If you are in a leadership position, one of the required readings for you may be The Art of War by Sun Tzu. One of the principles that this ancient Chinese military strategist suggests is this: “If you know your enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not your enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

Even though Sun Tzu wrote in the 5th century B.C., these principles still apply today. Know your enemy. Know how your enemy plans. How he thinks. How he operates. And if you do, you are more likely to succeed as you plan and implement your missions against your enemy.

But Sun Tzu isn’t the only one who said this. God talked about knowing your enemy.

Sadly, for many Americans, the enemy often takes the form of a government that is “over there.” Or maybe it even takes the form of our government or the other political party or the moral degradation of our society.

But God is clear about identifying our true enemy. In Ephesians chapter 6, the apostle Paul writes this: “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” (verse 12). The devil, that fallen evil angel, has combined forces with the powers of sin and death and the sinful world. These are your enemy combatants. And as they plan their missions, they have you and me in mind. And what they want to do is to shake our trust in Jesus, so we do not trust him anymore and are separated from our God forever.

Know your enemy. But also know yourself. Any attempt to fight in this battle by relying on anyone or anything other than Christ—you will succumb in every battle. So know yourself. Know that you need Jesus and know that you need his power. And know and trust that he supplies it.

Paul uses military language here and uses the picture of an ancient Roman infantryman in his armor as a picture of the armor that Jesus supplies for you. Here is what Paul wrote: “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” (verses 13-17).

Paul shows us that not only is it necessary to know our enemy and to know ourselves, but first and foremost, to know the truth. That belt of truth that’s buckled around your waist? Those are the truths of God’s Word for you. When we know that truth, we will stand against the devil’s lies.

When he accuses you of sin and guilt, know that you have the breastplate of righteousness covering you, that Kevlar body armor, which is Christ’s righteousness. That protects us against all sin and all guilt. It reminds us of the truth that we are righteous in God’s sight, for Christ’s righteousness covers us in our baptism.

And that shield of faith that Paul talks about? Faith’s object is always Christ, and that always stops the arrows of the enemy.

And finally, our head is guarded by the knowledge that we are saved by Christ and Christ alone.

Know your enemy, know yourself, know your God, and know that he will prepare you for war. For in him and through him, we win.

Prayer:
Almighty God, you see that we have no power to defend ourselves. Guard and keep us both outwardly and inwardly from all adversities that may happen to the body and all evil that may assault and hurt the soul.

This week on September 18th, the Air Force and the Air National Guard celebrate their birthdays. Lord, I thank you for the men and women whose mission it is to fly, fight, and win. For those who take to the skies and those who support them, I ask you to guide them. Grant them wisdom and knowledge as they plan and carry out their missions and training. Send your holy angels to be with those who dare the eagle’s flight. In your name I pray. Amen.