Spiritual Warfare

[Episkopos]

And what is the point of quoting these verses? There must be some reason for doing so.

An exhortation to be courageous perhaps?

 

[marksman]

[QUOTE="Heart2Soul, post: 456440, member: 7841"]I am going to exercise my authority in Christ and command them to take their hands off my health, my finances, my family, my job, and my friends.

I’m sorry to say you are deluding yourself into thinking that you can do the healing the Apostles did. They were the last to do miracle healing, none after! Perhaps Agabus did. And, likewise with finances and so on.

To God Be The Glory[/QUOTE]

Where have you been all your life? The apostles the last to do miracles? Hardly a day goes by that the Holy Spirit is not active in producing miracles. I have numerous books outlining the miracles that God is doing in various parts of the world right up to raising the dead. Last year I prayed for a young man that was brain dead and who the doctors said would never gain consciousness. Two weeks after I prayed for him he walked out of the hospital.

Feel so sorry for you that you live in such a closed environment and have a God that is pretty useless.

 

[marksman]

An exhortation to be courageous perhaps?

Better if the writer answered my question.

 

[Episkopos]

To be victorious in an army it helps to have a good morale (hope) and forward momentum (practicing faith).

If we sow to the Spirit we shall also reap of the Spirit. Once we get the ball rolling we need to keep up the momentum as one who is always moving forward has no reason to falter. It is as we cease our forward momentum that we can be tempted and overcome. If we are not moving forward we may just be slipping backwards. The spiritual fight is an uphill battle...until we are seated with Christ in Zion...then it is an easy fight.

The other factor is to have a living hope (a good morale) that is confident in the Lord. I am not speaking of an over-confidence in one's own salvation. I'm speaking of a confidence in the Lord based on a good conscience. It is as we get over-confident that we open ourselves up to attack.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

And what is the point of quoting these verses? There must be some reason for doing so.

The topic was spiritual warfare ... the scripture tells how to overcome evil and death.

Revelation 15:1-2
[1] And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. [2] And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

They are over it...as ‘overcome’ and stand upright on a sea of glass mingled with fire.

Revelation 12:11
[11] And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The overcoming this world: “...they loved not their lives into the death.”

Matthew 16:25-26
[25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. [26] For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Revelation 21:1
[1] And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

 

[Dave L]

Fighting spirit? Isn't that part of the Holy Spirit? No.


WE are to provide the fighting spirit. Peter says in 2 Peter 1 that we are to add virtue first to our faith. Who adds this? WE do. But what is virtue?

Virtue is fighting spirit. Arete in Greek is the quality of warriors like Achilles and Leonidas...in Greek lore. So the Greeks knew what arete was.

What is the mind of Christ? We are to be warriors together that stand up against the enemy. But we need fighting spirit to do this.

Many people have the wrong kind of fighting spirit...that is used against their own kind...or flesh and blood. But this is not the mind of Christ. The mind of men sees men as the problem. Arguing over petty pet doctrines serves the enemy not Christ. Now if only that fighting spirit that presently tilts at windmills could be harnessed to stand against the real enemy.

A soldier must not look to his own security. A good soldier already considers himself as dead BEFORE the fight. This way he has a chance to win.

But the churches of today are rarely if ever on a war footing. So often the pastor seems more like an entertainment director on a cruise ship than as an officer on the watch on a warship.

And if you speak of a fighting spirit...people react that this isn't Christian....we are to be gentle. But are we to be gentle with the enemy?

So then a true soldier of Christ is gentle with people ...as gentle as a lamb. But with the enemy he is to be as a lion in courage and fighting spirit.

Fighting spirit? I think it is like Paul says instead.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:1–7) (KJV 1900)

This is the battle. The rest takes care of itself if love is in place.

 

[bbyrd009]

Virtue is fighting spirit.

But are we to be gentle with the enemy?

no Epi, "turn the other cheek" is a death-blow i guess huh

you do not even know who your enemies are bro, sorry

 

[brakelite]

When I was a young Christian I loved my wife and child to pieces, (still do of course) but that didn't stop demons from coming into our home to harass them both. My wife, for some reason, could see them. I couldn't, but I could certainly sense them... Was acutely aware of their presence. So love didn't keep them out, but it was love that drove them out again. That love manifested itself in righteous indignation and anger. "How dare they come into my home!!! I belong to Christ... You have my business here. GO in the name of Jesus." They went. As I grew in Christ, they ceased to bother me directly, but I am still aware of other tactics they may use to impede our walk and inhibit our effectiveness in the warfare that rages all around us. Epi is right... We fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers who more often than not work through flesh and blood to attack and hinder our walk in Christ. Our love for our neighbour, and our hatred for sin and all manifestations of evil will give us right motivations as we discern where the enemy is residing, and his modus operandi in his fight against Christ. For remember, that is what it is all about. It is Satan versus Christ. We are however to be willing to be deployed on the front lines of this war, take no prisoners, but rather restore the enemies captives to their true Master.

 

[Episkopos]

Fighting spirit? I think it is like Paul says instead.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:1–7) (KJV 1900)

This is the battle. The rest takes care of itself if love is in place.

Arete in Greek...or virtue in it's English translation is fighting spirit or manly courage.

Do a bit of research. Look up what the Greeks thought of arete.

I do wish people looked deeper into things....

