the real enemy

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Took me a long time to ponder about this.. but lately - especially lately, when i was stressed out with exams and life in general, and having not a care about anything else but myself. I realised one thing - how selfish i am. ohoho obviously. but during those times i've been pondering about many things, namely God's glory, people's personality, my relationship with people, life. Everything put into one basically. I was thinkng about soo many things that i can't even squeeze another (usually more important) thing in my brain. I was too busy with my self and my own world. 

But - just now, i've realised something - that's why i'm posting it so i can't forget. Which is who is our enemy? Suddenly that question (no such thing as suddenly - everything is within God's plan) came up in my brain. 

I have to be honest - when i was being selfish not too long ago (and still is now), i can be really really really .. selfish..  even to the point of blaming God's wonderful creation for my own self-centered motive. I feel really2 ashamed of myself. But that is why i really2 want to share this. 

During those times - I can remember the many times i've treated my fellow brothers and sisters with a lot of contempt and hatred and malice, and disgustingly, i've even made a Biblical apologetics for doing it. DISGUSTING. I can't even express how disgusted i am. 

I still remember the discouraging things i've said to other people regarding other people and how bad they are - treating them as an enemy instead of brothers and sisters in Christ. I treated them as an enemy because they were not looking after me or doing the things that i wanted them to do and be the person i wanted them to be.
 

But i am so glad that God did not let go of me.  I am so thankful that even after all these disgusting things that i've done, He's still teaching me a valuable lesson. And that is ... throughout all these experiences - i've realised who our real enemy is.  and that is no other than the one who hates God since the beginning, and that is you-know-who, satan himself. 

How much does he hates God that he lied to God's children and causing the church to hate each other - to kill - to accuse - to bring each other down to where he is. 

I remember the time that i was talking about all the problems with the church, i couldn't help being judgemental and angry and dissapointed. I was dissapointed that people are not living to God's standard. i didn't even realise that i am one also of those people. And all these times - i've always thought that the problem starts with the people. I didn't realise that when i step back - the war that i am going through is not actually a physical war. it is not a A physical war between a lazy Christian and a mature Christian - but a war between satan and God Himself. 

Everything- Everything that happens in the church - is no longer just between man and man but God and satan and how much he would like to ruin God's marvellous plan - and try to be God Himself. Thinking that he can actually won from the One who created him. 

Discouragements, hatred, jealosy, dissapointment, laziness, etc. Those are not something that anyone could ever win by themselves without God's help - and if fellow brothers and sisters are not fighting alongside of them. It's really2 hard to fight evil if you are on your own. BUT i do believe that God is powerful enough to help us without the help of other people. Even that - God never takes us away from people and often uses other people to help us in our walk with him - so might as well use the resources that God gave. 

But i truly truly truly want to remind myself that the war that i am going through now - was never between me and the church - or me and those carnal Christians - or me with sinners but between God who is in me and Satan who is hates God very much. 

For how can  I think that I am ever better than the church/sinners/other people. I was one of them all along. The only one who is different from everyone else is Jesus - and He is God. 

The only way we can stay strong is to stay strong and win this war is to stand firm in the Bible and in our walk with God. And our relationship with the church, the people NOT the building. For although they may fail us too many times - they themselves are going through the same war that we are going through- so instead of judging them - we must support them and fight witht them. For two is always better than one. 

When the Church is weak - it's a sign that we as one body must go back to God and pray more and read the Word more - NOT to look for counseling with other weak humans first and see what they think - but to first and foremost look to God and listen to His orders.