Bible, the Christian has three enemies. They are (1) the world, (2) the flesh, and (3) the devil. We need to understand what they are so that we can defend ourselves against them.

The World: The Enemy Around Us
When the apostle John told Christians not to love the world (1 Jn. 2:15-17), he identified a real, though impersonal, enemy. When he used the term the world, he had in mind everything around us that competes with the Father in heaven. The world, in this sense, represents all material, physical, and social factors that compete with God for our attention and affection.

The Flesh: The Enemy Within Us
The New Testament writers warn us about a second enemy, the flesh. (Rom. 7:18,25; 8:1; 13:14; Gal. 5:17-24; 6:8; Col. 2:23.) In many passages, the term the flesh refers to the self-centered, self-gratifying desires of our physical bodies. But there seems to be more to it than that. Other verses identify it as a hostile-to-God inclination within us, the “law of sin” (Rom. 7:23). It opposes the noble desires that come from the Holy Spirit and the new life He has placed within us through the new birth.

The Devil: The Enemy Above Us
The third enemy, the devil, is a determined opponent of all spiritual growth. According to Peter, he goes around as a “roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). He is the father of lies (Jn. 8:44), and he has a great army of coworkers arrayed against us (Eph. 6:12). However, Satan cannot break our trust in God and love for Him unless we give him the opportunity (Jas. 4:7). Although he is a formidable foe, we do not have to be sent reeling in spiritual defeat by him. We have this promise: “He [the Holy Spirit] who is in you is greater than he [Satan] who is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4). As we yield to the Holy Spirit, we can experience spiritual victory through His power. “Resist the devil,” James said, “and he will flee from you” (4:7).

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