Ephesians 2:1- 3—"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."
We were born into a world at war. That is reality, and we witness it all around us every day. In counseling situations, it is always at the forefront of my mind. A spiritually healthy Christian life includes acknowledging three enemies, which is why it is part of our counseling model. They are the influence of the world system, our flesh, and finally, Satan. In overcoming an enemy, we have to acknowledge that we have one. We have to know our enemies' weapons, tactics, and weaknesses to understand how to defeat them.
Until Christ returns, there will be battles raging on all three fronts. One of my mentors in ministry described the three enemies this way, "the World as our external enemy, the Flesh as the internal enemy, and the Devil as the infernal enemy." The great news is that Christ has set us free, and we can choose to walk in victory over all three!
Jesus Christ Has Won the Victory Over Our Three Enemies!
The World
• John 16:33—"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
• 1 John 5:4— "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith."
The Flesh
• Galatians 5:16, 17—"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."
The Devil
• John 16:11— "concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged."
• I John 2:14—"I write to you, fathers because you know Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one."
• I John 4:4—"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
Regardless of your struggle or counseling need, it is vital to address all three of these battlefronts. In the coming weeks, I look forward to helping you with your battles against all three enemies!
Our Three Enemies