Daniel 9)

46.Jesus instructed his disciples to sow seeds of love, prayer and acts of kindness into the enemy (Mat 5:44, 45)

47.Loving your enemies will create a great reward. (Mat 5:46, Luke 6:35)

48.Any legal entanglement with your enemy should be avoided whenever possible (Matt 5:25,26)

49.An enemy causes movement in your life. Without Pharaoh, the Israelites would have adapted to Egypt.

50.When God has used up the benefits of your present season, he assigns the enemy to become your exit from that season.

51.Your enemy is an announcement form God that your present season has come to a conclusion. Goliath marked David’s shift from being a shepherd boy to a valiant warrior king.

52.Your enemy unleashes your imagination. When Pharaoh increased the pain and the burden on the Israelites, they began to picture the future, where they wanted to be. The Promised Land became a new target, Pain in your present is necessary to give birth to the dream God is developing.

53.Your enemy exposes your weakness. Awareness of your weakness births humility. Humility is a magnet that attracts God and his angels.

54.Your enemy reveals your limitations. When you realize your limitations, begin looking for the solution in those near you. Whatever you lack, God has carefully stored it in someone near you.When your enemy comes, he often exhausts your strength, your creativity and your ideas. This usually launches a search to find heavenly treasure stored in an earthen vessel near you. Remember, love is the secret code for that treasure.

55.Your enemy unifies your friends.

56.The Holy Spirit will often bring conviction to your enemies “who will have all men saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim 2:4, Acts 16:29, 30, 2 Peter 3:9)

57. Your enemy is still not all that!

58.Your enemy today could possibly become your greatest ally tomorrow. Remember Saul the Persecutor turned to Paul the Apostle (Acts 9:13, 15)

59.Your enemy may be suddenly confronted by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9:3-5)

60.Your enemy might experience a sudden change of heart. (Acts 9:6)

61.Your enemy may completely turn around because of a tragedy or crisis (Acts 9:8,9)

62.Your enemy is a door, not a wall, to your next season. It happened to Esther. It happened to Daniel. It happened to job. It can happen for your elevation and increase.

63.The only true difference between a nobody and somebody is the enemy they decide to conquer (1 Sam 18:6, 7)

64.Your enemy is the difference between obscurity and significance. ( 1 Sam 18, 6,7)

65.The size of your enemy determines the size of your rewards (1 Sam 17:4-7, 25)

66.Your enemy forces any Judas in your life to reveal himself. Judas is not your enemy. Everybody has a Judas. Judas are intimidated by you. They work undercover. They betray you behind your back. Judas resents the love and loyalty expressed by others toward you. A Judas is someone who believes your enemy has a right to be heard. A Judas plays both parts: in your presence, a friend, in their presence a friend. When your enemy enters, he will bond with the Judas in your circle of confidants. Your Judas will be exposed quickly when your enemy bonds with them. (BTW: Do not be afraid when your Judas will be revealed, the sacrifice will be swift and in three days, you will resurrect with power!)

67.Anything good will always have an enemy: Evil despises righteousness, fear despises faith, and weakness despises strength. Jesus was the very Son of God, yet the religious crowd despised them.

68.You will only be remembered for the enemy you destroy- or the enemy who destroys you. Samson is remembered coz Delilah destroyed him. David is remembered for the Goliath he killed.

69.Your enemy can not abort your future- he is merely an announcement that your future is being birthed. When goliath roared his challenge, David was receiving his announcement that his shepherd days are over, and that his kingship was being born!

70.Your enemy is as necessary as your friend.(Think about that...) Your friend gives you comfort, your enemy gives you future.

71.Your enemy is your opportunity to highlight your difference from others. The brothers of David were angry, fearful and intimidated. Nobody would have discerned the difference in David…without Goliath. Your enemy is an opportunity to reveal what you believe.

72.When you discover your assignment, you will discover your enemy. Demonic warfare is a sign that the enemy has discovered the intentions God has for you. Demons are not omnipresent; they cannot be everywhere simultaneously. They receive geographical assignments. It took 21 days for Daniels reply to reach him (Daniel 10:12) Question: where do you assign a security guard? Fifty miles from a bank vault? Of course not! He is assigned where the treasure us located. So when you feel demonic pressure around you, get excited. Satan is anticipating a miracle package arriving your way. Warfare is an attempt to break your focus and abort the interest in the miracle.

73. It hasn't changed; Your enemy is STILL NOT all that...

74.The favorite entry point used by your enemy will usually be through someone you have chosen to trust. Your future depends on the weakness of the people you have chosen to trust. (Selah)Everybody trusts somebody- and that someone you are trusting usually trusts someone you would not think of trusting. Adam’s trust in Eve opened the door for the serpent. Samson trusted Delilah (And look at what that brought him- a new definition of the saying “love is blind...”) Your enemy will ALWAYS use someone you have chosen to trust.

