The Rules of Engagement

Weapons of Mass Destruction

rather than those established by God. Since the word peer is defined as, “a person who has equal standing with another or others, as in rank, class, or age,” the phrase peer pressure preempts the notion that this phenomenon is specific to teenagers. That is to say that no matter how young or old you are, everyone is susceptible to it. (See 1 Samuel 15:19–21.) P erversions Perversions are any kind of action that God considers deviant, corrupt, or vile. Proverbs 17:20 states, “He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.” (See Genesis 19:1–11.) P ossession Possession is the state of being ruled, controlled, and dominated by an evil spirit. (See Matthew 8:16, 28; 12:22; Mark 1:32.) P overty Poverty is a state of economic deficiency characterized by the lack of capacity to obtain the basic necessities of life or material comforts. The unfortunate thing about individuals who experience poverty is that they often blame their state on the Lord rather than on the real culprit—Satan. Poverty causes a lack of access. (See Ruth 1:21; Psalm 12:5.) P rejudice Prejudice is a preconceived preference or idea that leads to the development of adverse judgment, opinion, or belief prior to and without knowledge or examination of the facts. It is also an irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion. The enemy uses this weapon to separate and divide. As it relates to the church, this weapon is employed in an attempt to undermine the preaching of the gospel and the unity of the Spirit among believers of different ethnicities, nationalities, and denominational prefer ences. (See Acts 10:9–15.)

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