Before going in to battle, it is a good idea to know who you will be battling. God wanted us to know who we will be facing. He took great care to give us details on who is our (and His) enemy. In Ephesians 6:11 God tells us right up front that our enemy is the devil. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Without the whole armour of God, there are parts of our lives that would not be protected. What are the "wiles of the devil?" The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives these definitions for the word "wiles":

• a trick or stratagem intended to ensnare or deceive; also a beguiling or playful trick
• skill in outwitting

God goes further in His explanation of who our enemy is and who our enemy is not in verse 12 of Ephesians 6. "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." Our enemies are not people ("not against flesh and blood"). Sometimes this is hard to believe whenever people begin to bad mouth us, curse us, and cause us all kinds of grief. We have to remember verse 12 and remind ourselves that it is not these human bodies who are our enemies, but the spirits that are using him/her to come against us. We must pray for the soul of that individual, asking God to reach down through the darkness of that soul and allow His good seeds to be planted and take root.

If the devil can keep us thinking that the one that against us is a human form, then he can deceive us and we will not be able to do battle correctly. Stand against the evil that is using this human form with prayer, Bible study and dependence on God.

If the enemy is not flesh and blood, then who is the enemy? We wrestle against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Let's take a look at the definitions of some of these words to make sure we are clear on what God is telling us. Principalities means:

• the state, office, or authority of a prince
• the territory or jurisdiction of a prince : the country that gives title to a prince

John 12: 30-33 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.

John 14: 29-30 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

John 16: 7-12 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

Ephesians 6:12 "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."

In the first half of this study, we looked at the "wiles of the devil," who the enemy is not, and the meaning of "principalities." As stated in the first half, people are not the enemy. Our battle is with Satan. He is a deceiver, a trickster. He will try to trick and entrap you. The devil and his demons ("powers") plus the "rulers of the darkness of this world" and "spiritual wickedness in high places" will try everything within their power to destroy you. Realize that when this verse states "against powers," it is not talking about the powers of God. These "powers" are demonic and satanic. These are the "powers" of darkness and evilness. How can you tell what are these "powers?"

I Corinthians 6: 9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21: 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

If you come against these things, then you know that you are in battle with the devil and his demons, also called "powers." They are also called the "rulers of the darkness of this world."

Do you still need more information on how to know your enemy?

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5:3-12 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

2 Corinthians 11: 1-15 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Be aware of those around you. Pray for God to open your spiritual eyes and give you spiritual discernment (the ability to tell what type of spirit you are dealing with). You need to be able to recognize the enemy. This is a large part of being an effective soldier in God's army.

May God bless you and keep you. May He open your spiritual awareness and give you boldness of His Spirit and His strength to fight the battle. God gave us power over the enemy: Luke 10:17

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