Wilderness To Wisdom: 11 Know Your Enemy
In this episode, we explore the reality of spiritual warfare and learn how to recognize the enemy’s tactics without succumbing to fear. We learn how deception takes root through lies, distraction, and fear — and how to stand firm in the truth of God’s Word. You’ll be encouraged to discern the spirit behind what you see, guard your mind with Scripture, and walk boldly in the authority of Christ. This message invites you to stay spiritually awake and live from the victory Jesus has already won.
Transcript
Welcome back to Wilderness to Wisdom.
As we continue this journey,
There is one important truth we must address.
We have a real enemy.
Understanding who he is,
How he works,
And how to stand against him is essential for every follower of Christ who wants to walk in victory.
This is not to stir fear,
But to awaken awareness.
Also,
It's not about becoming overzealous and religious,
Calling everything evil,
Even if it seems to be true.
It's about developing a keen and quiet awareness of everything in this world and its spiritual root,
But at the same time knowing how to deal with it.
The good news is that the enemy has already been defeated through Christ,
Yet scripture reminds us to remain alert and sober-minded so we can stand firm in victory.
1 Peter 5.
8 says,
Be alert and of sober mind.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
The enemy constantly seeks opportunities to distract,
Deceive,
And discourage.
Notice that Peter says the devil prowls like a roaring lion,
Not that he is one.
His roar is meant to intimidate,
But his power is limited.
He has no authority over you unless you give him access through your agreement with his lies.
His power is in deception,
And deception only works when we accept it as truth.
John 8.
44 says,
You are of your father the devil,
And your will is to do your father's desires.
He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.
When he lies,
He speaks out of his own character,
For he is a liar and the father of lies.
Jesus makes it plain,
The devil's nature is deception.
A father gives the seed,
And the seed produces fruit.
So the devil gives us lies as the seed and tries to produce fruit in our lives based on those lies.
When we immerse ourselves in the word of our father God,
That is the seed,
And we produce fruit based on that seed.
The devil's deception is in twisting truth just enough to make it believable or to make us question or doubt God.
He whispers things like,
You're not really forgiven,
Or God doesn't hear you.
This situation will never change.
When we accept those lies,
We begin to live as though they are true,
Even when God's word says otherwise.
The enemy builds strongholds in the mind by getting us to meditate on lies instead of truth.
When we accept the devil's narrative,
We unknowingly empower him to influence our thoughts,
Decisions,
Emotions,
And outcomes.
Revelation 12.
9 tells us,
And the great dragon was thrown down,
That ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan,
The deceiver of the whole world.
He was thrown down to the earth,
And his angels were thrown down with him.
Then Job 1.
7 says,
The Lord said to Satan,
From where have you come?
Satan answered the Lord and said,
From going to and fro on the earth,
And from walking up and down on it.
People think Satan is in hell.
No,
He is right here on the earth.
Even though he and his fallen angels operate in the unseen realm,
They are actively influencing the systems of this world,
Politics,
Media,
Education,
And especially religion,
To distort the truth and to weaken believers.
Their power is limited,
But their influence grows wherever people remain spiritually unaware or complacent.
In today's culture,
Deception often disguises itself as enlightenment.
People may claim to be woke,
Aware,
Or spiritual,
Yet remain spiritually asleep.
Even within the church,
Emotional experiences or social ideals can sometimes take precedence over genuine relationship with God.
And this isn't about judgment,
It's about discernment.
Satan doesn't care whether you go to church,
Follow religion,
Positive energy,
Or the universe.
His goal is not always to turn people away from God directly,
But to keep them focused on anything that distracts them from putting on the nature of Christ.
Whether it's through pride,
Busyness,
Or worldly reasoning,
The devil is satisfied as long as we are not walking in the full authority of Christ.
Ephesians 6.
12 tells us,
Confusion,
And fear.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
When we understand this,
We can stop wasting our energy fighting the wrong enemy and start using our spiritual weapons,
Prayer,
The word of God,
And our authority in Christ.
