Spiritual warfare

Aussie Pete · Jun 24, 2020

Michael Collum said:
By poorly, I mean that I Know that a prayer "crusade" is going on in another part of the city but need to be elsewhere and notice that their warfare has simply displaced what they were casting out - once they stop, it will migrate back again.

A good example of removal of the effects of sin is when confession results in the negative effects it has on the creation in an area to actually cease.

I'm sure there are other good examples - the poor examples are a pet peeve since I am sensitive to the displacement factor.

Sure. It requires constant pressure and diligence. Nothing wrong with that. Complacency is a terrible blight on the Christian life. Ask the Laodiceans. Oh, you can't. They've disappeared.

Aussie Pete · Jun 24, 2020

Francis Drake said:
When demons are active in a person or locality, you won't find it in scripture that we just pray positive stuff for Christians.
We are clearly instructed to fight the enemy, and cast the demons out from people or localities.
Eph6v10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For 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.
The above is a list of spiritual entities we expected to fight/wrestle with.

Cursing simple means speaking negative words against someone/thing, which is part of that wrestling with the enemy.

Thank you for your post. You've explained the point well.

Gregory Thompson · Jun 24, 2020

Aussie Pete said:
Sure. It requires constant pressure and diligence. Nothing wrong with that. Complacency is a terrible blight on the Christian life. Ask the Laodiceans. Oh, you can't. They've disappeared.

Makes no sense I guess. Thanks for trying.

Aussie Pete · Jun 24, 2020

Michael Collum said:
Makes no sense I guess. Thanks for trying.

Satan roams around like a roaring lion, seeking who he can devour. Resist him and he will flee. If we get complacent, he will have another go. So we need to be vigilant. That applies in our personal Christian life as well as in our dealings with the world.

A tiny example. Our street is a dead end but surprisingly busy. We have a McDonald's not far away. Some people used to dump their McDonald's litter on our nature strip. So I bound the evil spirits and the littering ceased. A few weeks later, it started again so I got stuck into the evil spirits again. The problem ceased. If I knew who was responsible, I'd have words with them, but I don't know.

Gregory Thompson · Jun 25, 2020

Aussie Pete said:
Satan roams around like a roaring lion, seeking who he can devour. Resist him and he will flee. If we get complacent, he will have another go. So we need to be vigilant. That applies in our personal Christian life as well as in our dealings with the world.

A tiny example. Our street is a dead end but surprisingly busy. We have a McDonald's not far away. Some people used to dump their McDonald's litter on our nature strip. So I bound the evil spirits and the littering ceased. A few weeks later, it started again so I got stuck into the evil spirits again. The problem ceased. If I knew who was responsible, I'd have words with them, but I don't know.

Yeah, there's a type of paranormal attacker that isn't a spirit - it's born from the desires of humans - so if it keeps happening at the same spot, it may be how the local business affects people or the type of people it attracts.

If the paranormal entity is composed of sin, confession is more effective.

Hammster · Jun 25, 2020

True spiritual warfare is laid out all through Ephesians, and then restated in chapter 6.

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth,

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

— Ephesians 4:15

if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,

— Ephesians 4:21

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

— Ephesians 4:25

and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

— Ephesians 4:24

(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

— Ephesians 5:9

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

— Ephesians 2:14

And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;

— Ephesians 2:17

in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

— Ephesians 2:8

in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

— Ephesians 3:12

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

— Ephesians 3:17

And take the helmet of salvation

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation⁠—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

— Ephesians 1:13

and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

— Ephesians 5:26

Let’s not make this into some sort of mysticism.

Aussie Pete · Jun 25, 2020

Let's not ignore what spiritual warfare is. It is far from mystical, the enemy is real but not human.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Those forces are satanic. Do not fear them; we have the victory. Do not ignore them or they will prevail.

Hammster · Jun 25, 2020

Aussie Pete said:
Let's not ignore what spiritual warfare is. It is far from mystical, the enemy is real but not human.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Those forces are satanic. Do not fear them; we have the victory. Do not ignore them or they will prevail.

You made it mystical when you prayed against the evil spirits of littering.

