(Photo: screengrab)
Twenty-five-year-old entrepreneur and CEO, Jahleel Coleman desires to help people understand the power of God and God’s love. Weekly, Coleman hosts bible studies on his IG Live in a unique and fresh way, relating his messages to the different challenges and experiences that many adolescents and young adults face.
In a series called, “Man On A Mission,” Coleman talked about walking in the purpose God designed for us. In one particular bible study, he discussed the distraction that many of us face along our journey, which is the enemy.
Coleman believes that in order for us to be the best version of ourselves and operate in the Lord’s will for our lives, we have to know the devil’s tactics so that we’re not influenced by them.
“If you don’t know the strategy of the enemy you’ll never know how to defeat them,” he warned.
Colman often remarks that “we are spiritual beings, having natural experiences.” In other words, because our spirit resides inside of our flesh, we will experience human problems and situations. The enemy’s manipulation entails several schemes that believers should be aware of during our natural experience.
One scheme is the creation of doubt in our minds. Jahleel referred to the story in Genesis between the Serpent and Eve. When God commanded Eve not to eat the fruit from the tree, the Serpent challenged her to doubt God’s word by posing the question, “Did God really say that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?”
Coleman notes that if we doubt God’s word, then we begin to question if we belong to Him.
“[The enemy makes us] think that God is just some far off being who’s sitting on a throne. He’s an old white man with a Santa Clause-like beard who’s different and separate,” said Coleman. As a result, “[people] try to fill all of the voids, because they feel like they’re missing something.”
This doubt causes us to “assume” we don’t have everything we need from the Father. The millennial leader was very transparent about his own personal struggles, sharing that at a point in his life, he was wrestled with pornography, alcohol, and sex. He stated, “no one helped me to understand that I am one with God’s spirit and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding to be able to know that no matter what’s going on around me I have peace.”
Colemen reminded listeners that “when Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, He left and went back to God. But He gave us a spirit which is the Holy Spirit.”
The young entrepreneur also believes that the enemy uses specific times to distract us. These moments are usually when we’re lonely, angry, hungry, or tired. However, it’s best that we have accountability. He revealed that he and his best friend hold each other accountable.
“If I know that he can’t be around certain environments I’m not going to make my brother subject to where he can fall,” he stated.
Coleman ended with an important question he wanted his listeners to keep at the forefront of their minds. “Is this a distraction to get us away from whatever God brings…[because] if you know your enemy you can’t be defeated.”
