How do armies figure out battle strategies? They study past battle tactics of their foes; and then construct plans to defeat these tactics.
Warfare rule #1: know your enemy.
At the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815), Napoleon faced an allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington. Napoleon’s army was largely manned and staffed with veteran soldiers who had voluntarily returned to fight under the tri-colours. They were tough, confidant fighters.
Wellington admitted his allied group was “an infamous army, very weak and ill-equipped, and a very inexperienced-Staff.” Not exactly, a morale boosting statement, right?
As the battle raged back and forth, the pivotal moment arrived. The battle and future of Europe hung in the balance. Napoleon knew it was time for his best men to be thrown into the battle – the Old Guard. This group of veterans had never known defeat. Just their appearance on a battlefield was enough to send their foes into a hasty retreat.
But yet, Wellington knew his enemy.
He had 1,500 British soldiers hidden away, lying down on the side of a hill, waiting for this exact moment. As the Old Guard approached, the soldiers stood up and fired point-blank volleys into the midst of the oncoming French soldiers. The Old Guard was devastated. Though the Old Guard bravely tried to rally, the battle was lost; and history was forever changed.
At this precise time in America and throughout Western civilization, it looks bad for the Church. Division, confusion, apathy, lethargy and compromise reign in the Church’s midst. Satan is walking toward the victor’s podium.
But don’t lose heart! Jesus knows the enemy.
The Lord God of Hosts has been telling a group of hidden-away prophetic soldiers for years, “Wait. Don’t do anything. Just wait.” Over and over, He has held these battle-ready soldiers back from the fight.
Now, He is sending out new orders to these hidden-away soldiers. “Stand up and fire.”
Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.
Larry Who 
Reading this made me think of C. S. Lewis’s “Screwtape Letters.” Do you think it is possible to study the tactics of the Enemy too deeply (and possibly fall into temptation)? I honestly don’t know. I think it is dangerous to forget about him, but also to think about him excessively, making him our focus instead of Christ.
newmaldon,
Good point.
My belief is that we need to know Christ more and more each day. And as we know Him better, we will be able to recognize the enemy in our midst.
Thank you for posting this, Larry.
“Do you think it is possible to study the tactics of the Enemy too deeply (and possibly fall into temptation)?”
newmaldon, that is a very real temptation, and personally I am prone to this if I begin thinking that the battle is about me and the enemy, instead of Christ and the enemy. I begin spiritual warfare by praying for discernment. God knows all things, even the plans of the enemy. And ultimately Jesus defeated Satan. So I pray for wisdom and spiritual discernment to see the issue, where/when the battle needs to happen.
I agree with Larry that as we know Jesus better, He will gives us eyes to see the enemy (and weapons for the battle).
Ha — I’m just full of comments this morning! Last one, Larry, but I thought you might like this article from World magazine “The Sixth Wind”
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/15477
anna,
Thanks for your comments. I agree. Jesus knows the enemy (Satan), not us.
Every person who I have ever met who has studied Satan, the cults or the occult has been weird and flaky. Now there may be exceptions, but I have not met them or read their stuff as yet.
totally agree! i wish i’d read this before i preached on sunday night about this in a way…. this would have been a great illustiation story – so tahnks for sharing it larry!
claire,
You were one of the people I had in mind when I wrote this.
thanks larry! i’ve bookmarked it for future occasions and may even pinch it and post it to file it….