NEVER Challenge the Enemy, Ep 3-15

Welcome Back! I am your host Dawn Simmons, and in this episode of Conquering Our Unseen Enemies we are going to be discussing why we should never issue a challenge to the enemy. It seems like it should be common sense, but for some reason people do not understand that such words are not biblical and should never be uttered. We will hear what the Lord has to say about issuing such a challenge.

Before we begin, I want to ask our regular podcast listeners to consider supporting us each week as we work to provide you quality and useful information. Your support is appreciated more than we can express.  You can show your support at www.buzzsprout.com/1995558/support.  There is a link in the notes.

Don’t forget to check us out on YouTube for this podcast, Conquering Our Unseen Enemies.  There is a link in the notes.  

https://www.youtube.com/@conqueringourunseenenemies/featured

Ok, so let’s talk about what I mean by issuing a challenge to the enemy.  Last week I was talking to someone, I don’t really know her, I’ve met her once before but at a public event she asked to speak to me privately. We talked about a few things and then she began to talk  about where she is in her spiritual walk. Her words surprised me and this is what she said,  “where I am at right now, if the enemy wants to come at me then I say Bring it!” and she became animated moving her arms in a sweeping inward fashion.  Maybe you’ve heard someone say something like that.  I hear it more often than I like because I don’t think that the person saying it really understands what they are saying at the moment they are saying it and it grieves me to hear those words.  Understand I am not the spiritual police, I’m not trying to be and I don’t want to go around correcting everyone, but when we say words along those lines, we are opening a door we do not want open.  It reflects a spiritual immaturity that in and of itself indicates that what you are inviting, by using those words, you are not equipped to handle, or you would not say such things.

Every now and then I hear things like that said by someone who claims to have a deliverance ministry.  I say claims because if someone says it, I don’t verify it, if they say it then presumably they have a deliverance ministry of some sort.  However, if someone who has a deliverance ministry says anything like that, it’s a questionable ministry at best.  Let’s talk about why.

We are going to look at scripture from a few different angles and then dig in a little deeper.

1 Peter 5:8,  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

So here we see Peter using a metaphor of a lion to describe the enemy.  We are still human, but the enemy is a lion.  I don’t know about you, but I can tell you if I had to stand face to face or toe to toe with a lion, in my own human strength, all that might be left of me is a toe.  What Peter tells us here is not to attack the lion, he doesn’t say, “Go Get Him!” He says two things, resist him and stand firm in the faith. Daniel did not survive being in the lions den by telling that lion, “Bring It!”  Neither are we to challenge the lion. Next up.

Matthew 16:21-23,  From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Now here we have Peter again, and in his immaturity he says some things he should not, just like this woman did with me.  Peter didn’t understand what he was saying, but the Lord knew Peter was being influenced and rebuked the enemy.  He wasn’t upset with Peter, tho Peter probably felt that way in the moment.  The thing about this we want to pay close attention to is what specifically Jesus says here.  He tells us about Satan.  “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Satan, our enemy, is concerned with human concerns, he is focused on us, not to help us, but to harm us as Jesus also tells us in John 10:10.  The enemy came to steal, kill and destroy. We have to have common sense not to challenge an enemy who is intent on killing, stealing and destroying the lives of humans. 

Ephesians 6:12, Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

When we read that, it is clearly, very very clearly referring to spiritual battle.  Nowhere in all of that beautiful description does it say, once you have your armor on, Charge! No it tells us to take our stand, stand our ground, stand firm, hold our shield of faith which will distinguish the flaming arrows of the enemy.  This is a very active, not passive look at how we are to handle ourselves in battle.  We are going to have to fight, we can’t avoid the battle but we, in our own strength are not to issue a directive to the enemy.  When we say “Bring It!” we are speaking in our own strength.

Jude 1:8-10, In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”  Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.

Hardly anyone takes the time to read Jude, but when you do you get gems like this that reveal aspects of the spiritual realm to us that are very insightful.  So what do we learn here.  There is a discussion of heaping abuse on celestial beings, it does not say what form, God’s Kingdom or Satan’s Kingdom, both have celestial beings and with that being the case we are not to heap abuse or judgment on either, that is not our role today.  Then we see a discussion about the archangel Michael and a dispute with Satan.  They are both archangels, the highest level, and you see even Michael does not challenge Satan, he does judge or condemn or even slander Satan. Our words are very important so we can speak truth about who Satan is and what he does, but we are not to speak to him or order him around like he is our servant.  Even Michael defers to saying “The Lord rebuke you” We rebuke in the name of Jesus, so same thing. 

Matthew 4:1-10, Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”  Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Here we see Satan himself challenging Jesus, but Jesus does not in turn challenge him back or taunt him or say anything beyond what scripture tells him.  The reason for that is because Jesus knows it is not time for that.  He knows what his role is and what is required of Him and He is going to fulfill that role.  We need to understand our role is not to challenge the enemy and become embattled in a war we created.

