Here’s Switzerland, neutral in the middle of World War II. And Switzerland is neutral during World War II, and the Allies are battling the Axis and so on, and because they’re neutral, they might have some skirmishes around the edges, but basically they’re not at war. If they come into the war on the side of either one—if they come in the war on the side of the Allies, immediately things heat up, because suddenly they’ve got half the world as their enemy. Before, it wasn’t that way. Somebody’s got to say to Christians, and I’m saying to you now, if you haven’t heard it before: you’ve got enemies. They’re called the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Tim Keller, Peace – Overcoming Anxiety
Surrounding Biblical Exposition: The sermon details how making peace with God immediately provokes opposition from spiritual enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil) who seek to destroy a believer’s peace and joy. The exposition draws heavily on biblical metaphors and Christian writers to explain the nature of spiritual conflict and assurance.
Illustration’s Point: Just as a neutral country instantly invites active hostility from major warring factions the moment it chooses a side, a person who makes peace with God immediately encounters spiritual warfare and active opposition from the world, flesh, and devil.
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