YOU AND YOUR ENEMIES 1
Prov 16:7 ” When God approves of your life even your enemies will end up shaking your hand ” (msg translation)
We live in a world today where much emphasis is placed on enemies. Especialy in this part of the world, Nigeria.
Majority of our churches during prayer sections pray prayers like : “any one that does not want me to succeed , what are you waiting for? FALL DOWN AND DIE”.
Words like these are also used: “Holyghost fire fall on my enemies” and so on. I have been to vigils where 80% of the time was spent praying against enemies from our father’s house and mother’s house.
This got me thinking that, it’s like we accord more importance to our enemies than our faith in Christ Jesus.
But wait who truely is an enemy? In my own definition,an enemy is anything or any one that does not want you to succeed or make progress.
May I at this point say that there are two types of enemies.
1.The enemy within
2.The enemy without
Alot of times we spend our energy praying against the enemy without which according to popular beliefs include the “wretched” looking old woman in your village who does not answer your greetings probably because she has gone deaf due to old age unknown to you but whom a “prophet” has told you is the reason why you are not making progress or “that neighbor” that you have a little misunderstanding with.
I want you to know that the enemies you do not know, are more than the enemies you know.
The real enemy of your life is not in your village, neither is he or she your colleague in the office. The real enemy is inside you. Let me explain what I mean with this story.
Sometime in 2014, I was in my office in church when a man of about 40years walked in with an elderly woman. The man who looked unkempt and frustrated narrated to me a very long story of how things have not been working in his life and ended up saying his mother, who was the woman he came with, was the person behind his problem.
He even said he had met men of God that prayed with him
While he was still speaking, his mother interrupted and requested to say something. His mother said to me, “Pastor, do you know my Son beats me even to the extent of dislocating my wrist?”
Let me not bore you with the story. You see, this man has not read Prov 20 :20 that says” if you curse your father or mother , the lamp of your life will be snuffed out”. The enemy of this man is his attitude and the fact that he dishonours his mother. No amount of prayer can deliver him unless he repents and does the right thing.(Ephesians 6:2 “Honour your father….that it may be well with you.
Your enemy within could be adultery, the fake certificate you used in getting that job, falsification of your age in your place of work , anger, greed, envy, you name it.
The “prophet” will not tell you this. But hear me, these are the real enemies of your life.
No witch or charm is powerful enough to hurt a child of God. Isaiah 54:15 (NLT): “If any nation comes to fight you, it will not be because I sent them to punish you. Your enemies will always be defeated because I am with you” These were the very words of God Himself.
If your enemies are very strong, it therefore means you have a problem inside.
