Enemies of the Soul

…in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Ephesians 2:2-3

Paul writes to the Ephesians of three enemies of the soul: the devil, the flesh and the world. The devil’s main tactic is lies. The flesh distorts and disorders desires. The world normalizes the devil’s lies and the flesh’s desires. Paul warns against these things because he wants believers to continue to follow Jesus and live the full life God created for them. Paul concludes the letter by encouraging them to stand firm in these spiritual battles.

As we have seen through the “Enemies of the Soul” series, the devil, the flesh and the world are significant enemies we must take seriously. The devil’s lies oppose God’s truth. The flesh can lead us to recklessly pursue our desires. We want the wrong things or the right things in the wrong order. Meanwhile, the world tells us that right is wrong, and wrong is right. Doing what everyone else is doing is normal. But there’s a different and better way to live—to stand firm and follow Jesus—and it’s centered on the gospel. Pastor Aaron Buer emphasized the need to take decisive action to defeat these enemies of the soul.

TODAY: Revisit the sermons in this series HERE. Catch up on any you missed or re-watch one you need to remember. You can also revisit the Beyond the Weekend Podcast HERE. Share these resources with a friend as you encourage each other to fight these enemies well.