Many thanks to everyone who participated in the voting for the cover of An Enemy Lies Within. Cover #3 received slightly more votes that Cover #1. We are hoping to have the eBook available by the end of the year; your prayers are appreciated. The following is an excerpt from the book.
The Hidden Enemy
“The devil made me do it”, popularized by Flip Wilson in the 1970s, has found its way into the American church. It’s the way we like to think. The devil is our most popular enemy.
If we cannot blame the devil, there is always the world to point our finger at. Our government is a particularly favorite scapegoat. I experienced this several years ago while discussing the decline of Christian values in society with a brother in the Lord. Expressing a genuine and deep-seated frustration, he pointed in the direction of Washington, D.C. and said, “If they just hadn’t taken prayer out of school!”
I started to agree and then it occurred to me: If Christian parents taught their children the importance of prayer before every meal (and every class), prayer would still be in school. If Christian parents encouraged their children that God answers their prayers, students would be praying for every sick friend and teacher. God would be glorified!
Only Christians have the power to take prayer out of school. Depending on the government to keep it there is submitting to the wrong authority. Pointing our fingers at the government is blame-shifting. It’s all a bunch of bad thinking – and we don’t think twice about it.
It is time we came to terms with the enemy that lies within. It is time we recognized that we have three – not two – enemies trying to deceive us.
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:9
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” Matthew 24:4
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. James 1:26
Satan and the world are known enemies of mankind. They affront and attack us on a continual basis. Much has been written and preached on the dangers of their deceptions. Honestly, we have no excuses for the way they are oppressing and overwhelming the church.
They would not be so successful without a hidden ally in the camp.
It is true that the devil is the most powerful of our enemies; and it is true that the world has great influence in our lives. However, we have been crucified to the world; it has no power over us. And as powerful as he may be, the Devil must flee from those that resist him.
The carnal mind has been our greatest enemy all along. Not only does it reside within the camp – mostly hidden from our observation – but we have given it the place of trusted advisor. We regularly turn to our carnal mind for solutions and reasoning about one thing or another. The carnal mind has ready access to whisper into our souls – to stir up fears and false hopes. It leverages ego and id to maintain control and influence.
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1:14-15
The carnal mind is enemy #1!
God bless you with wisdom and courage to oppose your carnal mind; and the grace to overcome it.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob