I don’t even like capitalizing the word “enemy” in the title of this article. I get that it is an important word in the title, thus we capitalize said word, but I don’t like giving the enemy any more weight than necessary, and a capital “E” feels too heavy.
Scripture tells us in John 10:10 that the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly.
It stands to reason that the enemy that has come to kill, steal, and destroy will also attack our relationship with God and our relationship with our neighbors, since Jesus says the greatest commands are to love God and each other. As Matthew 22:36-39 (ESV) states:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
“It stands to reason that the enemy that has come to kill, steal, and destroy will also attack our relationship with God and our relationship with our neighbors.”
Eroding the foundation of who we are in Christ is the best way that the enemy can put a wedge in all of these relationships. The enemy whispers lies such as,
“God didn’t really mean you are a saint; you’ve committed too many sins.”
“You aren’t lovable. God can’t love you and neither does your spouse.”
“You better hide who you really are, or no one will like you.”
These lies might have been spoken over you by a parent or just popped into your mind when you were feeling down or ruminating over a mistake. However they got there, they are there, and they are likely influencing the relationships that God desires for you.
How do we respond to the lies? We counteract lies with truth:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV)
“We counteract lies with truth.”
When Paul says “all Scripture,” he means all Scripture. What God says about you and what he says about the enemy are true. Our thoughts about ourselves are lined up with God’s truth—or they are lined up with the enemy’s lies. When we chose to follow Christ and make him our Lord, we died to ourselves and we took on Christ. Accordingly, when we are living out our identity in Christ, our thoughts become aligned with his.
To do the good works God calls us to, we must be equipped through the Scriptures, not sidelined by believing what the enemy is telling us and living from a position of defeat. The enemy wants us to not be ready for the good work God has for us, namely loving God and loving our neighbors. He wants us to be riddled with jealousy, hatred, shame, loneliness, and despair. This is because when we base our identity on who the enemy is trying to convince us we are, we begin to separate ourselves from God and his people.
The good news is that Jesus defeated the enemy and gave us the authority to do the same. As Luke 10:17-20 narrates,
“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20, ESV)
“When we base our identity on who the enemy is trying to convince us we are, we begin to separate ourselves from God and his people.”
Our identity does not have to be shaped by the enemy’s accusations, but instead must be solidified by an acceptance of God’s Word which defeats the enemy and his lies. This is a process of accepting God’s truth while renouncing the lies as well as casting out the enemy if a stronghold is present.
Satan has no right to diminish our identity in Christ, we must take back any ground the enemy has gained so that we can live from the fullness of our relationship with both God and each other. These relationships are based on love and truth, joy and fellowship.
If you are interested in more on this topic of identity in Christ and counteracting the enemy’s influence on our identity, please check out a new RENEW.org book called Identity, Who You Really Are in Christ, by Anthony Walker and Michelle Eagle, as well as recent podcasts on Scripture in Black and White that feature topics from the book.