Recognizing the true source of opposition changes everything.
It will shift us from frustration to faith,
From reacting in the flesh to standing firm in the spirit.
When we understand that everything has a spiritual root,
Our perspective changes.
The more aware we become of this truth,
The more clearly we can see behind the curtain of everyday life,
Realizing how the enemy seeks to deceive us in every area.
Everything around us is influenced by spiritual forces.
Let's consider a couple of examples.
When someone is rude or hostile,
That person isn't your enemy.
The spirit influencing them is.
What we see on the surface is simply a manifestation of that spiritual oppression.
If we only respond to what's natural,
We act in the flesh,
And in doing so,
We've allowed an oppressing spirit to influence us as well.
But when we discern the spirit behind the situation,
We can walk in authority instead of offense.
Also,
Many people don't realize,
And this may sound surprising at first,
But much of what we see and experience in the world,
Including something as ordinary as marketing,
Is influenced by what scripture refers to as seducing spirits.
Advertisements are designed to persuade,
To get you to come into agreement with what's being promoted.
That doesn't mean every ad is evil,
But it does mean we need to stay aware of how easily influence can take root if we're not discerning.
If you live in the United States,
You've probably noticed how many prescription drug commercials play on television.
It's excessive.
These ads subtly plant seeds,
Causing people to meditate on sickness and disease.
They use catchy music and cheerful voices to make you internalize the message until it feels familiar and believable,
Forming strongholds that cause you to accept sickness as a normal and inevitable part of life.
The goal goes beyond selling medicine.
Over time,
We're conditioned to expect illness instead of standing firm on the truth that Jesus already bore our sickness and carried our pain,
That by his stripes we are healed.
We can read this in Isaiah 53 5 and 1 Peter 2 24.
Awareness isn't about labeling everything evil.
It's about understanding influence.
Everything we encounter is designed to shape our thoughts and beliefs for good or for harm.
As believers,
We must stay spiritually discerning,
Able to recognize the spirit behind what we see and experience every day.
Our minds are the battlefield.
The soul,
Your mind,
Will and emotions is the target of the enemy.
The devil knows he cannot touch your born again spirit,
But he can influence your mind through lies,
Fear,
Pride,
Jealousy,
Bitterness,
Unforgiveness,
Strife,
Distraction.
The list goes on and on.
Each area of vulnerability becomes an entry point that allows spiritual oppression to take root and produce fruit.
Second Corinthians 2 11 says in order that Satan might not outwit us for we are not unaware of his schemes.
We are called to be spiritually aware,
Not fearful.
The enemy strategy is always the same deception.
He wants to destroy your relationships,
Health,
Peace and purpose by luring you into doubt,
Bitterness or fear.
Every stronghold begins as a thought.
What you meditate on becomes what you believe and what you believe becomes what you live.
If you meditate on lies,
Those lies take root.
If you meditate on the truth of God's word,
Freedom follows.
To truly understand this battle,
We must recognize that there is only good and evil.
There is no gray area.
Evil doesn't always appear dark or obvious.
We have been conditioned to associate evil only with violence,
Hatred or cruelty.
But the enemy often disguises himself in what looks harmless,
Moral or even spiritual.
If we're unguarded,
We can easily mistake something that opposes God's truth as something that aligns with his will.
2 Corinthians 11 13 and 14 says For such men are false apostles,
Deceitful workmen,
Disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder,
For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Much of the time,
Evil looks and feels good to the flesh.
It appeals to comfort,
Validation and emotional satisfaction.
That's how the enemy deceives even those with pure intentions.
He doesn't need to remove the gospel to deceive.
He only needs to twist it slightly until it resembles truth.
Without discernment through the Holy Spirit and the word of God,
We can easily mistake deception for revelation.
As followers of Christ,
Our spirits are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
We cannot be fully possessed by demons.
However,
We can be oppressed.
Meaning evil spirits can influence our thoughts and emotions when we aren't walking in truth or when our minds haven't been renewed in a specific area.
