Written
in the sixth-century bc by Chinese general Sun Tzu, The Art of War has
been a guide for military thinking for centuries. But it has also been used by
men and women in a wide variety of other arenas, including leadership, management,
business, politics, and sports. What Sun Tzu wrote about military warfare can
help followers of Christ to understand the tactics of our spiritual enemy: “All
warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable;
when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make
the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we
are near.”
Likewise,
the spiritual warfare that Satan wages against us is also based on deceit. In
fact, the very first sin was the result of the enemy’s deception. Notice what
Paul said: “I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his
craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3).
This
truth is what gives such importance to our Lord’s warning that Satan is the
father of lies (John 8:44), ever seeking to deceive us. What is our defense? To
saturate our hearts in the truth of God’s Word. Only God’s inspired truth can
protect us against the deceptions of the enemy.
God’s
truth is the best protection against enemy’s lies. (RBC)
