Your enemy will not let you know they are your enemy at first. They will bless you when you are down and out, buy you clothes, help you with your business, pray with you, take you places, etc. The list is endless. But what if that friend has other plans? Perhaps you told them some deep dark secrets in hopes of receiving understanding and revelation on some issues. You realize later that, that person was just using you for information to use against you later or to sabotage you! This information is not to make you paranoid, but there are warning signs about people that God will clearly allow you to see. I will give you prime examples of things that have actually happened to me. Before I give you examples, the key thing is to “listen” to key things that they say or do. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is telling you something but you may not be listening to what He is saying. The devil tells on himself all of the time! He is a fool and liar! Example 1 I was friends with a young lady from church who was about 10 years younger than I ( few years ago).

Although I haven’t talked to her in some months now, the Lord was showing me red flags about her behaviour. She would make slick comments about how I dressed when I came to church,make comments about my son, criticize, and use me for what she could get from me. She was a powerful intercessor, and God did use her to assist me in broken areas in my life. To make a long story short, I began to realize that she was very jealous of me because I had things that she didn’t. She would copy everything I do. Towards the end, she used everything I had every told her, even my struggles, against me, yet had the nerve to come to my house to “check up on me” to see how I was doing after she hadn’t seen me in a while. That’s how the devil works. He is BOLD. Satan doesn’t care who he uses! What does the book of John 8:44 say about the devil? “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Example 2 There is someone in my life now that I know is my enemy but God has not told me to release them yet. I believe in the old saying “Keep your friends close, and your enemies CLOSER.”

Your enemy could be your friend! I listen how they brag about what they have

Think about how many times we disappoint God, yet He still loves us! His grace is sufficient for us all! You may have to go before the Lord and ask if the friendship is worth saving! Sometimes your “friend” may APPEAR to be blessing you in hopes of them thinking you need them. If that is the case…let them go! Romans 8:15 says: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” God wants to deliver us from bondage. You should feel that you “need” anyone to build you or or depend on. God is your source! If your friend is not edifying, building you up, holding you accountable…then you need to re-evaluate your friendship.

Perhaps its only for a season that that person was in your life? Seasons change and so do people! If you or someone in your life falls into any category that I am talking about…then you need to go before the Lord and ask Him what your next step should be. And if it’s time to bid adieu with your friend….do it in love. Perhaps your paths will cross again when or if they have changed. Allow God to open your eyes to the Spirit of Truth. Do not be deceived by the devil. In Jesus name!

The spirit itself tries to consume by surrounding me around people who take advantage of me and try to manipulate their way into my life through false pretenses. Has this happened to you? Have you found yourself, or someone you know that only seems to care about themselves, and no one elses’? Does it seem like no matter what you do to please them, it’s never good enough or they are always requiring “MORE”? Let’s examine the root of the word “self” from Merriam Webster’s Dictionary: 1: concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others 2: arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others 3: being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function ; also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication Selfishness can cause you to loose friends, relationships, and even blessings if you aren’t careful. I am sure it hurts when you put your all into something or someone, and they continue to take, and take, and take without being grateful.

That is a painful feeling. Sometimes, this is how we treat God. We go about our lives on a daily basis doing what we want, acting how we want, saying what we want, and having no knowledge or sincerity of how God is feeling about the issue. We can even be selfish in our prayers. Praying what “we” think is right, when it is not the Will of God. This is a selfish world. Acts 2:40 says: “And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” God wants to save us from a wicked generation. Our thoughts, our actions, our deeds are a reflection upon what is going on inside of us. If you have been blessed most of your life, and get upset when someone doesn’t do what you want, when you want it, then you are being selfish! Let’s look at some examples of selfishness and see if you or someone close to you are being selfish:

You or someone does not like to share

You or someone always wants people to see things from your point of view. Not equal.

Rude and condescending

Lack of emotion other people’s feelings

Always wanting to have things done your way. Its your way or the highway.

They have millions and billions of dollars, try to horde it all, and want to show the world they “got it all”. They are missing the key ingredient in their live…LOVE! If more people operated in true love, there would be less selfishness and more compassion. Remember the song “Brother Can You Spare A Dime?”. I think about that term…SPARE. The Bible says that if you sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully, 2 Corinthians 9:6. Being selfish is a destructive behaviour that can lead to sorrow and loneliness. I would never want to be known as a person who is selfish and not giving. If you or someone you know is operating in that spirit, go to God in prayer. Ask him to show that situation to you in a way that you can help manage it. You will be surprised what a little prayer can do.