I describe it as evil spirits setting up shop in the corner of our minds.
The enemy's goal is to plant thoughts that sound like our own.
Once we come into agreement with them,
We open the door for oppression.
Sadly,
Much of what's labeled as biblical today is no longer grounded in biblical truth.
Many ministries have drifted from true teaching,
Choosing instead to focus on messages that appeal to the intellect or emotions by entertaining,
Encouraging or serving personal agendas.
Encouragement in itself isn't wrong,
But encouragement without transformation only produces emotional highs,
Not spiritual growth or maturity.
The enemy is threatened by believers who truly understand and walk in their God-given authority.
That's why deception often takes root within religion.
Many churches have created their own doctrines,
Traditions,
And systems mixing biblical truth with worldly influence.
This is how we ended up with so many denominations,
Each one convinced they have the right approach.
Even non-denominational churches can become their own form of denomination without realizing it.
Jesus never instructed us to be part of a denomination.
He simply said,
Follow me.
When we move away from that simplicity,
We become more vulnerable to confusion,
Deception,
And distraction.
This blending of truth with worldly influence is subtle,
And that's what makes it dangerous.
It's easy to get comfortable hearing messages that sound spiritual but are shaped more by culture than by scripture.
We have to be honest with ourselves about what we're feeding on.
Are we really being transformed by the Word of God,
Or just comforted by messages that pacify the flesh but leave the soul malnourished?
The difference is critical.
One strengthens our walk in Christ,
While the other keeps us bound by emotion,
Routine,
And dependence on others for spiritual nourishment.
This is why it's so important to weigh everything we hear against the Word of God.
Just because something sounds inspirational does not mean it's rooted in the truth.
The enemy loves half-truths.
They're close enough to scripture to sound right,
But twisted just enough to lead us off course.
We must return to the simplicity and the power of the gospel to test every message,
Every tradition,
And every belief through God's Word so that we can walk in truth and not be deceived.
Even with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us,
Walking out our faith in the flesh is a daily challenge.
The Spirit leads,
But our minds,
Wills,
And emotions must continually be brought into alignment.
It's an ongoing process of surrender,
Learning each day to follow the Spirit rather than our natural impulses.
Jesus illustrated this in Matthew 12 verses 43 through 45.
It says,
When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person,
It passes through waterless places seeking rest but finds none.
Then it says,
I will return to my house from which I came.
And when it comes,
It finds the house empty,
Swept,
And put in order.
Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself,
And they enter and dwell there.
And the last state of that person is worse than the first.
So also will it be with this evil generation.
This passage reveals the danger of spiritual emptiness.
The house may be swept clean,
But if it remains unfilled,
If the Holy Spirit isn't continually welcomed to govern that space,
It becomes an open door for the enemy to return with greater force.
Think of your body as a house.
The Holy Spirit is in you,
But you must continually renew your mind to the Word of God,
Allowing the Holy Spirit access to every area of the house.
Otherwise,
Unaddressed areas of weakness,
Such as fear,
Unforgiveness,
Anger,
Pride,
Bitterness,
Or strife,
Become unlocked doors for the enemy to influence your thoughts and reactions.
Romans 12 too reminds us,
Do not be conformed to this world,
But be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
That by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
What is good and acceptable and perfect.
Transformation requires active engagement,
Not routine repetition.
Many of our old habits are default settings,
Learned responses that need to be reprogrammed by the truth.
For example,
When someone cuts you off in traffic,
Your instinct may cause you to yield to oppressing spirits that bring forth anger and offense,
But a renewed mind may choose to thank God for protection and pray for that person instead.
These small moments of obedience train our minds to respond in a Christ-like manner,
Rather than with fleshly reactions driven by oppressing spirits.
Spiritual maintenance means keeping the house not just clean,
But occupied,
Filled daily with the truth of God's word and faith lived out through action.
In Paul's letter to Timothy,
He warned him to guard against the knowledge of the world that departs from the word of God.
We live in a culture that glorifies human reasoning.