 

[Episkopos]

When I was a young Christian I loved my wife and child to pieces, (still do of course) but that didn't stop demons from coming into our home to harass them both. My wife, for some reason, could see them. I couldn't, but I could certainly sense them... Was acutely aware of their presence. So love didn't keep them out, but it was love that drove them out again. That love manifested itself in righteous indignation and anger. "How dare they come into my home!!! I belong to Christ... You have my business here. GO in the name of Jesus." They went. As I grew in Christ, they ceased to bother me directly, but I am still aware of other tactics they may use to impede our walk and inhibit our effectiveness in the warfare that rages all around us. Epi is right... We fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers who more often than not work through flesh and blood to attack and hinder our walk in Christ. Our love for our neighbour, and our hatred for sin and all manifestations of evil will give us right motivations as we discern where the enemy is residing, and his modus operandi in his fight against Christ. For remember, that is what it is all about. It is Satan versus Christ. We are however to be willing to be deployed on the front lines of this war, take no prisoners, but rather restore the enemies captives to their true Master.

Amen, we are not only to love what God loves....but also to hate what He hates.

 

[Episkopos]

no Epi, "turn the other cheek" is a death-blow i guess huh

you do not even know who your enemies are bro, sorry

Our fight is not against flesh and blood. Spiritual warfare is not the same kind of war as one that kills people. Spiritual warfare frees people.

 

[Dave L]

Arete in Greek...or virtue in it's English translation is fighting spirit or manly courage.

Do a bit of research. Look up what the Greeks thought of arete.

I do wish people looked deeper into things....

arete =
88.11 ἀρετήa, ῆς f: the quality of moral excellence—‘outstanding goodness, virtue.’ εἴ τις ἀρετὴ καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος ‘if there is any moral excellence and if there is (reason for) praise’ Php 4:8; τοῦ καλέσαντος ἡμᾶς ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ ‘one who has called us to (share in) his own glory and moral excellence’ 2 Pe 1:3. It is possible, however, that ἀρετή in 2 Pe 1:3 denotes the manifestation of (divine) power (see 76.14).

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 743). New York: United Bible Societies.

 

[Episkopos]

arete =
88.11 ἀρετήa, ῆς f: the quality of moral excellence—‘outstanding goodness, virtue.’ εἴ τις ἀρετὴ καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος ‘if there is any moral excellence and if there is (reason for) praise’ Php 4:8; τοῦ καλέσαντος ἡμᾶς ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ ‘one who has called us to (share in) his own glory and moral excellence’ 2 Pe 1:3. It is possible, however, that ἀρετή in 2 Pe 1:3 denotes the manifestation of (divine) power (see 76.14).

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 743). New York: United Bible Societies.

I mean a REAL study.

As in...Leonidas was admired by the Greeks for His arete...as was Achilles.

Find out what men thought arete was back in the day.

please make a real effort. The loser is yourself for being too superficial.

 

[Dave L]

I mean a REAL study.

As in...Leonidas was admired by the Greeks for His arete...as was Achilles.

Find out what men thought arete was back in the day.

please make a real effort. The loser is yourself for being too superficial.

Use the bible. Don't go beyond what it says and it's usage of the original languages. Remember King Saul looking beyond God's word for advise.

 

[Episkopos]

Use the bible. Don't go beyond what it says and it's usage of the original languages. Remember King Saul looking beyond God's word for advise.

You are taking this idea too far.

The bible uses words that people can relate to. It certainly helps to look at how the ancients saw those words. Over time, some of these words have lost their meaning. So then to look for their usage at THAT time is very useful. There is nothing to fear in understanding words.

 

[Dave L]

You are taking this idea too far.

The bible uses words that people can relate to. It certainly helps to look at how the ancients saw those words. Over time, some of these words have lost their meaning. So then to look for their usage at THAT time is very useful. There is nothing to fear in understanding words.

King Saul went beyond God's word and sought extra biblical revelation as many do today. He wound up in the devil's domain.

 

[bbyrd009]

Our fight is not against flesh and blood.

ok Epi, who is your fight against, if i may ask

Spiritual warfare frees people.

well, if you were to Quote some Scripture on the matter it would become clear imo.

who are your enemies, Epi

 

[Episkopos]

King Saul went beyond God's word and sought extra biblical revelation as many do today. He wound up in the devil's domain.

Very superstitious.

You have read about the existence of say...dogs. You have a prior knowledge of dogs extra-biblically? Are you in danger of the devil by say patting a dog's head...extra-biblically? Are you to forego ALL understanding of what a dog is. Is that reasonable?

Would you be safe if you opened up your bible to a passage about dogs while patting a dog...would that keep you safe?

 

[Dave L]

Very superstitious.

You have read about the existence of say...dogs. You have a prior knowledge of dogs extra-biblically? Are you in danger of the devil by say patting a dog's head...extra-biblically? Are you to forego ALL understanding of what a dog is. Is that reasonable?

Would you be safe if you opened up your bible to a passage about dogs while patting a dog...would that keep you safe?

We are talking about replacing the bible with voices in your head and vibes. Very popular today.

 

[bbyrd009]

What is a fighting spirit? How are battles won and the world overcome?

you're seeing the dialectic thing now, huh. The whole house of cards is about to fall down, if it hasn't already