We're in a spiritual war, or in spiritual warfare. I'm not sure this much crosses my mind many days, or not much more than that. But there are some days I hit up against, like today, in which I'm reminded of the spiritual battle and war we're in, and the hatred of the enemy, Satan and his hosts. And I must add this hits me, at times through other people, even from other Christians. And the more we can engage in this fight together with others, or with another, helping each other, I think the better. Though even as our Lord did, we may often have to go it alone.
I want to be neither overwhelmed by these entities or pretend they don't exist. We need to be aware, and at the same time, we need to know and take up the help that we have in Jesus and by the Spirit. We need to stay our course, stand firm, not back down, and seek to grow from it. And from this warfare, know more of the Spirit in our lives, for mission and service to others.
As Spurgeon said, the best sign of the Lord's presence is the lion's (Satan's) roar. Let's not lose heart during such times, but be strengthened, stand, and take up the help we have, knowing that Christ is our strength and we have all we need in him, for this. And let us be sensitive to other brothers and sisters who may now be going through their own seasons of intensified spiritual warfare, as we continue on in this life.
Anyone here going through a hard time of this now? Or any who would like to share about this?
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16 comments:
Hi,
Intresting article you wrote. I'm not religious myself, but I do respect religion and I must say it's very intresting to read how you deal with this spiritual war and how religion helps you.
Always intrested to read about other people and there ideas, keep it up. :)
Greets - CoffeeGuy
Coffeeguy, Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words. I look forward to getting on your blog later, when I have more time. It looks interesting.
And, by the way, I like coffee, really too much. (:
Hi, Ted.
Some of the best and balanced teaching about spiritual warfare is in the NIV Application Commentary on Ephesians by Kline Snodgrass (in his comments on Ephesians 6). He wants us to be aware, but not to be afraid or too overly interested.
Good post!
i find it very interesting how the situation of the spiritual is defined to humans in a way that we can understand the importance. the way that the ways of the spiritual are given to us in terms of the human way of fighting and the arms that would have been used at the time. look at the actual arms though, they are not at all like the things that we would see as strength without being told in this way. how many people actually look at truth as strength..but, agains evil it is. how many would normally think of righteousness, or faith as being anything to think of as being strong in the way we think of strong in books, magazines or in the movies? keeping our eyes, heart, and mind on our Lord is our way of staying strong...how many people have a hard time believing that when being attacked? yes, prayer is powerful...but, do we always believe that? we must. we must believe that, and do it. yes, we must see the way our Lord sees. not the ways of this world. we are the followers, Jesus is the leader. in any battle, the leader must be followed. love is what we are to do. love is the ultimate power of God. and we get to use it. we are so blessed! Praise God! anyone going through a hard time should know...you are not alone, you are never alone, God will never leave you, and you do not have to be alone. do not believe the lie that you are alone. if you are a child of God, you are a part of a spiritual body... just pray and talk to God. the lie will vanish.
I love that Spurgeon quote. Don't lose heart, my friend.
I agree that we shouldn't look for a devil under every rock. Yet his presence in the world helps us understand what otherwise looks like a conspiracy across many areas of life and industry and nature.
John, Good words. That's one of the very few NIV Application NT commentaries I have yet to own, but I've read parts of it, and I remember (as I recall- ha) that I liked his thoughts on this passage. I need to get it. Just one of those things, not because I thought it not good.
Thanks, brother and really good to hear how things are going on over there in Hudsonville, from your blog.
Nancy, Thanks for your thoughts here. It is quite interesting, the analogies that Scripture uses. I certainly think fight is an apt analogy for the conflict between God in Christ and Satan. And how we humans, because of Christ end up in this conflict. Thanks for your good words of counsel. We too easily let such words go but we need to take them to heart. Thanks, sister.
ESI, Thanks, brother. Yes, Spurgeon is such a gift to the church, even as he dead, he still speaks. Thanks for bringing his words up from time to time on your own blog.
L.L., Very well put. The devil is in the details everywhere, "left", "right" and "center". Thankfully the Lord is at work as well, at least in relation to everything, and in a true sense in different ways, in everything.
Hello Ted,
Thank you for visiting my blogsite.
I agree with you and am not really concerned about the hows/whys of creation, but I certainly think the story in Genesis in an allegory and to be looked at as such.
I do so love getting different comments and points of view on my site. I've only had to delete once, and that was because the anon. person was spiteful to one of the other comentators.
Finding this hard to type as my cat has now decided to come and sit on my knew.
Lorenzo.
Ted
I think that we go through too much spiritual warfare on our own. The NT commands about resisting evil are mostly plural. I doubt that we have grasped the full implications of that. All soldiers know that it is extremely dangerous to get isolated from your platoon. I suspect that for Jesus community to become a reality, we will need to learn how to engage in spiritual warfare as a body.
Ron
Hi, Lorenzo, Thanks for coming by to my blog as well.
I do believe Genesis 1 and 2 are true, but truth not as in a scientific textbook kind of way. Yet just the same true in that science (which is ever changing at least to some extent) cannot in actuality contradict it. Science can't say anything about the who and why of nature, it can't answer final questions like, "Why am I here?" or "Who am I?"
Though I do believe nature is creation and points to a creator.
I think your blog is fun and the conversation over there is quite interesting. And I like your pics/photos!
Ron, I think you bring up a good point that as I recall I just kind of intimate or touch on this post. Yes, it is not good to try to go it alone in the Christian life. Spiritual warfare is just one part of that life, and we're to live it as a Body, in fellowship with others. And I think that kind of living enables us at times to stand up by ourselves when need be. Though even then, we need the prayers of others to help buoy us up by the Spirit so that by grace, we stand firm.
I've found that spiritual warfare is most effectively waged in the church itself, amongst bothers and sisters in Christ. And really, all the enemy needs to do is keep us distracted, and he's successful.
I've also found that our response to being on the receiving end of it makes a difference in the outcome. Once you realize it's spiritual war, I believe it's vital to take the high road and let God deal with it in His time. The battle is not ours. That said, however, I will engage the enemy whenever I can hold whatever issues there are up to the light of God's Word - and let His Word speak for me.
I've been doing that now for 4 years. God still has not stepped in and resolved this mess, but that's His deal...not mine.
Kim, Thanks for your fine, helpful words. I need to remember them, and abide in that, which so far in a certain matter lately, by grace- I'm doing better, and seeing God move at least in my own heart and mind.
May God's answer become evident to you and to all who are concerned.
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