The truths of science,
Medicine,
And psychology are what we have been programmed to believe above the word of God,
And because of that,
We often trust those things more than we trust God's word.
1 Timothy 6 verses 20 and 21 says,
O Timothy,
Guard the deposit entrusted to you.
Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge,
For by professing it,
Some have swerved from the faith.
What we are persuaded of,
We will embrace as truth.
The facts of this world may be real to our senses,
But as followers of Christ,
We are called to live by a higher reality,
The truth of God's word.
The devil's goal is to persuade you to dwell on lies until they begin shaping your thoughts,
Influencing your emotions,
And forming the foundation of what you believe.
Strongholds aren't built by power or force.
They're built slowly and strategically through persuasion.
2 Corinthians 11 3 says,
But I fear,
Lest by any means,
As the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety,
So your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
The gospel is simple,
But the world makes it complicated.
Satan corrupts that simplicity by appealing to our intellect,
Pride,
And emotions.
He wants us to question everything God has already made clear.
This can be a hard message to receive,
Because it means confronting the lies we've knowingly or unknowingly accepted,
And admitting that,
At times,
We've dismissed truth simply because it feels inconvenient.
Walking in truth requires us to challenge what the world accepts as normal,
To question everything we've grown comfortable with,
And to be willing to step outside of what feels easy or familiar when it doesn't align with God's word.
Let's talk more about fear and faith and how to live by faith and not fear.
Job 3.
25 says,
What I feared has come upon me.
What I dreaded has happened to me.
Fear is one of the enemy's greatest weapons.
It causes us to believe the devil's lies more than God's promises.
Faith,
On the other hand,
Releases everything Jesus already paid for.
Faith and fear are opposing forces,
But both can be felt at the same time,
Just not from the same place.
Fear lives in the soul,
In the mind,
Will,
And emotions,
While faith is rooted in the spirit.
The Holy Spirit within us is never afraid.
So,
Yes,
We can feel fear,
But we must actively choose faith.
The presence of fear doesn't mean faith is gone.
It means our soul is still learning to trust and align with what our spirit already knows.
Romans 8.
6 reminds us,
For to be carnally minded is death,
But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
When we meditate on fear,
We empower it.
When we meditate on faith,
We access grace and peace.
2 Timothy 1.
7 assures us,
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,
But of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Faith glorifies God and fear glorifies the enemy.
Fear,
Worry,
And anxiety never solve the problem.
They magnify it.
But faith,
Anchored in God's Word,
Releases His goodness into our lives.
2 Corinthians 10.
4 says,
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh,
But have divine power to destroy strongholds.
The Word of God is that weapon.
When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness,
Jesus didn't argue or panic.
He responded with Scripture.
That is how we fight every battle,
By speaking truth,
Not fear.
We live in a fallen world,
But we don't have to live deceived.
Satan's main tactic is fear.
Fear of lack,
Failure,
Rejection,
Or the unknown.
It can come from anywhere,
Family,
Friends,
The media,
Or our own circumstances.
But its goal is always control.
If the devil can get you to accept fear,
He can control your thoughts,
Words,
And actions,
Reinforcing bondage through repetition.
Fear is spiritual imprisonment,
Which is why we must shut it down the moment we recognize it.
Faith isn't just believing for something.
It's living from something already finished.
When fear arises,
Respond immediately with faith-filled words.
You can say something like,
Father,
I thank you that you supply all my needs according to your riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
I have abundance,
And there is no lack.
My body is healed and made whole in Jesus' name.
Sickness and disease have no right to exist in my body,
For my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
These are faith-filled confessions,
Declarations that align your words with God's truth.
That is faith in action.
John 15 verses 7 and 8 says,
If you abide in me and my words abide in you,
Ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified,
That you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
Faith glorifies God by bearing fruit through obedience and trust.
Fear glorifies the enemy through doubt,
Paralysis,
Or choices that fall out of alignment with God's word.
When we let fear guide our decisions,
We step outside of faith and into self-reliance,
Exactly where the enemy wants us.
