One Step Ahead of Your Enemy: God's Strategy Is Bulletproof When We Obey His Commands

By Pádraigín MacDairmada

God's strategy is bulletproof when we obey His commands

When our prayers are not being answered, the first question we ask ourselves is why? We question our faith in God. We question God Himself. But God has made it clear that we have a spiritual enemy who would like us to substitute what He has to offer in place of God's

• Language: English
• Publisher: River Birch Press
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9781956365368

Pádraigín MacDairmada

Pádraigín MacDairmada (Patricia McDermott), born a native to Dun Na NGall, Ireland, has been a student of the Bible for twenty years and through her knowledge of the Word of God has overcome many obstacles. Having interest in the Arts, she studied with the Open University, perfecting her love of writing while at the same time learning about the many diverse cultures of the world. It is her belief that the people of God, regardless of their status or geographical residence, can learn to overcome adversity with the Word of God.

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Good Versus Bad

Well then, I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne (Charles the Great) and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love, and at this hour millions of men would die for him.

—Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was a military leader in the 1700s and 1800s. Considered one of the greatest military commanders, he fought to obtain kingdoms with the sword and brute force. Having gained many honours for his leadership and achievements in war, Napoleon, in turn, gave honour to the harrowing sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose love compelled him to die for humankind.

Looking for no mortal fame, Christ gave his life for the good of others, and many would follow him to their death for a kingdom that would reign forever and ever. Bonaparte recognised greatness in Jesus, and although both men’s intentions were worlds apart, they had one thing in common: to achieve victory over their enemies.

Today, God’s children need to follow the example of a well-trained soldier and be quick to obey orders from their commander and leader Jesus Christ. Much like Bonaparte’s army, who had to persevere under pressure, they knew they could win the war if they follow his commands.

When kingdoms come against one another in battle, only one can prevail. Through knowledge and power, the winner governs, and the opposition submits to its authority. As Jesus walked to his death, his enemy, Satan, thought he had beaten Jesus. He didn’t know Jesus would overcome him and his evil powers of death and destruction by Jesus rising triumphantly from the grave. Jesus would give humanity the ability to overcome the kingdom of darkness with God’s weapons and his very own armour.

Have you ever asked the big question that most people wonder about—how do hurt and pain come into people’s lives? The only true answer can be found in God’s Holy Word. Matthew 4:16 describes the world’s condition and why God the Father sent his Son, Jesus, to save it: ‘The people who sat [dwelt, enveloped] in darkness have seen a great Light, and for those who sat in the land and shadow of death Light has dawned.’

Again, Psalms 23:4 tells us where all the bad and evil in this world originate: ‘Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide] they comfort me.’

To live in divine protection in the shadow of death where God’s enemy the devil resides, you must believe and put your trust in the full armour of God. At the same time, you need to defend what belongs to you with the promises of God that are in his Word.

For example, the enemy may try to put a disease on you that no doctor can fix. If you want to live, you must break free from the enemy’s control and believe in the truth of God’s Word that ‘by the stripes of Jesus we are healed’ (Isa. 53:5, author’s paraphrase).

God’s promises and blessings will improve the quality of our lives regardless of what comes from the shadow of death. We must learn what they are and believe them into reality by faith. When you become a child of God by accepting Jesus, your enemy has no more authority over you. He has power, but through Christ, the child of God, you have ultimate supremacy regarding authority and power in Christ. The enemy cannot hold you with any weapon from the kingdom of darkness.

God’s kingdom has every promise to live a fulfilled life; the darkness opposes it but cannot stop God’s will written in his Word. Through the forgiveness of sins, the Father has ‘delivered and drawn us to himself out of the control and dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the son of his love’ (Col. 1:13).

The kingdom that Jesus left when he came to earth was given to us when he rose triumphantly from the grave. He was sent on a mission to defeat a spiritual enemy and to bring us all by faith into God’s goodness and protection. To see the results of God’s goodness in our lives, we must understand how the kingdom of God works. Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls’ (Matt. 11:28–29 NLT).

Did you notice in that last sentence that Jesus said he would teach us? As soldiers learn from their commanding officer, Jesus’ disciples learn from him. The instructions and commands from the Word of the Lord Jesus are a strategy to stop an evil and ruthless enemy from destroying your life. This enemy causes obstructions to thwart God’s blessings from manifesting on the earth.

