Me or the enemy?

[survivor]

How do you tell the difference between an attack from the enemy or if its just something you're bringing on yourself?

Thank you.

[bishopbiscuits]

Howdy Survivor!

..............In my opinion, it depends on the nature of an event, or what is it's root.
............In my experience, attacks "specifically" of the enemy tend to truly come from out of nowhere. A moment of trouble that satan hopes will take us out of position to operate in faith, and cause us to operate in self. They don't  tend to be primarily rooted in anything specific that we have done, and may be rapidly corrected through the application of faith, and faith based wisdom and love.

............Something that we bring on ourself is almost self- explanatory. The primary source of manifestation in this case is what we have built up within us and around our lives over time. Generally , there are unwise choices made and a lack of appreciation of what the results of these choices could be.
....... When the consequences come, we may or may not be aware of how the immediate situation came into being. However, these matters may have a longer resolution time, depending on what actions, and habits helped bring an event to pass.

.........Examples of satan attacking are the story of Job, and Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.

..........Examples of things we bring on ourselves might be Jonah and the whale. Jonah decided that he would not do what God told him to do (warn the people of Nineveh).  It took a whale and a talk with God before he got back on track.
..........Consider also the children of israel, who through disobedience to God spent forty years in the wilderness, that could have been spent instead in the promised land.
...............................................................................................................

..........I have an example for both from my experience.

...........When I was thirteen, I had a summer job in a local neighborhood office. The office was being moved a few doors over on the same block. Some local men were asked to help and were paid by a local commissioner.
.........There was a tall lean guy from the group who decided he wanted something more. He asked my supervisor ( a short woman; possibly felt he could intimidate her with only two boys left in the office) for $5. She declined. He got irate. She still declined.
........Minutes later, he was walking around shouting at our mostly glass door and large window from outside, carrying around a tree limb about 3 inches thick, asking her to come outside. ( Of course that wasn't happening)
......... I went to my desk and prayed in faith. It was getting close to time to go home. The man soon went away. When it was time, we all got out safely.
..........When we returned the next morning, we saw that he took a swing at the door, but  we never ran into him again.

2nd

.........Growing up I was taught and encouraged to take care of my teeth.  Afterwhile, as I got older, I began to neglect my teeth.
........After seeing the dentist today ( because of two weeks of pain) He gave me the news that I expected. Six molars would need to be removed, some of which were wisdom teeth gone bad.
.........Could I blame an unexpected flare up of pain in my mouth on satan? of course I could try to blame him for that. ( Satan's trying to keep me from singing!  ). But I was the one who set the stage for my own suffering by not taking care of my temple.
..........The dentist said that if my habits stay the same, I might lose most of my teeth within ten years.
...........It was time for me to heed some wisdom, folks! There would be no one else accountable for what I allowed to come to pass.

Hope it helps....     

[Forum Administrator]

Hello survivor. I've been thinking and praying about your question which has led me to a different question: what difference does it make? If the result is sin or temptation to sin, the response is the same: the knowledge and application of the Word of God. We are too sin conscious. We need to become more righteousness conscious. We should not be distracted by sin or it's source. We should instead be focused on living out the righteous life that God has provided through us in Christ and enabled and equipped us through the presence of His Spirit to carry out. "For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that are necessary and suited to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue)." (2 Peter 1:3)

The defense against the flesh or the devil is the Word of God. We are told to resist the devil and he will flee from us. And before we are told to resist the devil, we are told to submit ourselves to God. (James 4:7) How do we submit ourselves to God? By knowing and obeying/applying the scriptures to our every day living. It is that knowing and application of the Word of God that equips us to resist the devil. Just as Jesus resisted the devil with the Word (see Luke 4:1-15), we are to do the same.

We are also told to--by the power of the Holy Spirit in us--put to death the (dictates of the) flesh and not to allow our senses to control us. (Romans 8:13) If you are born again, (though you are in a physical body) you are not living the life of (or after) the flesh; you are living the life of the Spirit (Romans 8:9) When you realize that and live according to that truth, you will know that sin--regardless of the source--is no longer an issue for you. "You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." (Romans 8:9)

In another place, we are told to cast down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We are to lead every thought and purpose away captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) How do we do this? Again, by our knowledge and application of the Word of God in our lives.

The attack, whether it be of the (dictates/senses of the) flesh or whether it be of the devil is not the issue. Sin is not the issue. Righteousness is the focus. That which you focus on is what will have the greatest influence on you. "If you live according to the dictates of the flesh (senses), you will die. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you are habitually putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the evil deeds prompted by the body, you shall live forever." (Romans 8:13)

[sagesong]

I would have to agree with the forum admin.  It's almost a chicken or egg kind of question.  Just looking at my own recent experiences.  With so much going on, I was claearly in a storm.  Some of the devastation was of my own doing.  Some was done by others.  Some even may have been attacks of the enemy.  Nonetheless, my way out -- the only way out was face time.  Me on my face seeking his face.

Like in the story when Paul advices the sailor not to leave the island, but they decide to anyway.  The end up in a storm.  At some point, the men decide to use the lifeboats on the ship to attempt to save themselves.  Paul tells them that unless they stay on the boat they will not be saved.

Now, they weren't suppose to be sailing in the first place, had they listened to the word of God to begin with.  However, they could not rescue themselves from this situation, only God could do that.

Sailing was their decision.  The storm may have been an attack from the enemy.  Or a move of God to get them back on track.  Still, only trusting in God and waiting on him to move could deliver the men safely.

[survivor]

Thank you for your reply.

I asked the question because at times I'm not sure why I go through the things I do. Like right now I am struggling trying to find a job. I have gone on interview after interview and nothing has come through. I really need a job. I'm thinking this cant be me because I'm doing all I can to find a job so is the enemy holding me back from receiving God's blessings.