Know Your Enemy

Yah's Instructions include governance over various aspects of community life and health care, and teach us to recognize what is good and what is evil. Now, this would not be necessary if all was still good- but Satan changed that back in the days of the Garden. Yahweh saw everything was good- Satan made Eve believe it could be better. Even Adam fell for it. Satan played with Eve's imagination. Adam and Eve's 'needs' were totally provided for by the Creator, but Satan, wanting to be 'god' duped them into believing they had 'wants' to fulfill as well. He caused them to 'doubt' the Word of Elohim.

Doubt:

• fear : suspect
• to call into question the truth of : to be uncertain
• to lack confidence in : distrust 
• to consider unlikely

While reading Scriptures we come across a theme that repeats over and over: Yahweh's people straying from His Path (His Instructions) to the point of turning their backs on Him and even forgetting His Name.  Their faith- trust; confidence; certainty- erodes over time. Only a few cling to His Word, but many go the way of the world which is the way of the pagan: Satan's own path of unrighteousness that leads to destruction: life in Fire Lake.

Definition of Pagan:

• heathen
• a follower of a polytheistic religion
• one who has little or no religion; who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods
• an irreligious or hedonistic person
• neo-pagan: witches, druids, goddess worshippers, new-agers and other groups seen in America today

Ezekiel 28:11 is a dirge intoned over the king of Tyre, who is also a type and shadow of future events.

Yahweh says, "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and flawless in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of Elohim; every precious stone was your adornment: Carnelian, chrysolite, amethyst, beryl, lapis lazuli, jasper; sapphire, turquoise and emerald; and gold beautifully wrought for you, mined for you, prepared the day you were created.  I created you as a cherub with outstretched shielding wings; and you resided on My holy mountain; you walked among stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways, from the day your were created until wrongdoing was found in you. By your far-flung commerce you were filled with lawlessness and you sinned.  So I have struck you down from the mountain of Elohim and I have destroyed you, O shielding cherub, from among the stones of fire. You grew haughty because of your beauty, you debased your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I have cast you to the ground, I have made you an object for kings to stare at. By the greatness of your guilt, through the dishonesty of your trading, you desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire issue from you, and it has devoured you; I have reduced you to ashes on the ground, in the sight of all who behold you. 

Satan's pride caused him to fall from his estate in the heavenly realm - ego, self-love and envy all played their part. He let 'earthly desires' cloud his decision-making and he used his position with Almighty Yahweh to convince others to follow him. He caused them to 'doubt' Yahweh.

Device:

• something contrived such as a plan, procedure, technique
• a scheme to deceive 
• something fanciful, elaborate, or intricate in design
• something in a literary work designed to achieve a particular artistic effect 
• a conventional means used to achieve a particular dramatic effect
• a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed to serve a special purpose or perform a special function 
• desire or inclination
• an emblematic design used especially as a heraldic bearing: design or image depicted on a shield

The Apostle Paul left us a general description of some of the “devices” that Set Apart believers should be aware of.

2 Timothy 4:3- For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

1 Timothy 4:1- Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.

Ephesians 4:14- That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive

1 Timothy 6:20- O Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called

We are to beware of:

PHILOSOPHY (including Psychiatry and Psychology); the TRADITION of men and the RUDIMENTS of the world (i.e. the elements and essentials of a culture); FABLES (i.e. imaginary tales); DOCTRINES of devils and men (i.e. ALL FALSE DOCTRINE contrary to the Holy Scriptures); and SCIENCE – FALSELY SO CALLED (i.e. Humanistic: Biological Evolution; Geological Origins and Cosmology, etc.).

Acts 20:26- Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of Yahweh. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Ruach haKodesh has made you overseers, to feed the assembly of Yahweh, which he has purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Romans 16:17- Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Master Y'shua, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Satan has devised many distractions to keep us from our Creator. Become aware of them all. Resist temptations and the devil will flee from you.

Distraction:

• the act of distracting or the state of being distracted
• mental confusion
• something that distracts
• an object that directs one's attention away from something else
• amusement

Some forms of Distraction:

Sports (pagan origins)

Amusement Parks

Movies (mental conditioning)

Actors (paid professional liars)

Various Games

Cell Phones

Fashion Trends

Commercials (subliminal manipulation)

Religion(s)

Most Music (including Christian Rock)

Most Dancing (click here)

Celebrating Birthdays and other 'holidays'

All forms of Entertainment