Second Corinthians 4:4 warns us that ‘the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds that they should not discern the truth, preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ.’ Satan will try to convince you that you can’t have God’s promises, and he uses doubt as a weapon against you. If you believe him, you become the loser and have just given him the power to control your life. But he is a liar, and he may try to hinder the promises given to us. However, the blessings of God are always available for us when we need them.

When God cast your enemy out of heaven, he hit the earth with a bang. God dealt with him in such a way that any fears you may have are nothing compared to the terror he experienced when God stripped him of his glory, and he bumped into a side of God’s character he had never seen before.

Jesus said in Luke 10:18 that he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. What a shock he must have had. He didn’t even have time to think on his way down. As quick as a flash, God banished him from his presence. Through Jesus, the power of God’s Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. It is not surprising your enemy does not want you to understand God’s Word or believe it. He has zero power when he is up against a living God who has given us his living Word.

While we are on this earth, we must live in a fallen spiritual atmosphere for a time, but God has given us weapons and armour to fight our attacks. First, we must acknowledge that no battle is won by laying down, giving up, and expecting God to do all the work.

Through the cross of Christ, we must follow the plan and learn to stand up to our enemy with the spiritual equipment God has given us. We must also acknowledge that we are not civilians anymore waiting for something great to drop into our laps because it usually doesn’t; we are soldiers fighting to retain what Jesus died for us to have.

Akin to soldiers who enlist, we sometimes have tremendous obstacles to overcome. When called on to fight, we must be prepared to follow orders. Being pushed to the limits mentally and psychically are part of soldiers’ preparation to give them the ability to face extreme adversity. God does not bring difficult situations into our lives. That usually happens because of our sin or through obstacles that the enemy brings to stop us. On the positive side, knowing the Word of God makes a good training ground for learning to deal with our enemy.

To continue in army life, soldiers receive specific orders. When they do not follow orders, consequences follow. They must always be obedient, so they are quick to obey in any emergency. When they have obeyed commands that may seem insignificant, they are ready and prepared to tackle more demanding orders.

The goal of military training is to get the soldier to a place of obedience for their safety and the safety of others and ultimately to a position that will outwit their enemy. And instead of the enemy pushing them around, a well-trained soldier will do the pushing.

The life of a soldier is like the individual God has called to sometimes go to battle with the Word of God against the forces of darkness that would try to alienate or destroy the life Jesus died for us to have.

As children of God, we are loved by him. But sometimes, we are required to face an enemy whose goal is to control our lives with his ruination. We must train, carry our weapons, and be ready to stand our ground for the blessings our Father has freely given us. Second Timothy 2:3 says, ‘Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus.’ This scripture tells us that we will have times of adversity and distress, but God has not left us without the tools for our advancements in spiritual combat or equipment to uphold us when we are under intense pressure.

John 10:10 says, ‘The thief comes in only to steal and kill and destroy.’ Our enemy has attacked humanity with every dreadful disaster he can imagine. He uses sickness, disease, murder, strife, rejection, accidents, worry, loss, and anything else damaging. We must be careful. We are precious to God. He sent his Son to free us from all that could harm us. We must watch and be alert to obey God’s commands that have set a plan in motion for our deliverance from all destruction.

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The Winning Side

In wartime, an army will look to its commander and chief for their instructions. Our commander is the Almighty God, who through Our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a manual to follow, and he cannot be defeated. He has already won for us what God desires us to have because it tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:20 ( NIV ), ‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are Yes in Christ.’

When we obey and do what God’s Word says, we will have victory every time. Scripture has left us a guide for where to begin in overcoming warfare that we must participate in if we partake of the promises that Jesus died for us to have. He is our Father and wants us to listen to him for guidance. He says,

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize and acknowledge him, and he will direct and make straight and plain your paths (Prov. 3:5–6).

Trust him to teach and guide you in all you do, especially from his instructions in his Word. The armies of Bonaparte would not have succeeded in war without the vast knowledge of their leader’s military experience. He won almost every battle he fought. He had such good technical skills that governments seeking to conquer asked him to draw up plans of attack. His campaigns and escapades are studied at military schools the world over. He is honoured as the ultimate victor in military warfare.

Bonaparte knew what he was doing. How much more should we trust in a God who knows more about the art of warfare than anyone else. God did not lose when Jesus rose triumphantly from the grave. Through the shed blood of Christ, God has given us his power to do spiritual combat against an enemy who needs reminding that he is already defeated. He just does not want us to know it, and he must be dealt with sharply when he comes around and challenges our faith in God’s Holy Word.

Applying military tactics of a well-trained soldier and operating in the armour and power God has given us, we can resist the enemy and stand firm while