The Enemy Within

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, I run to you to hide me. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. Psalm 143:9-10

What is an enemy? The dictionary tells me that it is someone who fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent. So, based on this description, who is my enemy? If you are a Christian, your definitive answer has probably been ‘the devil’ because Scripture describes him as our adversary, and he is most certainly prowling like a lion looking for someone to devour. But is he our only enemy?

You have no doubt heard the saying, ‘He’s his own worst enemy.’ It can be so easy to blame the devil for every bad, thoughtless, uncharacteristic thing we do, saying with a sly smile, ‘the devil made me do it.’ The problem with blaming everything on the devil is that we take no personal responsibility for our own actions. The devil cannot whisper into my ear at the same time he is whispering into yours. He is not omnipresent. But even if we do hear him whisper, we have freewill to choose our response.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 6:38

Jesus did not give the devil any place whatsoever in the daily decisions of His earthly life. Every choice was based on will and He chose the will of the Father over His own, every time. This is how we must live, and in doing so, we quickly realise that our worst enemy is our own will, and our fiercest battle is within our own heart and mind. Jesus himself fought this battle in the garden of Gethsemane, bringing His own desires before the Father and then ultimately surrendered His own will, saying, “Not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42).

Father God, rescue me from my own will and my own desires. Teach me to do your will, surrendering to your wisdom and guidance in all that I think, do and say. May my heart and mind be fully yours, so that your Spirit would lead me always. Amen.