“Remember who the real enemy is.”
-Haymitch Abernathy, Catching Fire
Okay..so that’s just a fictional character from a fictional movie….but it’s such a profound statement. It’s something I have been playing back in my head almost every day for the past week, and I feel like I’ve had to remind myself of that in different situations that are going on in my life right now…and I also want to scream it every where I go when I see strife…especially when it’s Christians that are in battle with one another.
I can’t think of another time in my life that I’ve been so completely ticked off at the devil. For the past month or two, my hatred level for the devil has been SKY ROCKETING. Like, earlier today in my car I was literally screaming at the devil. Not joking.
Sometimes I think we begin treating our fellow brothers and sisters as the devil and it just makes me angry. I’ve been guilty numerous times of doing the same thing, and honestly today I was tempted to feel that way again. And not just today, for these past couple weeks. But that phrase “Remember who the real enemy is” keeps running through my mind.
Yes, sometimes the devil can wear our face and cause damage like he tried to do with Peter. But Jesus called out the devil and told him to shut up. Jesus didn’t tell Peter to get behind him…he told Satan to get behind him. Sometimes I think that when someone throws you under the bus or has an attitude with you, you say…(maybe not to them lol)…”Satan get behind me!!!” After all, we don’t fight against flesh and blood but supernatural spirits that are really mischievous and like to create chaos in the family of God.
It should be normal for people that don’t know Jesus to hate each other and hold stupid grudges….but it SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL FOR CHRISTIANS TO BE LIKE THAT!
I REPEAT!
IT SHOULD NOT BE NORMAL FOR CHRISTIANS TO BE HATEFUL AND MEAN AND GRUDGE-HOLDING HYPOCRITES!!!!
Drop your ego. Drop your pride. Drop how more “important” your calling is. Drop how much “that person” has hurt you. Drop the freaking past. Drop your misconceptions about whomever. WORK OUT YOUR DIFFERENCES! WE ARE ALL CALLED TO BE SERVANTS and a FAMILY!
THE GOAL IS TO LIVE LIKE CHRIST AND GET TO HEAVEN….TOGETHER.
Not to make life living Hell for each other and try to trip each other up into a Hell hole. (Literally.)
This is not just for everyone reading this, it’s for me too. I have felt the huge temptation to be spiteful towards others and to be mean for the past two weeks. I can only say it is the grace of God that has been helping me grow that has helped me overcome it because in the past I failed many…many….many…times. I would be bratty, gossip, manipulative and vindictive.
But now I truly want to see the people of God be a family and the body of Christ. To think of each other as brothers and sisters….and much like this scripture!
Philippians 2:3-4
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
And, like Katniss at the end of Catching Fire, we need reminded of who the real enemy is before we have our bow and arrow pointed at the wrong person or people. We need our weapons pointed at the devil.
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.
We need to be unified, reflecting who Jesus is by being the body of Christ. NOT CUT OFF LIMBS TRYING TO LOOK COOLER THAN ONE ANOTHER OR TRYING TO DISMEMBER PARTS OF THE BODY!
So, I tell myself and everyone reading this…remember who the real enemy is.
Love,
Meraia 🙂
