Know Your Enemy

August 24, 2014

Defeating Your Worst Enemy                     NOTES NOT EDITED
Luke 9:23                                         

SIS:      The greatest enemy you will ever face in life is yourself.

Do you have everything you want? That's rhetorical. I know it is rhetorical because “How To” books on success sell in the multiple millions.  Everyone wants “their best life now” and apparently, most are still looking.  So, the answer is obvious. Am I experiencing a blissful life moment by moment without respect to any particular circumstances? Again, rhetorical. Why not? Who, or what is keeping me from experiencing the blissful existence as if I am walking moment by moment with God through Jesus Christ? The answer would be, "The Enemy." The Enemy is keeping me from experiencing the fullness of joy God has promised through Christ. But, "who or what" is that enemy?

“We have met the enemy and he is us,” is a phrase many have applied to describe the self-destructive tendencies of the human species.  We as human beings seem to be very adept at creating disastrous conditions for ourselves whether we are talking about pollution or politics.  “We are our worst enemy.”  This certainly applies to the spiritual condition of man as well.

Martin Luther, the reforming monk of the late 1500's described three enemies that seek the destruction of the human soul.  He outlined them as the world, the flesh, and the Devil.

We all know how the “worldly” influences can war against the development of a more godly self.  Pornography is one example of a worldly influence that is eating out the heart of our country from the inside.  We all know the negative influences of “advertising” that has sent the average American into a sea of dept just trying to keep up with what advertisers have successfully convinced us is necessary to our existence.  The world has a great influence upon our lives without a doubt.

The Bible says of the world, “Be of good cheer I have overcome the world.” Jn. 16:33.

Martin Luther also pointed out that the Devil is the arch-enemy of of spiritual growth and well-being.  A personal Devil, however, has been largely dismissed as myth in the collective psyche of America.  This makes him a much more formidable foe because he can operate in obscurity, shattering lives with his stealth attacks.  C.S. Lewis once said this about man’s often extreme views of the Devil:

C.S. Lewis on the Devil: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.

The Bible says of the Devil:  fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  (Rev. 20:9-10)

The Bible also says “Resist the devil, and he must flee from you” (Jas. 4:7)

There is no doubt that the influence of the world and the involvement of the Devil are fierce influences against the development of a healthy, happy relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  However, the Devil is defeated and the world has been conquered. 

So, that leaves on enemy of the soul we must face that has not been completely overcome–and will not be until we enter heaven’s gates–that is, the flesh.  The flesh is described in the Bible as the “sinful nature of man that pursues that which brings decay and destruction.”  Paul describes the flesh as:

Galatians 5:16-17 ¹⁶ So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ¹⁷ For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other,

As Christians, we have a New Spirit encased in an Old Flesh.  The Old Flesh is the Old Self which wars against the New Spirit.  Our Old Self is a persistent enemy that seeks to drag us back into the camp of bondage to sin.  That's why Paul says, (Gal 5:1)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

This is the essence of discipleship:  learning to practice the new habits of the spirit to eliminate the old habits of the self.

Jesus never asked us to defeat the Devil and His Holy Spirit and His Holy Word gives us the power to keep the world from destructive influence on our lives, so that leaves just “you” to defeat through “self” denial.

Here are four characteristics mentioned by Jesus that will “defeat the enemy within.”   Jesus packs all four of these characteristics into one verse:

(Luke 9:23)  Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

1.  The first characteristic of a godly person involves a DEFINITE DECISION . . .

“If anyone would come after me . . .”

The word, “if,” implies a conscious choice, or definite decision.

This phrase sets up an unusual question. It is a special class of conditional sentence that does not “assume” that the condition will take place—but if it does take place, the results are guaranteed.

Jesus questions whether anyone really is willing to follow him.  This is an unusual statement because the fact was--literally thousands were following Him everywhere He went.  In fact, this text is immediately proceeded by the event in which Jesus fed a hungry throng of 5000 men, not including the additional 10,000 to 15,000 women and children present. 

In fact, this entire teaching moment with His disciples was set up by a question Jesus asked in verse 18: “Who do the CROWDS says I am?”  Jesus was outlining a Scriptural truth that has been a distinctive among true believers since the first churches in Antioch and Jerusalem: following Jesus requires a DEFINITE DECISION not a casual acquaintance. 

