What your enemy's choice of weapons can tell you

• Serial killer Juan Corona's favorite weapon was a machete', after which he buried the bodies in nearby farmer's orchards. 


• The F.A.R.C., a Columbian terrorist group operating in Columbia's jungles, uses kidnapping as a weapon of choice. 


• The Roman Empire's favored impliment of horror was suffocation through crucifixion.

 

Ask "why:"
Have you ever asked why your enemy's chief weapons are deception and accusation?  Why would the devil choose those two means above all others?  Certainly he has other means for harrassing and stealing; yet Scripture's foremost monikers for him are "The Deceiver" and "The Accuser."

Look at the fruit:
You can often tell the intended effect by looking at the fruit of something:  In other words, what happens when the victim is being deceived or being accused?  What does a Christian, in particular experience under:

1.  DECEPTION'S FRUIT: 

The Christian [or anyone, for that matter] is seduced away from reality, from what is true and actual.  In other words, we drink the CoolAid. 

This is why we are given a heads-up that "truth will make you free."  When the victim no longer believes what is true and actual and doesn't experience the world, himself, or God as they really are, they begin to develop false agreements:  They buy the lie: 

"God no longer gives a rip about me because he continues to allow me to experience deep pain." 

"My husband gets angry all the time because he has an anger problem and nothing more."

Deception brings distortion, and leads us to quite damaging conclusions -- like a fighter pilot who believes what his body is telling him, rather than trusting his instrument panel, only to find out that he's actually flying upside-down.  Deception leads to disorientation.

The antidote:  The antidote to deception is reality.  [In other words, confidence in Jesus' perspective.]

2.  ACCUSATION'S FRUIT:

Accusation calls something "bad" that God has made good.  It is a form of slander: 

You have a problem with lust because you are that kind of man and will always be so.

You need to control everything because you refuse to trust God.  [Though there may be some truth to this, a person can also feel the urge to control people and circumstances because of unhealed wounds and the messages those wounds left behind.]

The collateral damage of accusation is fear and impotence: 

"I am afraid to trust my heart because I've been told it is still 'deceitfully wicked' and selfish."

"I must try hard to avoid God's disappointment because I blow it so often and can no longer believe I'm his delight.  I have to keep trying harder.  [This is a form of impotence because the accused no longer believes his noble heart has the goodness and power to overcome sin.  She doesn't recognize the glorious desires and goodness of her new heart, and therefore, doesn't engage them.  She is left feeling helpless and defeated.]

Cardiotoxin:  The venom of a King Cobra is a cardiotoxin, with devastating effect upon the heart.  There is another Snake, who fell from heaven, who uses accusation as a cardiotoxin.

The antidote:  The antidote to accusation is unwaivering confidence that Jesus gave you a good and noble heart when you said 'yes' to him.  You no longer have a sin-nature, nor is sin something you even want.  [Your 'flesh' or some old programming is still around, but your flesh isn't your true nature.] 

Your heart is now good; and that good and noble heart is your chief weapon against your enemy.  You are a 'person of interest' to the enemy; but "greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world."