Identifying the Enemy
To overcome suffering, we must identify Satan as our enemy, develop spiritual sight and discernment, and maintain an opposing attitude against him.
Watchman Nee emphasizes the necessity of identifying our true enemy, which is not merely human but spiritual, as outlined in Ephesians 6:12. He urges believers to recognize that behind human actions, Satan and his dark forces are at work, causing suffering and oppression. Nee calls for spiritual discernment to differentiate between God's purposes and the schemes of the enemy, advocating for a deep-seated hatred of Satan's harassment. He stresses that acknowledging the injustices inflicted by the enemy is crucial for achieving victory and that believers must adopt a resolute stance against oppression. Ultimately, he encourages a pursuit of vengeance against the malice of Satan, affirming that he has no right to afflict God's people.
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Hence, the most important thing to do now is to clearly identify our enemy. We have to know definitely who our enemy is, who it is that causes us to suffer. Many times, we think that we have been taken advantage of by men. But the Bible tells us that "our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies" (Eph. 6:12). Hence, every time we suffer at the hands of men, we have to remember that behind the men of flesh Satan and his dark powers are there directing. We should have the spiritual sight to discern between God's work and Satan's hidden schemes. We should differentiate between the natural and the supernatural.
We should be mature and acquire spiritual knowledge so that nothing of Satan's work in the dark will escape our observation.
If this is so, should we not see that every natural or accidental occurrence which we encounter in our daily life is the work of the enemy? Then we will see that Satan is hounding us and persecuting us in everything. The pitiful thing is that in the past we were taken advantage of by Satan so much, yet without any realization that it was he who was taking advantage of us. The most important thing now is for every one of us to have a hatred of Satan for his harassment of us. Our hatred against Satan can never go too deep. Before there can be the possibility of victory, we must maintain an opposing attitude in our heart and refuse to come under his oppression.
We must realize that our sufferings which come from Satan are unjust and that these injustices must be avenged. This malice must be avenged. He has no right to afflict us, yet he inflicts such pain upon us. What an enmity! What an injustice! We must seek for vengeance.
Sermon Outline
- Identifying the Enemy
- Spiritual sight and discernment
- Acquiring spiritual knowledge and maturity
- Understanding the source of suffering
- Recognizing Satan's role in suffering
- Observing Satan's work in the dark
- Maintaining an opposing attitude against Satan
Key Quotes
“Our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies.” — Watchman Nee
“We should have the spiritual sight to discern between God's work and Satan's hidden schemes.” — Watchman Nee
“Our hatred against Satan can never go too deep.” — Watchman Nee
Application Points
- We must recognize Satan's role in our suffering and not just attribute it to men.
- Developing spiritual sight and discernment is crucial for observing Satan's work in the dark.
- Maintaining an opposing attitude against Satan is necessary for victory and refusing to come under his oppression.