Definitions: Enemy

The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.
I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’
Exodus 15:9 ESV

Lex Luthor. Kingpin. The Joker. These are classic villains from American comics. Many recognize them as the enemies of Superman, Spiderman, and Batman. As believers, we also have enemies, but what exactly are they?

Enemy is defined by the New Oxford American Dictionary as:

a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something; a hostile nation or its armed forces or citizens, especially in time of war; a thing that harms or weakens something else.

The bible tells us who our enemies are and how to fight against them.

Satan
Our most well-known opponent is Satan. Other names for him are the devil, the great dragon, and ancient serpent (Revelation 12:9).

A formidable adversary for sure, Satan is not to be taken lightly; however he should not be given more power than he has, for he is a defeated foe (Genesis 3:15, Revelation 20:10). We are able to stand against the devil and resist his attacks (Ephesians 6:11, James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8-9).

Death
We are introduced to death in Genesis 2:16-17. God warns Adam that he will die if he eats of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As we know, he did not heed this warning and ate of the tree and death entered into mankind.

1 Corinthians 15 encourages us that we have been made alive through Christ, just as through Adam we received death. Jesus has removed the sting of death by His resurrection from the dead.

The Flesh
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Galatians 5:16-17

Our flesh works in opposition to the Holy Spirit. Left to its own desires, it would wreak havoc on the believer. Thankfully, “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). Because we are in Christ, we have crucified the flesh and are able to walk by the Spirit.

Friendship with the World
One would think that a friend would not make sense to be seen as an enemy, but that is exactly how James describes the world as a friend to a believer. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Grace is given to us to deal with the enemy of the world's friendship along with a charge to be humble (James 4:6). Drawing nearer to God and submitting to Him helps us combat worldliness.


It is important for us to know what is actively working against us or weakening us. Know your enemy and enforce the strategy to walk in the victory Jesus has already won for you.