Knowing the Real Enemy. Intro to Hell's Tactics

"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (John 17:15, NIV2)

"Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets." (Psalms 55:11, NIV2)

There is a puma who has been living in our neighborhood for the past several years. Three years ago he nearly killed a neighborhood horse, and there are occasional reports of missing pets.

We didn't know of this threat until this year, but we were happy to learn of it. After all, when you have something as potentially dangerous as a wild puma roaming your neighborhood, it's really good to know about it!

Isn't it strange that the greatest threat to humanity has been turned into a comic book character, with two horns and a long, sharp tail, holding tightly to a pitchfork (I haven't seen many of those in my days!).

However if I were that enemy, wouldn't I use the same kind of misinformation? Better to think of me as a comic character than a threat! It would dull anyone's sense of danger!

So often, such misinformation has been used throughout the history of our planet! It happened during World War II and it is still happening today with our current events. No wonder we act surprised when we finally wake up from our stupor to learn that there was truly a threat out there after all! Had we only known!

But we did know . . .

Let's explore one of the most famous battles in World War II: the battle of Dieppe, France. It had been captured by the Nazis, and everyone knew at that time how ruthless they could be. However the Allies wanted to show the Nazis that they also were a force to contend with, and they planned a surprise attack on Dieppe for August 19, 1942. Their only purpose? To wreak havoc among the Nazis. Their plan, should they be successful, was to then quickly withdraw.

Only too late did they realize how heavily fortified and armed that part of the Atlantic Wall really was. Dieppe was also riddled with numerous tunnels, making aerial attacks next to impossible. Out of 6000 soldiers, mostly Canadians, 4384 were killed, wounded or missing in action. A 73% loss of troops, to say nothing of all the loss of equipment that was landed in Dieppe.

That was the day the Allies learned that it was extremely important to gather ample intelligence before organizing an attack. They also learned that any plan for a beach landing should include plenty of built-in flexibility, and that sea based fire power against coastal based gun emplacements was not that effective after all!

This is all information they took to heart when planning for "D" Day, two years later. On September 1, 1944, Canadian soldiers entered Dieppe again. Only this time, they were prepared. And they were victorious. They never gave up hope!

We, too, are aware that we are far from being safe on our planet. If we have any doubt at all, all we need to do is check the daily news.

Jesus also warned us about the worst threat ever to our planet: The source of all evil is at work in our midst, and it's not for our best interest! "Protect them from the evil one." (John 17:15, NIV2) To avoid his traps, we need to gather intelligence on his tactics and discover his strategies. They haven't changed over the years! We don't need more victims due to lack of information!

If Jesus prayed for our protection, shouldn't we pray for one another about this deadly threat as well? This menace can be dealt with, if we are informed, and if we rely on the Victorious One: Jesus the Christ! There is hope after all!

As a result of the puma in our neighborhood, we have decided it is time to keep a much closer eye on our pets. Especially when they are running free in the woods. Maybe it's time that we be more careful about the devil's tactics as well. Maybe it's time we consecrate at least one devotional a month to exploring the devil's major tactics and how to disarm each and every one of them. Information is much better than disinformation, believe me!

Rob Chaffart