Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy First chapter Review

June 13, 2014 at 5:11 pm | Posted in Books | 1 Comment
Tags: Non-Fiction

Title: Tactics, Trends, & Traits of the Enemy
Author: Jermaine Gadson
Genre: Spiritual
Publisher: Crossbooks – Division of LifeWay (June 2014)

Pre-order at: http://www.amazon.com/PRE-ORDER-Tactics-Trends-Equipping-Believer/dp/1462736351/

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Know Your Enemy

Beforeengagingin battleof anykind, it is veryimportant to be familiar with theopposition.  Themore you know aboutyour enemy,thegreateryou will beequipped to fightagainst them and bevictorious.Knowingyour enemyincludes beingknowledgeable oftheirstrengths, weaknesses, habits, origin, andthe like.Whenyou are knowledgeable aboutyouradversary,you become empowered to develop a plan ofaction orstrategyto adequatelydefend against theiropposition, overcome their threats anddefensive mechanisms, andultimatelydefeat them.

Athletes and thosewho follow sportsarefamiliar and acquainted with this principle.Coaches and players spend hours upon hours viewingvideorecordings of not onlytheirownteam, but of their upcomingopponentsas well.Theyview recordings to evaluatetheirownstrengthsand weaknessesas revealed byprevious games, and theydo the sameto identifystrengthsand weaknessesof thenext team theyhaveto face.

This principle is certainlypertinent in the area ofthe militaryas well.  Nomilitarygeneral, or top rankingofficial who has authorityovermilitarypersonnel will in their rightmind authorizethe useof militaryforce withoutadequate information concerningtheenemyto be attacked. Right decisions requireright information.  This is especiallytrueifyou wantto comeout victorious and on top.

Nowthat wecan seetheimportance of this principle from anatural standpoint, itmakes sensethat this would also applyspirituallyin relation tohow we are to do battlewith our spiritual enemy.  Asyou read this book,I hope thatyouwill beableto seethe importance of this material in helpingyou towardsthis veryend.  Thereasonthis book is soimportant is because theperson readingit is likea ballplayer looking at tapeof his or heropponent or amilitarygeneralgatheringintelligenceon a terrorist organization.  Whenyou know whereyour enemycame from, whatyour enemyhas donein the past,and whatyourenemyis presentlycapable of,youaremorereadilyprepared towageagood warfare anddefeat him in anypresentor futureencountersyoumayhave.

TheOrigin of Satan

 

Sincewearedealingwith the concept of knowingyourenemy, it is important tounderstand the origin ofwheretheenemydiscussed in this book, Satan, also known as thedevil, comes from.  Here is what is considered to bethe biblical account ofSatan’s demise, inIsaiah 14:12-15:

“How you are fallen from heaven,O Lucifer, son of the morning!

How you are cut down tothe ground,Youwho weakened the nations!

13For you have said in your heart:‘Iwill ascend into heaven,

I will exalt mythrone above the stars of God; Iwill also sit onthe mount of the congregationOn the farthest sides of thenorth;

14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,I will be likethe Most High.’

15Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,

To the lowest depths of the Pit.”

 

 

Thestoryof Satanoriginates in the heaven.  In hisbeginning, hewas created as anangel of God, whowas called bythe name ofLucifer.  Lucifer was oneofGod’s chief angels,and as aconsequencewas given much powerandauthority. However, becauseof pride andjealousytowards God, his creator, he rebelled against God, wantingto beworshipped asagod himself. Through hisrebellion, he lead onethird ofthe angelic host to follow suit(Revelation 12:4).  Today,Luciferand the onethird ofangels whorebelledwithhim arenowknown as Satan and demons.  The devil alongwithall theotherdemons, are simplyfallenangels. Theyareangelswho rebelledagainst God, and as aresult were cast out of heaven,and striped of their original responsibilities and places of angelic authority(Jude1:6).

ThePoint of No Return

 

Angels haveaspecialand unique role in the planand purposes of God.Often in theScriptures, as well as in otherliterature,angelic beings are referred to as the“sons” ofGod.This references the fact that the origin of all angels is God,the One who created them.

Adam, the first human being, is called the“son” ofGod in Scriptureas well, simplybecausehe originated from Godwho created him(Luke 3:38).  Adam did not have an earthlyfatherbecause he was the firsthuman being.  God was his fatherbymere fact ofhis creation.  In thesame way, angels are“sons”or children of God.Angels arespirit beings, and human beingsarespirit beings at theircore, and God is theFather ofspirits.Therefore,God, who is aSpiritHimself, is the Father of all spirit beings(Hebrews 12:9).  God has createdall beings, angelsand humanity, for His own gloryand purpose.

Nonetheless, therearedistinct differences between the angelic and humanraces thatarevitallyimportantto understand.  The angelic race was primarilycreated to servethepurposes of God andHis creation.Thehuman race was primarilycreated for thepleasure ofGod, to bethegloryof His creation.  From this we see a difference in thedistinct beings inhow theywere created inrelation to God.Thoughall beings were created to praiseandworship God, angels were created to serveGod, and human beingswere created to love God.

