gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) (08/24/90)
I'm curious about something. How many of you out there accept the premise of spiritual warfare? That is that Christians are engaged in a fight against spiritual wickedness, demons, and satan. If not, why not? If you do, why do you? I'm not interested in opening up grounds for another verbal battle or flame fest. I am interested in hearing what others have to say and the reasoning and Scriptural support for each position. May His joy be yours, Gene
kday@dtoa1.dt.navy.mil (Day) (08/27/90)
In article <Aug.24.00.05.42.1990.26685@athos.rutgers.edu> gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) writes: >I'm curious about something. How many of you out there accept the >premise of spiritual warfare? That is that Christians are engaged in a >fight against spiritual wickedness, demons, and satan. > "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Cor. 10:3-6) "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18) I don't know about you, but them sound like warrin' words to me. K. Scott Day David Taylor Research Center Bethesda, Maryland All thoughts expressed are strictly my own, though it's amazing this brain is still capable of having any. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The more one comes to know men, the more one comes to admire the dog." -Joussenel ------------------------------------------------------------------------
vm0t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Vincent Paul Mulhern) (08/27/90)
I, for one, am convinced of it, for several reasons.
1. Jesus spoke to demons and satan, so they obviously exist.
(This itself is enough reason for me)
2. Many people have had tangible encounters with them. The claim that
"they're misinterpreting things" or "it's psychological" wears
thin when
the person is known and spoken with.
3. The Bible is filled with references to evil spirits.
4. My prayer time is much more effective when it has two facets:
Worship/praise/conversation with the Lord and
Binding/rebuking of
satan, instead of just the first. (What's Eph. 6 all
about? A good
allegory? Give me a break!)
The Bible says that God is waiting for His enemies to be made His
footstool. Well, that means that there are enemies, and that Jesus
isn't going to come and defeat them for us.
-Vince Mulhernbob@morningstar.com (Bob Sutterfield) (08/30/90)
In article <Aug.26.22.13.25.1990.800@athos.rutgers.edu> jmoon@lehi3b15.csee.lehigh.edu (Jonggu Moon [890911]) writes:
If you are working your way towards the Kingdom, then Satan will do
everything he can to slow you down, including causing you
financial, academic, familial, health and social problems.
My experience is similar. When involved in significant ministry, I
have found that too much around me is going awry. Special occasions
of particular influence for the Kingdom (e.g. traveling to address a
missions conference) are particularly ripe for interference. Prayer
is the only weapon at hand, and can protect me and my fellow-workers
(but not, it turned out, my Subaru's timing belt :-().
On the other hand, when seeking to do God's work, the rewards
consistently outweigh the hassles. Such problems quickly fade to
relative insignificance in light of the opportunities.johnw@stew.ssl.berkeley.edu (John Warren) (08/30/90)
In article <Aug.24.00.05.42.1990.26685@athos.rutgers.edu> gross@dg-rtp.dg.com (Gene Gross) writes: >I'm curious about something. How many of you out there accept the >premise of spiritual warfare? That is that Christians are engaged in a >fight against spiritual wickedness, demons, and satan. > >If not, why not? If you do, why do you? I'm not interested in opening >up grounds for another verbal battle or flame fest. I am interested in >hearing what others have to say and the reasoning and Scriptural support >for each position. > >May His joy be yours, > >Gene I accept the premise of spiritual warfare. If I can believe in a literal resurrection of Jesus's body, I can believe in angels; it's not that hard. If I can believe in angels, it's not that hard to believe that some of them went sour (for what reason, I don't know, but then why does anyone go sour?). If these angels are as powerful as the Bible says they are (e.g., in the time of King Hezekiah of Judah, 1 angel slew about 200,000 Iraqi, I mean *Assyrian*, soldiers), then the bad ones are to be feared. But not feared too much, for I think it was John who said, "Greater is he that is in us, then he that is in the world," and Jesus said, "I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not stand against it." Daniel talks about the Prince of Persia and the Prince of Greece, forces behind the earthly rulers. Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 also go behind earthly rulers to the demonic (actually diabolical) power behind them. I realize it's in the vogue in educated circles to say that these and similar passages were just ignorant, fanciful portrayals of human evil; however, even though I am not an inerrantist, I find it much easier to follow what the Bible says than what the educated vogue says. Why should I doubt what my Lord says: "I saw Satan fall from heaven," or "You will have power over evil spirits," etc? As far as personal experience is concerned: I have very little, at least that I know of. A couple of friends of mine were miraculously healed, and I believe them even though I didn't see it. I've read some stuff about satanism and the occult, but I never played with a ouija (spelling?) board, or went to a seance. Basically, it is logical to think that any enemy of God would want to thwart God's purposes for us. I believe Satan's strategy is to try to destroy our faith, to prevent us from acting in faith, because it is only grace through faith that saves us. Our warfare consists of putting on the 'whole armor of God' (Ephesians 6): the helmet of salvation (to keep our wits about us), the breasplate of righteousness (God's righteousness, which we can only receive through faith), the belt of truth (cold, hard truth, which holds it all together), the boots of the Gospel of peace (with which we can go anywhere to spread the good news, even bars filled with prostitutes), the shield of faith (which we use actively to extinguish the lies, taunts, and threats launched at us by the evil one), and the sword of the spirit (i.e., God's word, which, though it doesn't talk about every issue under the sun, enables us to face anything in life). Our warfare is offensive, not defensive; Paul never said to put on the backplate of righteousness. I could ramble on and on about spiritual warfare, but I think I just ought to get right down and do it.