Who's the Enemy on 9/11?

When we're hurt and angry, we often forget who the real enemy is. We easily get deceived into thinking the other group is the enemy.

That's why America's so divided. Both political parties are deceived into thinking the other one is the enemy. More than that, both sides on any political or social issue you pick, think the other side is the enemy. But the other side, the other party, the other country, is not the enemy.

There is an enemy who wants to destroy both sides, and he's getting away with it because we're confused about who the real enemy is. Satan, the prince of this world, is our real enemy. But we forget that and so get suckered into doing his work for him.

Not knowing who the real enemy is condemns us to fight a losing battle. Why? Because we're fighting the wrong people with the wrong weapons. Once we get the real enemy right, we can fight effectively with a whole different strategy and with a whole different armament.

So on this day, 9/11, let me come right out and say it: Muslims are not the enemy. Neither the Russians nor the Chinese are the enemy. Neither Democrats nor Republicans are the enemy. Not even ISIS is the enemy. The true enemy is the Principalities and Powers behind them – the forces of darkness in this world (see Ephesians 6:12).

That does not mean we act naively. The government does not bear the sword in vain, but is appointed by God to punish evil-doers (see Romans 13:4). ISIS certainly qualifies. We should confront them militarily and defeat them. We should probably be doing more.

But even while do what we must, using our military to dispense justice and stop evil like ISIS (the nazis of our time) we pray for them. We should not rejoice over the death of our earthly and military “enemies”, because they are just people Jesus loves and died for, prisoners-of-war, taken captive by our real enemy.

True victory will only come when the spiritual demonic forces behind ISIS are dethroned over that land. That will happen as missionaries successfully bring the truth of Jesus and God's love to the region. This is our ultimate battle prayer.

Just like air-support is crucial and often turns the tide of victory in an earthly war, so our prayers and intercession for missionaries in the middle-east provide “air-support” in the spiritual battle, the real battle they face every day. So let's get involved! Every Christian can do this. Our prayer support is what they desperately need to win the real war.