But when we remain rooted in faith,
Our actions reflect trust in God's promises and our lives bear fruit that brings Him glory.
A powerful example of faith over fear is in Acts 16,
When Paul and Silas were imprisoned.
Despite their situation,
They sang hymns and praised God.
Suddenly,
An earthquake shook the prison.
The doors opened and every chain fell off.
Instead of escaping,
They stayed,
Ultimately leading the jailer and his entire household to salvation.
Their faith shifted the atmosphere and also changed lives.
If the devil can get you to embrace fear and accept it into your subconscious mind,
The very things you fear can come forth.
But when you believe God's word more than what you see or feel,
Faith takes over.
The wisdom of the world keeps us bound by fear,
But real faith sets us free.
Colossians 2.
15 says,
And having disarmed the powers and authorities,
He made a public spectacle of them,
Triumphing over them by the cross.
Jesus didn't just weaken the enemy,
He disarmed him.
He stripped him of authority and exposed him publicly.
Our role as believers isn't to refight a lost battle.
This is not a rematch.
We are called to stand firm in the victory Jesus already secured.
Every time we respond in faith instead of fear,
Truth instead of lies,
And peace instead of chaos,
We enforce that victory here on earth.
Luke 10.
19 says,
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.
Jesus gave us his authority,
Not partial but complete.
So we are not victims trying to survive the world.
We are ambassadors of a kingdom that reigns above it.
But if we don't understand that truth or walk in it,
We live far beneath our inheritance.
Matthew 18.
18 confirms this authority.
It says,
Truly I say to you,
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
And whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Binding and loosing means forbidding or permitting.
Using our authority in Jesus' name to allow what aligns with God's will and to reject what doesn't.
We don't have to beg God to remove oppression.
We can command evil spirits to flee in Jesus' name.
James 4.
7 says,
Submit yourselves therefore to God,
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
We don't plead for God to act.
We stand in faith and enforce his victory by exercising our authority.
When we command the enemy to flee in Jesus' name,
He must obey.
But that doesn't always mean he won't try to come back.
The devil will often test our resolve,
Hoping that we'll get weary or doubt what we have already declared.
That's why we must stand firmly on our confession of faith.
If he returns,
We don't panic or beg God to move.
We continue to resist him with the word and the authority of Christ every single time.
Eventually,
He'll realize that you're not backing down,
And he will flee because you know who you are and the power that you stand in.
John 14.
13 says,
Whatever you ask in my name,
This I will do,
That the Father may be glorified in the Son.
This isn't about empty repetition of Jesus' name.
It's about operating under his authority.
When we speak and act according to his will,
Heaven will back us up.
Sometimes people pray,
Well,
God,
If it's your will,
But it is never God's will for his children to live under spiritual oppression.
In the Old Testament,
We even see the power of God's authority at work through his prophets.
In 2 Kings chapter 2 verses 23 through 25,
Elisha was mocked by a group of boys.
The Bible says he cursed them in the name of the Lord,
And two bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of them.
I know,
That is a harsh example.
And as new creations in Christ,
We now operate in grace and love.
But it still demonstrates that divine authority is real and it is powerful.
That same power now operates in and through us by the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 13 verses 8 through 11,
We see Paul confronting Elimas the sorcerer who was trying to turn people away from the faith.
Paul,
Filled with the Holy Spirit,
Rebuked him sharply and declared God's judgment,
And Elimas was struck blind for a period of time.
Paul didn't ignore the opposition.
He exercised spiritual authority to stop the deception.
We also are called to stand firmly in that authority.
A believer can be a child of God in spirit,
But live like a child of the devil in their soul if they continually agree with worldly lies.
When we let the world shape our thoughts more than the Word of God,
We surrender our authority to the enemy.
People will often excuse their spiritual weakness by saying things like,
I just don't know enough about the Bible.
But if you are born again,
You have the Holy Spirit,
Your helper and guide who leads you into all truth.
The problem isn't access to truth,
It's distraction and unbelief.
