When you read the story about the birth of Jesus there are many things that you can learn. One of those things comes through Herod. Herod plots to kill Jesus while He is a baby. He tells the wise men to report to him where the baby is. We know that this is so he can locate the baby and kill him. The wise men do not report to Herod and Herod has all the babies 2 years old and under massacred in the area. Such a sad outcome to one man’s obsession.
But was it one man’s obsession? I submit that this is a tactic of the enemy. The enemy knows that if he can take out someone while they are still a baby then he can stop anything that they ever would accomplish. This is still his tactic today. When you are born, you are obviously born as a baby. The same applies spiritually. When you are born again, you are a baby in Christ. The enemy knows this and will often attack you with different trials to try to kill you spiritually before you can mature. Because as you grow in Christ you will get stronger. Not only will you get stronger, but you can start reproducing and bringing others to Christ. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10 NET). The thief/enemy wants to steal your joy. The enemy knows that the joy of the LORD is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10 KJV). If he can steal your joy, then he can kill you spiritually, if he can kill you spiritually then he can destroy anything you could ever accomplish.
We should keep these things in mind so that no advantage may be gained over us by satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11 NHEB). Therefore we should put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11 NHEB). We also know that when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19 KJV). Standing with this knowledge and the whole armor of God we can boldly say behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted (Isaiah 12:2-4 KJV).
1 Corinthians 15:57-58 KJV 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.