Many other denominations believe that a person may become a Christian based upon the act of another.  Many denominations erroneously believe that through infant baptism and a regimented catechism or course of study, a person may become a member of God’s church.  For a fact, many people do come a believe in Jesus Christ as a result of going through catechism — BUT, it is because they make a definite decision to follow Christ, not because they accumulate a prescribed amount of information about Christ.

A person can learn everything there is to know about Christ and Christianity, and still remain in the crowd.

It takes a personal relationship, birthed in a “definite decision,” to move out of the crowd to become a committed follower of Christ.

The first step of discipleship is a DEFINITE DECISION to accept Jesus as the Lord of your life.

Yet, another very prominent group baptizes for the dead supposing that by the faith of another, a loved one who has passed on, may pass over into glory.  Catholics have a similar belief in purgatory. This passage resolutely and unreservedly disputes any such doctrine as baptizing for the dead.  The dead cannot make the DEFINITE DECISION required to become a true believer.

The first characteristic, or step, in the Christian life is

a DEFINITE DECISION to make Jesus the Lord of your life. A life of victory and abundance begins with this most important step.

2.  Another characteristic of the true believer is DARING DISCIPLINE . . .

(Luke 9:23)  Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, HE MUST DENY HIMSELF.

Here in this verse you meet your greatest enemy—YOURSELF! I don’t know about you, but I have met my greatest enemy, and it has been truly frightening and has proved to be a formidable foe.  Jesus could not have given us a more difficult assignment.

Over and over again the Scriptures warn against the “sin of pride.”  Pride is the human inability to look past ourselves and see the value of others.  Pride is the number one sin, because we each want to be number one. 

Have you ever seen the throne of a king. They are usually very large and very extravagant.  But, the most important aspect of any throne I’ve ever seen is the fact that they are all–“one seaters!”  Monarch’s are not accustomed to sharing the throne.  This is certainly also true of the King of Kings.  In your heart is a throne and a cross.  Either Jesus is on the throne, and your self is on the cross, or you are on the throne and, for you, Jesus is still on the cross.  Paul said,

(Gal 2:20)  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The hardest thing you will ever do is “deny yourself.”  In fact, this is a process, not an event.  The Holy Spirit directed Luke to write this is a particular fashion according to the original language that means, “keep on denying yourself.”  This is a life-long process for the one who wants to live a devil-defeating, God-honoring life.  It requires DARING DISCIPLINE to daily deny yourself because when we are ourselves, there is no animal more vicious, cunning, or self-serving.

After examining the attitudes and actions of men and women around him one writer declared, “It’s silly to go on pretending that under the skin we are all brothers.  The truth is more likely that under the skin we are all cannibals, assassins, traitors, liars, hypocrites, poltroons.”

I read that and said to my ‘self,’ “I dare that man call me a poltroon.  I’ve been called a lot of things in my life–but I am certainly not a poltroon.”  Then I decided to look up poltroon in the dictionary.  A poltroon is an “absolute coward.”

The fact is, we are poltroons, or cowards, when it comes to facing our selves.  It is a horrible thing to look in them mirror of conscience and hear the Bible say, “Even our acts of righteousness are like stinky, smelly rags” (Isa. 64:6).  We must constantly work against nature to become what we want to be.  That takes DARING DISCIPLINE

We must be on constant guard against the tendency to serve the self, and neglect the Savior.  The Bible says, we must

(2 Cor 10:5)  take captive every thought to
make it obedient to Christ.

We cannot afford to waste an action or even a thought on ourselves.  Every time we do, we set our Christian life back.  A young man went to a fortune teller.  The fortune teller said, “I charge $50 for two questions.”  The young man inquired, “Isn’t that a bit high?”  The fortune teller said, “Yes it is.  What is your next question?”

Godliness requires that we “keep on denying our self.” It is hard work to take a hard look at our selves. This takes a DARING DISCIPLINE.

3.  Third, Godliness requires DAILY DEVOTION

 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily . . . .

Here again, the emphasis is on continual action. Discipleship is a “daily” devotion.  For most people in America, the extent of their discipleship is one or two services per week, as time permits.  We give God the left-overs of our time, our talents, and our treasures. 

Tonight we will be looking at Paul’s admonition in Ephesians:

(Eph 5:16)  making the most of every opportunity,

because the days are evil.

G. Cambell Morgan, an English preacher during the early part of this century expressed man’s dilemma eloquently.  He said, “The bulk of human activity is material, . . . . It is so of necessity.  I am not saying this is wrong.  The majority of our hours are necessarily given to things that are material, transient, perishing,. . . .The rush and speed of life today are against man’s development and the character of love.  The hurry and the jostle and the crush of life do not help the development of Christian character.”

