ENEMY

 

WE ARE AT WAR

·       
  Enemy: a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

·        A hostile nation or its armed forces or citizens, especially in time of war.

·        A thing that harms or weakens something else.

An enemy can come in many forms and instruments.  One type of enemy is in reference to a nation, or armed forces in time of war, is what I want to dig into deeper. We have an enemy whether you believe in God or not is not so much as a concern to this invisible army. As a matter of fact if you don’t believe it makes his job so much easier. He has 3 objectives that consumes and drives him and that is to kill, steal and destroy you, by any means necessary. John 10:10- The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.

So I looked up the strategic ways the enemy comes and was shocked to see that this is exactly how he is working his devices against us. Now the research was done assuming the enemy is an army and these are the military tactics that came up and that the enemy is using. I was shocked because it is happening now, in the world and in your home. Ephesians 6:12- 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. Let’s see if you can relate.

1. Air Superiority- We see this now with inappropriate scenes and language in television/radio, biased/false news reports. Occult/masonic symbols being used everywhere, the removal of God, in schools, workplaces, buildings, statues, and literature.

Attrition Warfare- A strategy of wearing down the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous loss of personnel and material. Used to defeat enemies with low resources and high morale. Loss of loved ones, jobs, houses, finances, businesses are attacked. Leaving you discouraged, stressed, worried about how you are going pull through this.

Bait and Bleed-to induce rival states to engage in a protracted war of attrition against each other, also known as “Divide and Conquer”. It is not just the body of Christ but also the Countries, Races, Religions fighting against each other believing that each other is evil and condemning while the true enemy watches.

Coercion- Compelling the enemy to involuntarily behave in a certain way by targeting the leadership, national communications, or political-economic centers. Our Religious leaders, Presidents, Politicians, are in scandals of all sorts, from immorality, to embezzlement, to lying and deceiving the public. Our Law and Justice forces are made up of some that have corrupted, abused and neglected the system leading to the mistrust, and loss of respect of their citizens.

Decapitation- Achieving strategic paralysis by targeting political leadership, command and control, strategic weapons, and critical economic nodes. So when there is no order in the Political offices: protests arise, in the Churches: attendance to church drops; prayers lessen and in some cases cease and have turned away from the faith. In Law and Justice: opposition to those in authority, resentment, and mistrust are forefront with good reason. Homelessness is at our nations highest.

Deception- A strategy that seeks to deceive, trick, or fool the enemy and create a false perception in a way that can be leveraged for a military advantage.  One way is to get you to believe there is no enemy. That there isn’t the spirit of the anti-Christ working behind the scenes with a movement ushering in the last days before Christ’s coming. Keeping you blinded with scales on your eyes in disbelief because your intelligence tells you that things like that are unrealistic, not logical, and mythical. And because it is hard for you to believe in something or someone you cannot see or hear, but what if you are wrong? The price of being wrong is too great and too late if you die first. Yet, in spite of what you believe, whether you believe in an enemy or not, God or not, HE sees you as a threat AND an enemy. And you, willingly or not, are his target with a bullseye.

Denial- A strategy that seeks to destroy the enemy's ability to wage war. See the above.

Distraction- An attack by some of the force on one or two flanks, drawing up to a strong frontal attack by the rest of the force.  I believe we see some of that as our youth are drawn to drugs, suicides, hopelessness, rebellion we are losing our children to external forces in America. Kidnappings, abuse, random mass killings, these are all assaults from the enemy breaking us down, shocking our senses. We have not yet seen the frontal attack. Guerrilla Tactics would also fall into this which would involve ambushing.

Incentive- A strategy that uses incentives to gain cooperation. We see that with the satanic symbols being used by celebrities and politicians to gain wealth, power and position.

Penetration- A direct attack through enemy lines, then an attack on the rear once through. This happens when we give in to temptations or traps of the enemy and once he gets in he wreaks havoc in our homes, marriages, relationships, businesses, our lives.

Persisting Strategy- A strategy that seeks to destroy the means by which the enemy sustains itself. If you don’t learn to encourage yourself, get strength for your mind and keep positive thoughts in them, the enemy feeds off negative thinking. A defeated mentality is a breeding ground for him, and he loves to attend a good pity party.