75.The enemy you fail to destroy will eventually destroy you. The prophet Samuel instructed King Saul to annihilate the Amalekites. He refused and spared the best of the sheep, their women (they were real hotties, I presume, or that dude took a crazy risk for nothing) and their King Agag (watch who you call your brother- just because they are in the same class as you are does not mean you’r e tight- Reserve the term brother for those whom you are bound by covenant to) Let’s just say, there happened to be an Amalekite handy to finish off the suicide he had attempted, the very Amalekite he had the chance to destroy. (Moral of the story: when God sends you on a seek-and- destroy mission, please, take no captives…)

76.You will never outgrow your enemy; you simply have to learn to fight! Many people think that they will outgrow their desire to sin. Not gonna happen. The desire to sin will forever (within the scope of time) be available. You must simply learn how to fight back.

77.Struggle is the proof that you have not yet conquered by the enemy. You will be tired of fighting. Battle may weary you, but struggle is proof that your enemy has not won.

78.Your enemy must be destroyed, not understood. Conversation is often the door of annihilation. It happened in the Garden of Eden. Satan moved Eve to the negotiation table to prepare them for alienation. Moral of the story: Negotiate with friends, destroy your enemy.

79.Your enemy will not seek to understand you, but to discredit you. This especially applies to when you are dealing with the media. So do not comment unless they promise you in writing to publish exactly what you say and they hand you an unedited copy of the interview’s recordings-it may sound a bit too harsh…but hey, a good name is better: its your responsibility to guard it.

80.When God completes a season in your life, he will always harden the heart of an enemy toward you. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened towards the children of Israel. What you think is an enemy trying to stop you is God’s way of boot kicking you into the next season.

81.Your enemy causes good people to find you. Many times, ministers have become unnoticed and unrecognized. But during a season of attack, people who discerned the truth became aware of them and bonded with them. Bad times always bring good people together.

82.Your enemy causes unused and dormant gift to emerge. Adversity will expose hidden greatness within you. The brothers of David were totally blind to his difference from them.

83.Any uncontested enemy will flourish. Ignoring an enemy does not remove him. Hoping your enemy will leave does not remove him. You must contest your enemy. Resist the enemy and he will flee from you. (James 4;7)

84.Your enemy will often vary the weapons and strategy he uses against you. What he uses when you are a teenager will vary from when you are older.

85.The reaction of your enemy is proof of your progress. When your enemy is anxious he knows that his time is limited.

86.Any move you make in the right direction will be instantly addressed by the enemy.

87. He is still not all that.

88.Your enemy will ultimately reveal the greatness of God to you. Your hear may doubt, your mind may be confused, but in a crisis, God will expose his power and love toward you. An enemy gives him the opportunity to do so.

89.Your enemy may enter your life under the guise of friendship. An enemy who uses this avenue will come in quietly and begin to waken your life like termites to a wooden building.

90.An enemy will often ignore protocol and an established chain of authority. Rebellion is at the hear of an enemy. He despises the order of God. Aggressiveness, by the way, is not always proof of desire. Respect protocol where you find it…

91.Your enemy must be exposed. When there is a liar in your circle, expose them. You owe that to those under your protection. However, a word of caution: you are responsible for every person you destroy. You are also responsible for every person you permit to be destroyed.

92.Your enemy will attempt to involve you in unnecessary battles which promise little or no reward. Battles drain your energy. They break your focus and empty your resources.(Child of God, develop a battle assessment tool- a way of determining the cost and the benefit of each and every battle you would engage in so as to determine whether it is worth your while, Sometimes, it is better to sue for peace while preparing war. Always engage when you are absolutely sure you will win, and when the rewards will outweigh the cost, not just break even.)

93.Your enemy should be confronted in the timing of the Spirit with the right spiritual weaponry


94.An uncommon enemy can be defeated through uncommon endurance. Child of God learn how to stick it out in the long haul. Dig in, build and plant yourself there until your assignment is accomplished. God requires endurance. “And ye shall be hated by men for my names sake, but he that endures to the end shall be saved.” (Matt 10:22)

95.It is wise to avoid confrontation with your enemy when possible. Jesus did and advised us to do this. “But when they persecute you in this city, flee to another” (Mat 10;23) Fleeing does not demonstrate fear, but wisdom to sustain your life and ministry and retain your focus.

96.It is wise to make peace with your enemy when possible. “But I say to you, resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man sue thee at law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee ton go with him one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of thee, and from them that would borrow from thee turn not away (Mat 5:39)
Never use a tank to kill a mosquito.

Always remember, enemies are bridges, not barricades.

Recognition of the enemy God uses to promote you will prevent destruction and increase the protection of those you love.

(I know this has been a Methuselah (to mean long) type of blog. I pray you will be able to pick one or two things that will not only change your rules of engagement, but ensure more clear cut and glorious victories in your life.)

The LORD be with you….

Shalom.