Lazarus
April 24th, 2007, 11:16 AM
I have been a Christian for 22 years, but I am just now really searching for truth. I dove into the Bible and any resource I can get my hands on. I cannot read enough or ask enough questions about God's plan. I am so excited to be learning about God's plan.
But recently I have been hearing a lot about the enemy. When I used to hear that word, I would think about terrorists. I don't have too many people obstructing my life enough to call them my active enemies. But since I have been corresponding more with other Christians, I have heard much tell about how the enemy is attacking individuals, families, etc. So who is this enemy?
"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side" (Matthew 13:19).
Judging by this text, we can see that the enemy is faceless, but it has a name. It is one being. It is "the wicked one." The enemy attacks the insides of us. It works against our hearts. What kind of work is the enemy doing against our hearts? The enemy steals and obscures the truth from us. It is the worst attack. It is an attack that could condemn a person to eternal damnation.
Jesus explains how the enemy works on our hearts in the parable of the tares of the field:
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matthew 13:24-30
In the verses that follow, Jesus explains to His disciples what He meant by this. The Son of Man (Jesus) sowed the good seed that produced good fruit. The field is the world. So Jesus is bringing truth and hope to the world. If a person accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he can have eternal life in heaven.
The enemy worked when men were asleep. The enemy works at night, in the shadows, to plant itself among the good. Jesus goes on to explain that the enemy is the devil, and he is responsible for the weeds. The weeds are the "children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38).
So anyone working against Christians, hurting them and thereby preventing the Christians from spreading the truth by losing faith is the enemy. The Bible likens the enemy to the ravenous wolf looking for sheep. He is prowling. He wants to create more evil and prevent people from finding the truth.
The only defense is Christ. We must band together and in unity focus our eyes on Jesus. Let His Word do the fighting for us in faith. We must always be watchful and support our friends and watch after our fellow sheep. We must reach out to those who have not heard the truth and are in danger of being devoured by the enemy. Because when the harvest comes, the weeds will be separated from the good grain. The weeds will be burned and the grain will be stored (or restored).
But recently I have been hearing a lot about the enemy. When I used to hear that word, I would think about terrorists. I don't have too many people obstructing my life enough to call them my active enemies. But since I have been corresponding more with other Christians, I have heard much tell about how the enemy is attacking individuals, families, etc. So who is this enemy?
"When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side" (Matthew 13:19).
Judging by this text, we can see that the enemy is faceless, but it has a name. It is one being. It is "the wicked one." The enemy attacks the insides of us. It works against our hearts. What kind of work is the enemy doing against our hearts? The enemy steals and obscures the truth from us. It is the worst attack. It is an attack that could condemn a person to eternal damnation.
Jesus explains how the enemy works on our hearts in the parable of the tares of the field:
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matthew 13:24-30
In the verses that follow, Jesus explains to His disciples what He meant by this. The Son of Man (Jesus) sowed the good seed that produced good fruit. The field is the world. So Jesus is bringing truth and hope to the world. If a person accepts Jesus as his Lord and Savior, he can have eternal life in heaven.
The enemy worked when men were asleep. The enemy works at night, in the shadows, to plant itself among the good. Jesus goes on to explain that the enemy is the devil, and he is responsible for the weeds. The weeds are the "children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38).
So anyone working against Christians, hurting them and thereby preventing the Christians from spreading the truth by losing faith is the enemy. The Bible likens the enemy to the ravenous wolf looking for sheep. He is prowling. He wants to create more evil and prevent people from finding the truth.
The only defense is Christ. We must band together and in unity focus our eyes on Jesus. Let His Word do the fighting for us in faith. We must always be watchful and support our friends and watch after our fellow sheep. We must reach out to those who have not heard the truth and are in danger of being devoured by the enemy. Because when the harvest comes, the weeds will be separated from the good grain. The weeds will be burned and the grain will be stored (or restored).