Revelation 12:7, Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

This is what is coming.  There is a war coming, there is a time and place set for a battle to occur with Satan, and nowhere does it say, and all the people who said “Bring It” will prevail and throw Satan down. We need to keep our perspective. Jesus is the one who will prevail.

In case it us unclear, this podcast is called conquering our unseen enemies not challenging our unseen enemies, there’s a difference. This is our third season, 93rd episode, not once in 93 episodes have I ever said to goad the enemy, someone who does that does not understand the arena they have just stepped into. We are not to challenge the enemy to war, where do we ever see Jesus do that? Where do we see Paul or the disciples do that? Nowhere, because we should never do that. We are called to respond to warfare, we don’t invite it. We are equipped for our role; we are not equipped for His role and we are not to try to fulfill his role.

I asked the Lord what He wanted to say on this issue and here is what he told me:

“We need to steer clear of this behavior. It only invites trouble and no one with sense invites trouble. I am misused and people are in their own power proclaiming wars I never called them to. They are fighting their wars, not mine. I want them to fight their own battles not ones I never asked them to. I don’t battle the enemy the way they are battling the enemy. I seek the heart, to repair hearts, not stir up more issues. I seek to remove the enemy from the lives of My children, not draw him to My children to create a battle. When we send out an invitation, don’t be surprised when someone shows up. That’s not My way and My children need to move My way. There is no glory in fighting a battle you created. I don’t put My children in those positions, and neither should they.  Seek Me and remove strongholds and influences that impede Me. Anything else is done for your own glory and I am not a part of that.”

I hope this has been time that inspires you to want to learn to grow in your relationship with the Lord and build your desire to partner with Him. We want to grow in Him and learn how to work with Him to build the Kingdom and Conquer Our Unseen Enemies. The more we grow the more our life will change, and you can help change the lives of anyone around you who is willing.

If you are growing through our podcast, consider supporting us each month as we continue to build the Kingdom of God. www.buzzsprout.com/1995558/support.  Don’t forget to check us out on the YouTube Channel, Conquering Our Unseen Enemies.

If you know anyone who might benefit from this, please share. 

As always, let’s discuss our Top Show points:

Discussing why we should never issue a challenge to the enemy

Story of someone who challenged the enemy by saying “Bring It” and that reflects a spiritual immaturity by inviting the enemy

1 Peter 5:8, using a metaphor of a lion to describe the enemy.  We are not to attack the lion, Daniel did not do that, neither are we to challenge the lion.

Matthew 16:21-23, Jesus tells us about Satan and his intent to kill, steal and destroy

Ephesians 6:12, This is a very active, not passive look at how we are to handle ourselves in battle.  We are going to have to fight, we can’t avoid the battle but we, in our own strength are not to issue a directive to the enemy. 

Jude 1:8-10, Our words are important, we speak truth about who Satan is and what he does, but we are not to speak to him or order him around.  Even Michael defers to saying “The Lord rebuke you” We rebuke in the name of Jesus, so same thing. 

Matthew 4:1-10, Jesus does not challenge Satan or taunt him or say anything beyond what scripture tells him.  Jesus knows it is not time for that.  We need to understand our role is not to challenge the enemy and become embattled in a war we created.

Revelation 12:7, This is what is coming.  There is a war coming, there is a time and place set for a battle to occur with Satan. We need to keep our perspective. Jesus is the one who will prevail.

This podcast is called conquering our unseen enemies not challenging our unseen enemies, there’s a difference.

I asked the Lord what He wanted to say on this issue and here is what he told me:

“We need to steer clear of this behavior. It only invites trouble and no one with sense invites trouble. I am misused and people are in their own power proclaiming wars I never called them to. They are fighting their wars, not mine. I want them to fight their own battles not ones I never asked them to. I don’t battle the enemy the way they are battling the enemy. I seek the heart, to repair hearts, not stir up more issues. I seek to remove the enemy from the lives of My children, not draw him to My children to create a battle. When we send out an invitation, don’t be surprised when someone shows up. That’s not My way and My children need to move My way. There is no glory in fighting a battle you created. I don’t put My children in those positions, and neither should they.  Seek Me and remove strongholds and influences that impede Me. Anything else is done for your own glory and I am not a part of that.”

We encourage you:

·      To have an active Bible reading plan, if you want a personal relationship with the Lord, you need to be active about reading His word.

·      Take a look at my newest book, Conquering Our Unseen Enemies, available on Amazon or our website, Conqueringourunseenenemies.com

·      Follow us in Instagram, @conqueringourunseenenemies and FB.

I have enjoyed our time this week and look forward to spending time with you again next week!