Addressing your worst enemy

We all know this horrible enemy called the devil, who wants to take everything you have and cast you into a place of entire loneliness. The devil has put on many disguises to accomplish his mission over the years in each of our lives. He has tempted people to do horrific things, but he is not our worst enemy. Guessing time... Who is closest to you than anyone else and is around you all the time? This person has done the most damage in your life. I am sure some of you are seeing your spouse in your mind right now, but it’s not them, it’s YOU. Yes, you.
Let me explain the reason I say we are our own worst enemy and not the devil or demons. Let’s start by evaluating a portion of the story of Job in the bible. Satan wanted to totally destroy Job but God said this in Job 1:12 KJV, “…., only upon his soul do not touch.” This next statement is very important to understanding as we progress. Our soul is the place where our will, intellect, and emotions dwell. The soul is where we remember and feel things in life, the bible references it as our heart in some context. If the will of a person has been broken, it was because the soul was affected by an outside influence. If our intellect is not full, it is because of an outside influence that caused a false perception to be a personal reality to an individual. If a person’s emotions are damaged, it is because of a wound that happened to that person’s soul. The soul is what brings life to a person. It was created whole by God but outside influences may darken it.

The point that we get from the scripture mentioned above is, though the enemy may attack our body and possessions, he cannot touch our soul physically. So, his master plan is to influence us by the things that happen to us or that is said about us, to get us to accept a negative view. Once we accept the negative into our hearts, it takes root into the soul. I could name many scriptures to help bring this into perspective, but I end with these: Luke 6:45 and Ephesians 6:12. The scripture in Ephesians explains that we are not in a battle with other people but with the evil one. The scripture in Luke explains that what a person speaks will display what is in their soul (heart). Therefore, I believe that the worst enemy we have to face is ourselves. We are in control of what we let into our hearts (souls).
When another person says cruel and evil things about you and to you, we should realize that the enemy is using this person’s mouth to make us believe negativity. I give an example, if you are in a relationship and your partner tells you that no one loves you but them, DON’T believe this. If you believe this, you damage your own soul. If you let this into your heart, it will make it hard for you to believe that God loves you. I have met and counseled people who do not believe that God loves them. Sadly, this comes from negative words from co-workers, family members, friends (boyfriend/girlfriend), and/or spouses. This we all know, that God paid a great price that shows how much He does love you. The price was His Son. God has given you a special gift that He wrapped your individuality in, your soul. Your individuality is loved by God and He wants you to keep it pure before Him. Don’t let the enemy influence you to be an enemy against yourself. We can’t stop the words from being spoken or the trauma that may happen, but we can stop ourselves from believing the enemy. Let us believe what God has said and not the enemy. It’s not the possession you have, your appearance, or your health status. It is about your soul that will be judged in the day of judgement. Will God be pleased at what you believe about yourself and others? If not, reject the poison of lies from the enemy and dive into Gods perfect and loving word to see what He says about you. I promise, it will have a positive effect on your will, intellect, and emotions or just simply put… your soul.