Anyone living in Rome at that time knew what the cross meant.  They knew it was a “one way trip.”  A condemned criminal was required to carry the cross, or the cross beam, to the place of execution.  It was his own cross and his own execution.  There was no turning back.  Crucifixion was a hard, cruel way to die—and effective!

Whatever else it meant, “daily cross bearing” was a difficult task.  Daily devotion is ESSENTIAL TO Christian growth.

Disregard it and you will die a little inside with each passing day. Carrying the cross of Christ can be a hard, often cruel way of living.  Christianity is NOT FOR WIMPS. It requires a DAILY DEVOTION to the disciplines that lead to godliness: daily Bible reading; daily prayer; daily witnessing to others; daily ministering to those in need.

Godliness requires a DAILY DEVOTION to Christ.

4.  Fourth, a devil-defeating, God-honoring victorious Christian character requires DAUNTLESS DETERMINATION.

(Luke 9:23)  Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily AND FOLLOW ME.

There is something profound in those words, “Follow me.”  Like everything else in this passage it suggests a continuing journey–a plan with a purpose.  Salvation is an event, but a devil-defeating, God-honoring victorious Chrisitian life is a process.  A purposeful process following God’s plan—not ours.

We are not called to deny ourselves, or take up the cross of service for the sake of self-negation or worldly asceticism, such as you find in ancient monks, and Eastern gurus.  Our goal is not to escape the world—but fully engage it as a soldier for Christ.  Purposeless denial of self will lead to depression, defeat, and desperation.  What is called for here in this text is purposeful denial.  This type of denial breeds a healthy self-esteem and feeds a DAUNTLESS DETERMINATION.

If my sins were not behind me and heaven not before me I would have ZERO motivation to deny myself and take up a cross.

The fact is, we can go on because we have a great coach and a great cheering section.  Listen to this remarkable verse from the Word:

(Heb 12:1-2)  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. {2} Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

With your sins behind you and heaven before you, you can endure any hardship that befalls you.  AMEN? [repeat]

It will give you DAUNTLESS DETERMINATION knowing that each step you take follows in the footsteps of Jesus, Himself.

When you make a definite decision to make Jesus the Lord of your life; and you full that decision with DARING DISCIPLINE and DAILY DEVOTION, you will discover that this creates a character marked by DAUNTLESS DETERMINATION.  There is nothing that a self-denying, Jesus-following faith cannot overcome.  PERIOD!

A father took his little boy to a toy store. As the father shopped, the little boy got away and went over to a statue of a man made out of balloons.  The boy looked at it curiously and then drew back his fist sending a frightening blow to the balloon man’s nose.  The balloon man fell down and popped right back up again.  This confused the little boy.  The little boy drew back sending another crushing blow to the balloon man’s nose.  Down the balloon man went.  Then he popped right back up again.  The boy’s father noticed what was going on and asked his son, “Why do you think he keeps popping up every time you knock him down?”  The boy thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know.  I guess it’s because he is standing up on the inside.”

When a person denies himself, takes up his or her own cross daily, and follows Christ, they will always remain standing on the inside, regardless of what pounds them from the outside. That’s Dauntless Determination!

There is only one enemy that can defeat you—your “self.”  Martin Luther’s description of our enemies was:  the world, the self, and the Devil—an external enemy, and internal enemy, and an infernal enemy.  Of the three the Bible states:  the Devil is a defeated foe; Jesus conquered the world; and that leaves only your flesh, or “self,” for you to “crucify and defeat through denial.”

The great scholar of the church, Augustine, once said, “All truth is God’s truth.”  The means or mouthpiece of that truth is secondary.  With that in mind I’d like to leave you with the words of a Sixth Century B.C. Chinese military general by the name of Sun Tzu: “It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle” (Sun Tzu, The Art of War). Knowing one’s enemy is a key component to defeating that enemy.

It will take a DEFINITE DECISION to surrender control of your life to Jesus.  It will take DARINGLY DISCIPLINE  to deny your sinful inclinations.  It will DAILY DEVOTION to Christ through prayer, Bible reading, daily witnessing, and fellowship with other believers.  It will require a DAUNTLESS DETERMINATION that hardens you against the trials and tribulations of life. 

Only you can defeat you—and only you can defeat you when you are filled with God’s Holy Spirit.

It is your decision.

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