Without goinganyfurther into a deep discussion of angelology, demonology,oranthropology, the studyof angels, demons, and human beingsrespectively,forthepurposesof this discussion, there is one fact that is paramount.This fact is rooted in whatIhave statedabove in connection with the purposes and differences in whyanglesand humanitywerecreated.All angels, asfar as weknow,were created to serveGod,and tostand in Hispresence.  In this sense, theyareprimarilyservants, because theywerecreated to serveanddo the bidingof the Father.  Therefore, sense theirprimaryrelationship with God is based upon their service to God, the moment that theychooseto disobeyGod; theyforfeit theirprivilege of beingableto perpetuallystand in God’s presence and to becalled in His service.In other words,an angelwho sins cannot be forgiven.Someonemight saythat this is notfair, howcan God not forgivean angel who sins.  Therealityis not so much that God will notforgive, but rather that the angel has become socorrupt that theyhave noroom in their heartforrepentance. For example, doyou literallythinkthat Satan has, is, or is goingto repent andturn from his wickedness?No way!  Considerthis;the angels get to experience the verypresence of AlmightyGod, continually.God has invested in them powers,abilities, andresponsibilities to governand care forheaven, earth, the galaxies, and the universe. Theyenjoythe lavish luxuryof heaveneternally.  Is aperson who is willingtogive all this andmuch more up worthyofreconciliation?

Human beings on theotherhand havethe abilityto repent.Therefore, ahumanbeing’seternal destinyisnot eternallylost becauseof sin.  We have hope because of thesacrifice ofJesus Christ, the “Lamb of Godwho takes awaythe sin of theworld” (John 1:29).

This whole concept of Satan beingour enemy, is not so much that Satan is concernedabout us on ourown account; rather, Satan is jealous of ourrelationship with God, and theposition ofauthoritythatGod hasgiven to us as arace of spiritual beings.  Ourfight againstthe enemyis not just about us.  Theenemyattacks us because heknows thatwearethegloryof God’s creation.Thedevil’s attack on us is reallyanattackagainst God.  Theenemycannot do anythingto hurt God directlybecauseGod is God.  However, instead of comingagainst God, whom he knows hecannot defeat, he comes againstthe onesthat God loves.

Think of it this way, thedevil is acriminalmastermind.  Ifyou haveeverwatchedTVshows or movies, wherecrime was involved,you would notice that wheneveracriminalmind wanted to cause harm to an individual ormanipulatethe individual to do what they wanted, theywould either kidnap, threaten to do harm, and actuallydo harm to someoneofwhomthe individual loved.  This is not a conceptthat originated in theentertainment industryto keep us on the edges of ourseats.  This is atacticthat originated with Satan, which heisstill usingtoday, andwill continue to useuntil his ultimate demise.

The Outcome of Satan

 

Satan is asoreloser.  He lost the battle against Michael and the angels ofGod inheaven when herebelled,so heis tryingto do asmuch damageas hepossiblycan againsthumanity, and desires totakeas manypeopleto hell with him as possible(Revelation 12:7-12).

When Satan led the rebellion against God, hehadto fight against Michael thearchangel and thearmyof angels who remained faithful to God.Satan and his forces lost, ofcourse.  Asa result, theywere cast down to the earth.ByGod creatingmankind to ruletheearth, God was in essence creatingman from theverybeginningto exercise dominion andauthorityover Satan andhis demons.Satan seizingthe opportunityto deceive Adam and Evethrough temptingthem to disobeyGodwas his wayof salvagingwhat little spiritual power hehad left, in order to seekvengeance against the God who had created himand banished himforhis corruption. And so, the saga continues.  However,wealreadyknow what happens inthe end.  Lucifer, nowknown as Satan, andall those who followed him, will ultimatelybedefeated and sentenced to eternal punishment anddamnation.

So, forus, wemust understand that the fight against theenemyisafixed fight.  Wehave alreadywon,forthebattle is not ours, it’s theLord’s.  OurGod has, is, and will foreverbe, victorious!

Names ofthe DevilThroughout the Bible

 

I want to conclude this chapterbygivingyoualist of the names oftheenemy, as theyappear in the Scriptures.  Ina Hebraicand biblicalperspective names areveryimportant.

Names denote thecharacterand destinyof thenamed.  In thelistingbelowyouwill see thatthe various names ofSatan that are used areadescription of his nature, character, and being.

1. Lucifer(Isaiah 14:12)
2. Satan (Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:9)
3. Tempter (Matthew 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 3:5)
4. Enemy(Matthew 13:39)
5. Devil (Luke 4:2, 13; Revelation 12:9)
6. Beelzebub (Luke11:15)
7. Rulerof demons (Luke 11:15)
8. Liar (John 8:44)
9. Thief (John 10:10)
10. Theprince of this world (John 12:31)
11. Theevil one(John 17:15; 1 John 5:18)
12. Thegodof this world (2Corinthians 4:4)
13. Belial (2 Corinthians 6:15)
14. Prince of thepower oftheair (Ephesians 2:2)
15. Thespirit that now works in thesons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)
16. Adversary(1 Peter 5:8)
17. Abaddon (Revelation 9:11)
18. Apollyon (Revelation 9:11)
19. Angel of theBottomless Pit (Revelation 9:11)
20. Dragon (Revelation 12:7)
21. Theserpent of old (Revelation 12:9)
22. Accuser (Revelation 12:10)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jermaine Gadson is the Senior Pastor of Faith Ministries, Inc., a non-traditional church located in Birmingham, AL. Prior to starting Faith Ministries, he served as an associate minister, youth minister, and pastor for local churches and ministries in the greater Birmingham area. While, growing up in the Baptist church, he gave his life to Christ at an early age, and is a third generation minister of the Gospel.

He holds a B.A. in Religion with a Concentration in Congregational Studies and a Minor in Classics from Samford University, and a Master of Divinity from Beeson Divinity School of Samford University. He is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Beeson Divinity School.

Gadson enjoys reading, writing, sports, outdoors, movies, and spending time with his family. He is happily married to his wife Kristy and they have one beautiful daughter, Khloe.

Visit Pastor Gadson online at http://www.JermaineGadson.com.

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