Who's the Real Enemy?

If the enemy of your soul can captivate your mind, he can steer the ship of your life! He'll try to do this by continually giving you thoughts that absorb your thinking processes. This can lead to obsessive focus on a problem or obsessive behaviors.

When we're wronged, struggling with our past, or have done something to wrong others, our minds will continually go to that spot and the people involved unless we make a concerted effort to stay focused on Christ! This is how we are subtly turned from worshiping God to worshiping a circumstance and using God to either justify our feelings or condemn those involved in the circumstance.

The Word says we do not wrestle with flesh and blood (the people involved in our hurts and problems), but we have a spiritual battle raging with the enemy - taking it out on people or allowing our minds to be captivated with the battle will not win it (Eph 6:12). There are wicked spiritual principalities and powers behind every battle: this is why we must fight with spiritual weapons. These battles begin in the spiritual realm and then manifest in the natural realm - and this is the way we must handle them if we want to conquer the enemy through Christ!

Here are some simplified steps to battle by the Spirit instead of the flesh:
-ask the Lord to show you where you are at fault - then repent
-turn your heart and mind to the Lord-read His word and worship Him. This will also help you take every thought captive! (1 Cor 10)
-keep the process of sanctification (becoming holy and Christlike) actively moving forward. If the enemy finds an open door of sin in our lives he will use it to attack us
-ask the Lord if this is your battle - are you to fight this or are you involved in something that's not yours? Understand that the battle has the ultimate goal of bringing the light of Christ by submitting to His plan. Vengeance belongs to the Lord - that is not our goal!
-Allow Him to guide you every step of the way-don't take action in the natural realm (the flesh) without His guidance.

It is much better to err on the side of grace than to battle viciously and be sorry for it later-forgiveness and grace are often powerful tools that still the power of the enemy! God will put His plan into place and bring victory as we submit to Him. The process of obtaining that victory will eventually make us stronger, wiser and more dependent on Him.

For we are not battling against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness manifesting in our world. Therefore put on the whole armor of God - put your entire heart, mind and body in Christ, completely focused on him, and you will be able to not only stand, but conquer! (Eph 6:12-13 paraphrased)