The Real Enemy

 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. Ephesians 6:12

For many years, medical researchers thought stomach ulcers were caused by stress and spicy foods. Then, in 1979, researchers discovered rediscovered a bacteria that proved to be the real source of stomach ulcers. The National Institute of Health agreed and recommended treating ulcers with antibiotics instead of milk.

In medicine, the enemy has to be identified before proper treatment can be used. The same is true in spiritual life. Many Christians, while believing in the devil generally, have not identified him as being the enemy of their personal life. The Apostle Paul wrote that the Christian's struggle in life is against the spiritual powers under the control of Satan. Satan wants to destroy you physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Our society has tried to use human reasoning, with little success, to battle drug addiction. But when Christian values and principles are used, there is a greater success rate. “At Adult & Teen Challenge, we recognize that addiction can be overcome by the power of God. Secular programs often neglect this element of the disease and the results speak for themselves. By emphasizing a Christian recovery for addiction, Teen Challenge has achieved a 60-70% success rate, compared with a 3-10% success rate at comparable, but secular, programs. In a medical survey of Teen Challenge graduates from the Brooklyn program, 67% of graduates were still sober seven years later! These numbers are absolutely unheard of in any other program.” https://americanrehabcenters.com/adult-teen-challenge/

It takes spiritual defense to defeat a spiritual enemy. 

It's Horrible

 Four and one-half weeks I had cardio bypass surgery. Many people who had or knew people who had the surgery all said the worst part of the surgery was the recovery process. Words like "horrible," terrible" "tough" were frequently used to describe the recovery.

But like many words they can have relative meaning. I wasn't sure what I was going to experience and to what degree. Though I "knew" the words, it was only while experiencing the words did I fully understand them. I now have a new empathy for those who have experienced the recovery process. I understand their depression, depths of emotions and pain.

You can only truly say, "I know how you feel" when you have experienced the experience. We should not make glib statements unless we have walked a "mile in their moccasins." (Indian proverb.)