I’ve always been intrigued with the idea of studying an opponent. Competition demands its careful examination. Whether business or in sport, films will reveal mistakes, and scouts can obtain details that will employ opportunity. Those, whom are classified, as elite in sport, are fully aware of how their opponent plays. They tend to careful study of their opponent. This may be essential in business and sport, but critical in war. You and I fight a spiritual war each day. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places] (Ephesians 6:12). To fight the good fight, we must also be students of war. We don’t want to ignorant to the attacks of our spiritual enemy. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Cor 2:11. The enemy has 3 critical attacks. First, is the most obvious, an unhealthy relationship with him. Witchcraft, mystics, occults, and drugs all open the doors to his camp. John 8:44 Jesus reminds us that the devil is a murderer from the beginning, a liar. In fact, he is the father of lies. Satan rips people off. Being bound to him is destructive. Second is not to even be aware of him. An enemy is extremely dangerous when those who are under siege aren’t cognoscente of his agenda. Often, we are side swiped by a critical spirit, a seed of division, wrestling with fear, and prey to discouragement. These are the weapons of our enemy. It is dangerous and effective, when we don’t recognize the source of the attack. The third is the one that continually hamstrings us and takes us off course. This attack is called complacency. The author of Hebrews challenges us in chapter 2:1 “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let [them] slip.” The phrase ‘at any time we should let [them] slip’ is pararreō in the Greek. This is a nautical term speaking of drifting. Like taking a boat out in water? It takes some effort to leave shore and get beyond the pounding waves. What happens when you cut the engine? You begin to drift. As soon as we stop moving forward with our walk with the Lord, we begin to spiritually drift. We drift in our intimacy with Jesus. We lose the expectancy of divine appointments, and His voice becomes dull. If we drift too long, we become complacent. I will then lose the craving to meet with the Living God, loose sight of His promises, and stop gaining ground for the Kingdom. Sin cuts off our engine. We must be aggressive with removing sin in our lives. We must be proactive in prayer and in the Word. It is essential to sit before Jesus and let Him lay out the plan for our day. We plan financially, vocationally, and socially. Let’s not abandon our spiritual planning. Lets keep our engines on so that we might not drift.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Heb 3:13