“We Have Met the Enemy, and He Is Us!”

Satan is our enemy. There is just no question about it. He is a deceiver and liar from the beginning. He is the father of all lies (John 8:44). Sin came into the world and death through sin because of the works of the devil. But let’s not be mistaken. We are ultimately guilty of every sin we commit. We are the ones who are enticed, who are tempted, and who give in (James 1:13-15). Pogo was right. “We have met the enemy, and he is us” (see cartoon above).

We are our own worst enemy because we are so self-absorbed. We are so inwardly driven. We are not in tune with what is going on in the lives of others. We worship our own personal experiences. These days especially I see people who have kids for the first time and it is as if they are the only people who have ever had a baby before. It’s called children worship and it is real. If we accomplish something we have to tell the world about it. If we are doing any particular thing, it is as if everybody else is inferior because they are not doing it, too.

We are our own worst enemy because we are accumulating stuff! We fight and war and work for stuff! (James 4:1-3). Materialism is at an all-time high in our culture. It seems there are only two classes of people in America: Those who are trying to accumulate possessions and those who are trying to get rid of all of the junk they can’t do anything with. Either way it is a lot of work with little momentary satisfaction. This was the rich young ruler’s problem. This was the problem for the rich fool of Luke 12. They were too enamored with material things. When we are rich toward ourselves and not rich toward God we are simply spiritually bankrupt altogether.

We are our own worst enemy because we will not tell ourselves, “No!” If I want it, I am going to have it and I am going to have it right now. That is, of course, until the next thing I want right now – I’ll have it, too. A new tech device – give it to me now! A relationship that is forbidden – well I won’t be happy unless I can have it. There are too many adults on the floor kicking and screaming because they can’t have it their way in life. When I was a child I was told, “No!” If I didn’t like it, too bad. I needed to hear it. “No” is universally practical and necessary. It provides the proper boundaries that will lead us in the everlasting way.

We are our own worst enemy because we are stubborn. It is not that we don’t know to do right, we simply won’t do it (James 4:17). It is not that we don’t know we are doing wrong, we simply won’t stop. The man in the mirror is just killing us. He knows who he is for a moment but then he leaves and immediately forgets what kind of man he was (James 1:23-24). Most of the injuries we experience happen not because we didn’t know of existing dangers, but rather, we just plow headlong into the fire. We need to realize that we are not strong individually, we are strong with God and in Him alone.

So stop being your own worst enemy. Stop being a spoiled rotten brat. It is time to grow up! It is time to stop thinking about what you want. It is time to start thinking about what God wants and what others need. Then you will stop be the enemy and start being a friend.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” – Luke 9:23

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