Punishment- A strategy that seeks to push a society beyond its economic and physiological breaking point. Look around……we have the nastiest Presidential campaign ever in history. Crowds from both parties are attacking and assaulting each other with racial innuendos. Then we have rogue police officers who are undisciplined, and have no business dealing with the public much less being armed doing it, and because of their actions have caused friction in communities across the nation. And radical Religious Sects that distort the love of Christ with accusations that belong to the evil doer of a single disturbed person. We would all be dead if we were judged by our sins, because every one of us have sinned and have fallen short. God is the God of mercy and second chances. Know who your enemy is.

Turning Maneuver- An attack that penetrates the enemy's flank, then curls into its rear to cut it off from home.  The enemy wants you to die not believing the truth, and cut off living an eternity with your creator.

Total War- War in which a nation's survival is at stake. Your life is at stake.

Don’t mistake a nuisance, a misunderstanding or ignorance for an enemy. Your enemy knows you and his name is Satan.

                                                  God Bless- L.G.London

THE POWER OF FORGIVING.

THE POWER OF FORGIVING.

Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender well.

Almost everyone you know has been hurt by words or actions of someone. It may have even been by a stranger that said offensive remarks to you, maybe a co-worker who lied about you or spread malicious rumors and gossip about you. Maybe it was your partner who had an affair, or a family member who betrayed you. Or even someone you considered a friend who hurt you. These wounds can leave you with lasting feelings of anger, mistrust, bitterness or even vengeance.

But if you don’t learn to forgive, you might be the one who pays dearly for it. By forgiving you can have peace, hope, gratitude and joy.

Forgiveness helps you emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

When you forgive it helps you to move forward and focus on more positive parts of your life.

Sometimes when you forgive you will even begin to have some sort of compassion, or understanding for the one who hurt you. It doesn’t mean they’re not responsible for the hurt, nor does it minimize or justify the wrong done to you. We can forgive the person without excusing the act.

When you let go of grudges and bitterness it can lead to:

•   Healthier relationships
• Greater spiritual and psychological well-being
• Less anxiety, stress and hostility
• Lower blood pressure
• Fewer symptoms of depression
• Stronger immune system
• Improved heart health
• Higher self-esteem

It’s easy to hold a grudge when the one who hurt you is someone you loved and trusted. Trust me when I say you might become angry, sad or confused. You expect the offensive act to come from an enemy, stranger or opponent, but when it’s from someone close to you it totally blindsides you. When you are caught off guard, confusion may be one of the first emotions, then anger, that they would do that, then sadness that it occurred. If you choose to dwell on the hurtful situations, grudge filled with resentment, vengeance and hostility can take root. And if you continue to think on the negativity, it will overtake positive feelings and you might find yourself consumed with bitterness and a sense of injustice done towards you.

When we choose to not forgive, (and I’ve experienced some of these) expect some of the following to happen. You may:

• Bring anger and bitterness into every relationship and new experience
• Become so wrapped up in the wrong that you can't enjoy the present
• Become depressed or anxious
• Feel that your life lacks meaning or purpose, or that you're at odds with your spiritual beliefs
• Lose valuable and enriching connectedness with others

To forgive means to commit to a process of changing. To begin you might want to:

• Consider the value of forgiveness and its importance in your life at a given time
• Reflect on the facts of the situation, how you've reacted, and how this combination has affected your life, health and well-being
• Move away from your role as victim and release the control and power the offending person and situation have had in your life
• Remember Colossians 3:13 forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Forgiveness is not easy, especially when the person who hurt you does not admit to wrong doing or express sorrow for the act. If this is the case and you find that it bothers you:

• Consider the situation from the other person's point of view.
• Ask yourself why he or she would behave in such a way. Perhaps you would have reacted similarly if you faced the same situation.
• Reflect on times you've hurt others and on those who've forgiven you.
• Write in a journal, pray  — or talk with a person you've found to be wise and compassionate, such as a spiritual leader, a mental health provider, or an impartial loved one or friend.
• Be aware that forgiveness is a process and even small hurts may need to be revisited and forgiven over and over again.

