How many times have you said, “The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy?” But did you know this isn’t actually what the scripture says? As a matter of fact, the bible says in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Not the enemy but the thief. Why does this make a difference? I’ll tell you. See, in order to know how to fight what you’re up against, you have to know who you’re fighting. This is because, you can’t fight the enemy the same way you would fight a thief. What works on one, won’t work on the other. That is why it is important you know the difference. Enemy in Hebrew means an oppressor, foe, adversary or hater whereas thief means burglar, robber, sneak thief or snitch. The enemy comes to coerce you into staying in your distressed state. The thief, well he or she comes to take what you have. The enemy shows up to pressure you into believing you aren’t worthy but the thief comes to take what’s of worth. The enemy’s role is to compel you to stay in the valley but the thief, he or she wants what you deem valuable. So, when the bible says the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; it means you! This is why Jesus followed this verse with John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”
He used this vivid illustration because He was referring to a method shepherds would use to keep their sheep safe. See, sheep were kept in a sheepfold enclosure that only had one gate. At night, the shepherd would lie in front of the gate in order to keep thieves from taking what belonged to them. In other words, they were willing to lay down their life. This, too, is important because as men and women of God, who have been called to under-shepherd God’s sheep, we have a responsibility to protect the sheep. This doesn’t mean stepping in front of a bullet but it means you make sacrifices for your sheep and you serve your sheep. When you do this, your sheep will know your voice. Why is it important to know your Shepard’s voice? To prevent you from running with the wrong crowd of sheep. You don’t have to take me at my word, google it. You’ll see that three different people can call out to a pasture of sheep using the same words their shepherd uses yet the only one they’ll come to is … their Shepard. This is why Jesus says in John 10:14-15, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. — Know the difference in order to properly fight and win.
Lakisha, the Author 