How many enemies in life are enough?
It strikes me reading the Psalms that a man after God’s own heart experienced intense opposition from a series of enemies, and as if it wasn’t enough, some more enemies seemed to always “lurk” and “wait on” him, watch his steps. ” (Ps 56:6)
One day it was the Philistines, another day it was Saul, another day fellow believers, another day he was his own enemy.
Speaking of “being your own enemy “ reminds me of another kind of people after God’s own heart whose fiercest enemy is always resident.
Christians.
If you have been Christian for more than a week, you have not only read about but have also experienced the nature of a prowling lion Peter talks about in 1 Peter 5:8.
Writing to already blood-bought believers scattered in Asia minor, he reminds them of an unseen enemy that continually bays for their blood.
Such is the Christian life. An unseen enemy walks into our door everyday and not only creates a daily cacophony of distractions from the things that matter but bays for your blood. Life and death are always at stake as the clock ticks, the writer of Ephesians sees it fit, in speaking of redeeming time , to add “for the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)
Sometimes our enemy accomplishes his suppression through wandering eyes, like David’s, or denying lips, like Peter’s.
Indeed St Peter’s letters and David’s Psalms understand and experientially communicate this, believers are be-deviled people.
The earlier you live in light of this reality, the more you will stand firm and put on the full armour.
And in Ephesians 6 Paul, Peter’s contemporary, and fighter of “the good fight” (2 Tim 4:7) eventually helps list the tools in our armour necessary to live in lion territory, “Helmet of salvation, sword of the spirit, shoes of the gospel, breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth. “
Because he too knows, you need blood bought reminders to battle against blood-baying enemies that daily walk into Christian doors unnoticed.
He understands, a believer’s day is never just hours, its littered with “pestilence that stalk in darkness, plagues by noon” (Ps 91:6) “cares of this world” (Mark 4:19) , plus a million other sways designed to ensure you don’t notice an enemy just walked in.
See? a Christian’s day is not that simple.