I want to leave some Q&A’s that I hope will help you in achieving your state of forgiveness.

Does forgiveness guarantee reconciliation?

If the hurtful event involved someone whose relationship you otherwise value, forgiveness can lead to reconciliation. This isn't always the case, however.

Reconciliation might be impossible if the offender has died or is unwilling to communicate with you. In other cases, reconciliation might not be appropriate. Still, forgiveness is possible — even if reconciliation isn't.

What if I have to interact with the person who hurt me but I don't want to?

If you haven't reached a state of forgiveness, being near the person who hurt you might prompt you to be tense and stressful. To handle these situations:

• Remember that you can choose to attend or avoid specific functions and gatherings. If you choose to attend, don't be surprised by a certain amount of awkwardness and perhaps even more intense feelings.
• Respect yourself and do what seems best.
• Do your best to keep an open heart and mind. You might find that the experience helps you to move forward with forgiveness.

What if the person I'm forgiving doesn't change?

Getting another person to change his or her actions, behavior or words isn't the point of forgiveness. Think of forgiveness more about how it can change your life — by bringing you peace, happiness, and emotional and spiritual healing. Forgiveness can take away the power the other person continues to wield in your life.

What if I'm the one who needs forgiveness?

The first step is to honestly assess and acknowledge the wrongs you've done and how those wrongs have affected others. At the same time, avoid judging yourself too harshly. You're human, and you'll make mistakes.

If you're truly sorry for something you've said or done, consider admitting it to those you've harmed. Speak of your sincere sorrow or regret, and specifically ask for forgiveness — without making excuses.

Remember, however, you can't force someone to forgive you. Others need to move to forgiveness in their own time. Whatever the outcome, commit to treating others with compassion, empathy and respect.

One of the most memorable times of forgiveness I experienced was when I was at work. There was a woman co-worker who for whatever reason developed a strong dislike for me. I’ve never given her any reason to have that attitude towards me but no matter how I tried to be nice to her, she had made it up in her mind that at all costs, she had to get rid of me. This woman made my life a living nightmare. She was going to my boss with complaints ranging from me talking and laughing to who I was teamed up to work with. When she wasn’t complaining about me laughing, she had a problem with the way I came into work without a smile. She even made special trips to Human Resources a couple times a week to complain about me. My bosses never called me in and HR never told me about the complaints. Because she loved to brag about what she was doing to me is how I found out. When she saw that nothing was being done from management she then began nasty rumors and slandering. It got to the point I wanted to quit. She was married to one of the Engineers who worked with management so I felt that maybe she had influence and could persuade them into believing her lies. My faith was truly tested. I didn’t understand why this was happening to me and why God was allowing it. I wanted to confront her and really put her in her place but God had other plans. He told me to hold my peace and he would fight my battle. It was one of the hardest things I had to do. This went on for a year and a half of not speaking out, not reacting negatively. During one of the many times I was crying out to the Lord about the injustice that was being done to me I heard in my spirit, “Pray for her”. WHAT?!! That was the first thing honestly that came to me, and almost every time I prayed I could hear that voice telling me, “Pray for her”. When I opened the bible for my daily study, the words “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hurt you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44. When I saw those words I knew what I had to do. At first I tried to pray for her out of obedience, but when I heard, “And mean it!” I knew I had to dig deeper. I kept praying for her until I actually meant it. I started thinking maybe she was going through something and that’s why she’s like that. I was still praying for her when the news came that she was being moved to another area. She continued to spread rumors of me but at least I didn’t have to be in close contact of her. I noticed after a while that I hadn’t seen her and heard she was on a medical. I still felt lead to pray for her, that her heart would change and whatever she was going through that the Lord would help her. Before long I heard she had been fired. I believe God gave her chances to change her heart and due to her own devices the traps and snares she had for me, she fell into.

Forgiveness is sometimes hard, but living with hatred, bitterness and anger is harder. Forgive someone today.

Love and Peace.   –L.G.