Craig Clouston

 

The Arms Dealer

June 30

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…

Ephesians 6:12

The two Generals met at the middle of the battlefield to discuss the terms of a peace treaty. Unbeknownst to them, an arms dealer lay hidden in the bushes, rifle at hand, ready to make sure peace did not prevail.

As the Generals were about to shake hands the arms dealer took aim at an unsuspecting infantryman and squeezed the trigger. Assuming the other side had fired the shot, the man standing next to him opened fire on the opposition. The battlefield erupted in gunfire, both sides believing the other had violated the cease fire agreement. They had no way of knowing they had been used as pawns in a chess match. Sneaking away under the cover of gunfire and foliage, the arms dealer retreated to safety.

The war would last four years and claim the lives of more than ten thousand men and women. During that time the arms dealer sold more than three hundred thousand weapons to both sides, making millions. His plan had worked perfectly: get the soldiers to fight amongst themselves for as long as he could. He couldn’t have cared less about casualties, or the lives of countless families that were destroyed. All he cared about was making money…any way he could.

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By means of deception, Satan gets us to fight amongst ourselves, carrying out his schemes of destruction. Instead of waging war against the unseen manipulator, we are lured into fighting an opponent who appears to be our antagonist, never realizing we’ve become tools in the hands of a cunning and vicious enemy, an enemy who wants to sow discord in our families, at our workplace, and especially in the Church. He will manipulate anyone, in any situation, to achieve his goal of chaos and destruction.

Paul tells us that by recognizing this ploy as an attack from the enemy, and refusing to take part, we can demolish the devil’s schemes.

Next time, before lashing out, look for the ‘arms dealer’, then take up the Sword of Truth, the Word of God, and engage the real enemy.

Prayer

“Show me when the enemy is scheming against me, Holy Spirit. And help me recognize the ‘arms dealers’ Satan sends my way so I can take appropriate action. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”