THE ENEMY

 

Imagine this fear. When Joseph was asked by some brethren about the creation of the world and how it was inhabited, he answered:

“I will tell you how it was. You and I were in the spirit world at the grand council….we saw and heard them talk of formation of the world and we were among those when the morning stars sang together and when the sons of God shouted for joy. We were among those who had more courage than others and therefore we came down here and took bodies.

“Some who did not have the courage said, “Father, we have fought Satan face to face here in the spirit world and helped to cast him down there and now to go down and fight him again face to face, we are afraid we shall never return to thy presence and would prefer a lesser degree of glory and go to some other of your creations where we are sure of returning. Yes, you and I had more courage and came down HERE of our own agency and choice.”  (Autobiography of Anson Call, p 19)

Who is this enemy that is so feared? When Moses encountered him and refused to worship him, Satan’s reaction drove exceeding fear into him to the point where he saw the bitterness of hell (Moses 1:20). I am guessing that would be enough to scare any righteous person to lose courage. I fear though that we have become so desensitised to sin in our day and age that we don’t fear him enough and he doesn’t seem real enough.

The adversary has two goals: 1. To make all men miserable like himself (2 Nephi 2:27); and 2. To overthrow Christ who he rebelled against in pre-earth life (D&C 29:36-9). I once asked a friend of mine in Utah who is very well versed in scripture why Satan is called ‘the son of the morning’. Here is what he replied:

“My presumption is that the term ‘morning’ refers to the fact that he was born early on as a spirit offspring of the Father. Perhaps he might have even been second born vs his brother who was firstborn.

“We have so many fascinating stories among the great patriarchs of having two competing sons vying for the firstborn birthright and it almost seems as though these stories are a continuation of that which started in the pre-mortal life with the Saviour and Lucifer. You can even get that sense from a statement in D&C 88:115, about Lucifer having as his goal that of displacing his brother from his throne.” (Larry Keeler, 6 February 2023)

The adversary knows if he gets us, he gets Him….but that will never be….because we are the brave ones…..

There is a desire in my soul

That wants to conquer Goliath

And watch him fall….

This warrior within me never sleeps

And yearns to hear the angels’ call,

A call to battle to make the devil fall.

And when Christ comes in clouds so holy

He will conquer that enemy

And we will confess His glory.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: He Shall Reign by Susan Edwards)