Friends Or Foes? How Can You Tell? Be Discerning And Cautious!

Ezra 4;1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” ³ But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

Friends, your adversary, the devil, though he goes around looking for whom to devour, will not present himself as an enemy. The wicked will often come dressed up like a friend, someone reliable and dependable. They will come to you at a time you need a friend, maybe a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on, or just a listening ear. 

Like the scripture stated, the wicked will always hear and have information for, like a dog they sniff and always have their ears to the ground, eavesdropping on your case. They will suddenly show up, summoned by the insatiable desire to hinder and turn upside down, that which is meant to be upright. May the blood of Jesus prevail against such in your life.

Zerubbabel and the others were able to discern that these people are foes and not friends as they made themselves out to be and they were right. Friends, if you read further to chapter 6, you will know the extent to which they opposed the rebuilding of the temple.

Likewise are those that have presented themselves to you as friend, team member, working for the same course but are indeed actually sabotaging what you are working for. These are those standing against your peace and joy, promotion,  fruitfulness, lifting, breakthrough, and increase. Those stationary, going no where, blocking your way – may the hand that is not of mortal uproot them from your path in Jesus name.

See friends, Satan is a spirit and require bodies to carry out the task of hindering the plan of God for His creation. When you see someone, groups opposing a good course, just know they have been taken over by contrary forces, it is beyond them par se. You have to engage The Spiritual in order to effect a change in the physical.

Like the sermon this past Sunday. Saul was already in his palace, yet he left the comfort and honor of the palace to seek for David in the wilderness rough terrain. Don’t you dare underestimate the extent the wicked will go to in order to cause you pain! Satan is not playing, you also have to sit up, get up and deal!!!! You will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow -Psalm 21:12. 

The time that you have wasted is enough, it is time to redeem the time now friends for the days are evil – Ephesians 5:16. Stop these time wasters in their track by engaging them by the power of the Holy Spirit and you shall overcome in Jesus mighty name. Amen

Arise and take up the battle cry!! The Spiritual controls the physical my friend, so engage putting on your armor. Ephesians 6:¹² 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.¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Engage boldly, standing against the onslaught of wickedness!!!

Shalom! Shalom! Shalom!