Many people listen more to what their pastor,
Family,
Or culture says than to what the Holy Spirit is saying.
That is why we must stay rooted in the Word and walk in the Spirit.
Regardless of what's happening in the world,
We are to speak and stand firmly on what God says,
Not what fear or circumstances dictate.
When you understand your position in Christ,
You stop living as a victim and start walking in victory.
It is refusing to yield to fear,
Taking every thought captive,
And exercising the authority of heaven in your everyday life.
Standing in victory and walking in authority isn't a one-time event.
It is a lifestyle of faith and daily awareness.
Authority without protection can leave us exposed,
Which is why Paul reminds us to be spiritually dressed and ready for battle.
We don't fight for victory,
We stand in victory,
But we must remain equipped to enforce that truth in every situation.
Ephesians 6 10-13 says,
Finally,
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God,
That you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
But against the rulers,
Against the authorities,
Against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,
Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Therefore,
Take up the whole armor of God,
That you may be able to withstand in the evil day,
And having done all,
To stand firm.
The armor isn't just a metaphor,
It is a spiritual posture,
A daily choice to stay covered and alert.
I want to encourage you to study Ephesians 6 10-20,
Where the armor is explained.
Truth guards against deception,
Righteousness protects the heart,
Peace anchors our steps,
Faith shields against fiery doubts,
Salvation secures our identity,
And the Word is our weapon of truth.
With this armor,
We don't stand in fear,
We stand firm in victory.
The armor of God represents more than protection,
It is alignment.
When we live in truth,
Righteousness,
Peace,
Faith,
Salvation,
And the Word,
We embody Christ Himself,
The One who already overcame the enemy.
Once we are fully equipped with the armor of God,
The next step is to walk it out,
Not in fear or retreat,
But in confidence and light.
Armor isn't meant for hiding behind,
It is meant for advancing the kingdom.
When we walk clothed in truth,
Righteousness,
Peace,
Faith,
Salvation,
And the Word,
We don't just withstand darkness,
We dispel it.
We live in a dark world,
But where there is light,
Darkness cannot remain.
Matthew 5.
14 reminds us,
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
You carry the presence of God everywhere you go.
His light in you is not meant to flicker,
It is meant to shine.
Darkness has no authority where light is present,
So we cannot shrink back or dim our light out of fear,
Comfort,
Or conformity.
Now is the time to walk boldly in the power of Christ and to reflect His kingdom in this world.
Through your words,
Your actions,
And the peace you carry,
You are called to reveal the reality of heaven wherever you go.
Standing in light means walking with confidence that victory is already yours.
Living as evidence of the kingdom and showing others what it looks like to live free,
Fearless,
And full of faith.
I want to leave you with a few questions to reflect on and a little encouragement.
What areas of my life feel normal,
But may actually be shaped by the world's influence rather than God's truth?
In what situations have I responded in the flesh instead of discerning the spirit behind what I was facing?
And finally,
How has the enemy tried to steal time,
Distract my focus,
Or delay my spiritual growth?
From the time we wake up in the morning until the time we go to bed at night,
And even in our dreams,
The enemy may try to attack.
But this isn't about living in fear or becoming consumed with the devil and his works.
It is about staying awake,
Aware,
And present,
Recognizing that yes,
We have a real enemy,
But we also walk in a greater victory.
The enemy's goal is subtle,
To steal our time.
A few distracted moments here,
A few fearful thoughts there,
Until those moments add up to years.
If he can keep us worried,
Full of anxiety,
Busy,
Or spiritually complacent,
He can lead us all the way to the end of our lives without ever stepping into the power and authority we have in Christ.
Remember,
You are already seated in victory.
You have authority in Christ.
You are equipped with spiritual armor.
Use it.
You are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Walk in it.
Romans 8.
37 says,
No,
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
As you go about each day,
Walk boldly knowing who you are and whose you are.
The battle has already been won.
Your role is to stand firm,
Let your light shine,
And enforce the victory Jesus has already secured.
Thank you for joining me for this episode of Wilderness to Wisdom.
