--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we…" description: "\"“To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we must consider His aims. The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/c-s-lewis-121_long-run_to-anticipate-the-enemy-s-strategy-we-mu_804418.jpg" --- # To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we must consider His… ![“To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we must consider His aims. The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it…” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/c-s-lewis-121_long-run_to-anticipate-the-enemy-s-strategy-we-mu_804418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/c-s-lewis-121_long-run_to-anticipate-the-enemy-s-strategy-we-mu_804418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26b/c-s-lewis-121_long-run_to-anticipate-the-enemy-s-strategy-we-mu_804418.jpg) > ““To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we must consider His aims. The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour’s talents—or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall. He wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognise all creatures (even himself) as glorious and excellent things. He wants to kill their animal self-love as soon as possible; but it is His long-term policy, I fear, to restore to them a new kind of self-love—a charity and gratitude for all selves, including their own; when they have really learned to love their neighbours as themselves, they will be allowed to love themselves as their neighbours.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True freedom comes from selfless love and gratitude, recognizing all beings as valuable, not just oneself. **In simple terms:** Love others to love yourself fully. Key Takeaway Practice universal compassion. Themes selflessness gratitude spiritual growth human dignity philosophy Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - Volunteer work - conflict resolution - personal meditation - community building Key Concepts Ethics metaphysics psychology theology Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? - How can we cultivate gratitude for all beings? A Different Perspective Human nature often resists self‑sacrifice, making altruism difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [State of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-of-mind/) [Strategy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strategy/) ## Related quotes > [The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-enemy-wants-to-bring-the-man-to-a-state-of-mind-in-which-he-could/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To us a human is primarily food; our aim is the absorption of its will into ours, the increase of our own area of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/to-us-a-human-is-primarily-food-our-aim-is-the-absorption-of-its-will/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/one-must-face-the-fact-that-all-the-talk-about-his-love-for-men-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“To decide what the best use of it is, you must ask what use the Enemy wants to make of it, and then do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/to-decide-what-the-best-use-of-it-is-you-must-ask-what-use-the-enemy/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/what-is-of-supreme-importance-in-war-is-to-attack-the-enemy-s-strategy/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/thus-what-is-of-supreme-importance-in-war-is-to-attack-the-enemy-s/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Attack the enemy's strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/attack-the-enemy-s-strategy/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“Supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/supreme-importance-in-war-is-to-attack-the-enemy-s-strategy/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Whats worse then having an enemy, is having a friend that doesnt care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whats-worse-then-having-an-enemy-is-having-a-friend-that-doesnt-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Having an enemy that is visible out in the daylight is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/having-an-enemy-that-is-visible-out-in-the-daylight-is-a-good-thing/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) > [There is nothing worse than having an enemy who is a total loser. It's incredibly frustrating when seeking revenge against one, because you come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/there-is-nothing-worse-than-having-an-enemy-who-is-a-total-loser-it-s/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [When a country is in harmony with the Tao, the factories make trucks and tractors. When a country goes counter to the Tao, warheads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-a-country-is-in-harmony-with-the-tao-the-factories-make-trucks/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“This is not to say that one should not be angered at an injustice or speak out against whatever violates one’s security. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-is-not-to-say-that-one-should-not-be-angered-at-an-injustice-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One bonus you get from having an enemy is a very clear marketing message. People are stoked by conflict. And they also understand a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-bonus-you-get-from-having-an-enemy-is-a-very-clear-marketing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Does it not sometimes happen in life that our actions are solely for an enemy, so as to stand up to him, to confound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-rodenbach/does-it-not-sometimes-happen-in-life-that-our-actions-are-solely-for/) [Georges Rodenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-rodenbach/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-to-education-today-is-to-teach-fewer/) [C.S. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Después de cada fracaso, pedid perdón, levantaos del suelo y volved a intentarlo. Muy a menudo, lo que Dios nos otorga primero no es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/despu-s-de-cada-fracaso-pedid-perd-n-levantaos-del-suelo-y-volved-a/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) [Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Long run quotes > [“Polarization (and Trumpism) is in itself a kind of political crisis. 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Same boring Caleb who wanted a serious relationship. A live-in boyfriend. A guarantee, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/same-old-caleb-who-wanted-to-love-and-be-loved-same-boring-caleb-who/) [Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/) Browse all 1,390 Long run quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To anticipate the Enemy’s strategy, we must consider His aims. The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour’s talents—or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall. He wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognise all creatures (even himself) as glorious and excellent things. He wants to kill their animal self-love as soon as possible; but it is His long-term policy, I fear, to restore to them a new kind of self-love—a charity and gratitude for all selves, including their own; when they have really learned to love their neighbours as themselves, they will be allowed to love themselves as their neighbours.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C.S. 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