The rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, take them away from us. this is part of Thanksgiving prayers that we say in all ritual prayers and liturgies. This shows us that we have two kinds of enemies. What are the hidden enemies?
Pope Shenouda III in his article on The hidden and manifest enemies talked about the hidden enemies. The first and most dangerous enemy is the devil who wanders in the earth like a lion looking for prey to swallow it. Satan was the cause of the destruction of the house of Job and his illness. Satan envies the righteous people like Joseph the righteous and incited his brothers to sell him.
The devil can appear in the form of an angel to deceive others, and may speak on the mouths of some people just like devil is behind all faith doubts and all kinds of corruption, but we should always remember that God is stronger than him and that god gave us authority to trample on the serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy.
The second enemy is one s soul and lust of the heart. Saul the king was full of envy and hatred for David and could not bear seeing his succeed. Absalom s lust was to have his father s throne. The bad feelings of the heart led Cain to kill His brother. The third hidden enemy is the friends who surround us and push us to sin and cause our loss like Delila who was loved by Samson the mighty.
One of the hidden enemies also the subconscious, which stores things about bad images, ideas, desires and scenes that cause loss of man. May God save us from the rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest.
