“And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?”                                                                                                                                                 (Acts 19)

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1Peter 5:8,9)

 

One truth I share with young persons of our faith is from 1 Peter 5:8,9. The young Christ-ian must be forewarned that they have an enemy in this world and he is a powerful enemy and is set for their destruction, “your adversary the devil.” Notice the personal possessional pronoun...your adversary?” The devil is the personal adversary of every born again child of God and the sanctified family of every child of God. Know this    Christ-ian, the devil and his organized kingdom is “your adversary.” 

However, we do not want to see a demon at every corner or behind every door.  If you are a lazy, do nothing believer and share not Christ or make it your purpose to glorify God, you need not fear the devil and his ilk. The devil is the natural enemy of all believers but he does not waste time with those that are not a danger to him. I am reminded of Sherlock Holmes and Professor James Moriarty.

Professor James Moriarty was the George Soros in the days of Holmes. Moriarty was a prince of crime. He was behind all the major crime in London. Moriarty, however kept a low profile and worked behind the scenes, However, Holmes knew all about him and would get in the way of Moriarty’s machinations. For Holmes’ interference the two (2) would meet and discuss their personal rivalry and then they would meet again for battle.

This is true of some believers and the devil.  Some believers get in his way and when that happens he will make himself known in the life of that Christ-ian or if not him, one of his agents. Reader, I am not speaking metaphorically or figuratively. I am speaking in terms of the supernatural certainly, but Reader, we trade in the supernatural and the unseen realm, do we not?

Do we not love God Who we have not seen?  Do we not love Christ, Whom we have not seen in His terrestrial form?  Do we not pray invisible prays to an invisible God? Is not the invisible eternal and the visible, temporal?  Do we not receive the “things of the Spirit?”  Do we not pray, worship and walk in the Spirit?  Reader, we trade in the invisible.  Therefore should it be a surprise to you that your enemy be invisible to sight but “seen” and known by faith? Reader, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against….” Right? Right.

One (1) must know one (1) has an enemy and once one (1) knows one (1) has an enemy, one (1) must identify this enemy and why this enemy is an enemy and then how this enemy does his work. The enemy is God’s enemy and because we are in Christ and belong to God, God’s enemy and enemies are our enemies by association and because we are identifying with Christ and He with us….what privilege, what honour that He, the Son of God, identifies with us and we with Him….never lose that awesome amazement, Reader….Christ is not ashamed to call us brethen and He confesses us before our Father in Heaven….oh!!! reJOYce, Christ-ian for your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

With the privilege and honour of being associated with Christ comes a very dangerous backlash as well. As we are identified with Him, His enemy and enemies identify us, I say they identify us, I do not say, identify with us. The enemy runs his kingdom just like a ceo runs his organization or company.

There is a hierarchy in (s)atan’s world. (s)atan is not omnipresent, meaning he cannot be in all places as is God. Demons, his agents are not omnipresent either, but they have a communications system, we can call it the DCN, Demon’s Communication Network.  Reader, I am not joking or trying to be funny….we trade in the supernatural and therefore our enemy is supernatural…do not write this off as make-believe.

The DCN communicates and works together like any human institution, organization, business or industry.  The things here on earth are merely shadows of that which are in the heavens. I know a guy who has been pulled out of his bed, had items moved and replaced. This guy woke from a nap and there was a garotte laying next to him…..a sign of warning? Reader, does this supernatural, very experienced and intelligent enemy know your name?

The context of the top quoted verse above is this: There were seven (7) sons of one (1) Sceva. These men were exorcist for hire of some sort. These men tried to remove an evil spirit or demon from a man, but they could not, but the demon-empowered man attacked them and ripped at their clothing. The demon said, that it was familiar with “Jesus” (Note, the devil did not give Christ His rightful title of Lord, do you?) and with Paul but did not know the seven (7) sons of Sceva, “…Jesus I know, and Paul I know: but who are ye?”

So again I ask, Does the enemy know your name? Do you know and acknowledge you have an enemy? Are you aware that you wrestle against unseen enemies? Or do you even wrestle? Does the enemy know your name?

If you are a Christ-ian that lives the faith and walks in the Spirit and walks as the Lord walked when He was terrestrial, you could expect visits from the enemy. If you are a pew warmer or just a saved and warm body, you need not fear catching the attention of God’s enemy and enemies. BUT if you are one that has that “JOY JOY JOY DOWN IN MY HEART where?…DOWN IN MY HEART where  …Down in MY heart and if the devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tac, sit on a tac, if the devil doesn’t like it, he can sit on a tac.”  That is a wonderful children’s song I learned from my Aunt, Saint Romelle. If you are one (1) that lives a loud, forward, exciting Christ-ian life, you can expect the DCN to know your name.

The DCN will gaslight you if you are an Intentional and serious, sober and vigilant servant of Christ, things will be moved to another place, items will disappear with no explanation, disembodied voice might speak short one liners. You might be threatened in a way only you will understand. If this is you, know this: God Knows and is aware. You are in a safe place, do not doubt that. It is a paradox: The safest place is the most dangerous place. Being in God’s will and under His protection is a dangerous but safe place to be.  It is a paradox, I know, but it is as it is.

(s)atan aka God’s lap dog, knows me. Does he know you?