Tolworth John · Jun 25, 2020

Francis Drake said:
When demons are active in a person or locality, you won't find it in scripture that we just pray positive stuff for Christians.
We are clearly instructed to fight the enemy, and cast the demons out from people or localities.
Eph6v10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For 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.
The above is a list of spiritual entities we expected to fight/wrestle with.

Cursing simple means speaking negative words against someone/thing, which is part of that wrestling with the enemy.

I find it interesting that it is reporte in scripture that when Michael, was disputing with the devil the most he would say was " I rebuke you in the Lord's name.' Jude v 9.
If that is what angels do I would not go further than what they do.

Francis Drake · Jun 25, 2020

Tolworth John said:
I find it interesting that it is reporte in scripture that when Michael, was disputing with the devil the most he would say was " I rebuke you in the Lord's name.' Jude v 9.
If that is what angels do I would not go further than what they do.

But that's not what you said before is it, and not what I replied to.

Of course we deal with demons in Jesus name. There is no power that is higher.

But tell me, how much spiritual warfare do you do?
How many times 'in Jesus name' have you cast demons out?

Maria Billingsley · Jun 26, 2020

Aussie Pete said:
Most Christians are aware to some extent that there is a war going on in the spiritual realm. It is fundamentally Satan against God. "Satan" means adversary. God has given the Church the responsibility of taking the fight to the devil and his evil host (Ephesians 6:10-17). God has already given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our role is to enforce the victory that is ours.

Conquest in war is a matter of occupying territory. Who rules the area where you live? Do you have low crime levels, low unemployment, relatively stable families and low poverty? If not, maybe you need to take action. We've seen definite changes in our city since we got active in spiritual warfare. It works.

What should we be doing? We pray and command along these lines
Put a curse on Satan's will and all his activities.
Ask God for His will to be done and His Kingdom to come.
Curse and bind the activities of the principalities and powers in our region.
Curse and bind the spiritual wickedness in the high places.
We ask God to rise up in all His power and scatter His enemies.
We ask God to remove from political office those that displease Him and replace them with those who please Him.
We curse and bind all the activities of all the operations of Satan through the occult.
We curse and bind Satan's activities as the god of this world that blind the eyes of those who are perishing.
We curse and bind all that leads Christians astray, false teachings and false manifestations that counterfeit the Holy Spirit.
We curse and bind the spirits behind false religions.

Other issues come up from time to time. You may find issues that relate specifically to your area.
Another great asset in spiritual warfare is unity in the Church. If local churches can forget their differences and unite in warfare, the kingdom of darkness will suffer great loss.

Curse and bind? This is not in scripture.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth already bound Satan and he lost his authority. Though he retains the ability to deceive some, only those with no faith and weak in faith can be misled. We must walk in His Holy Spirit dailly so we can discern the antics of the deceiver. We resist him, not engage him, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not curse and bind him we discern and resist.

"Now is the judgement of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31)

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

topher694 · Jun 26, 2020

Aussie Pete · Jun 26, 2020

Maria Billingsley said:
Curse and bind? This is not in scripture.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth already bound Satan and he lost his authority. Though he retains the ability to deceive some, only those with no faith and weak in faith can be misled. We must walk in His Holy Spirit dailly so we can discern the antics of the deceiver. We resist him, not engage him, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not curse and bind him we discern and resist.

"Now is the judgement of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31)

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

No? Matthew 16:19, Mark 3:27 (binding)
God cursed Satan in the garden of Eden. Satan must be resisted. That he is not yet cast out is obvious. Yes, Satan is utterly defeated by Lord Jesus. However, Lord Jesus put the task of evicting Satan into the hands (or rather, mouth) of the Body of Christ. I do not curse Satan, that is unbiblical. I do curse Satan's will. Many Christians are deceived, oppressed, blind to spiritual reality and bound by Satan's forces. Satan does not deceive only the weak and faithless. He deceives the ignorant also. I've been born again nearly 50 years. I've seen the decline of the Western Church in that time. When I was first saved, deliverance from evil spirits was considered a normal part of church life. I don't know any local fellowship other than the one that I'm part of that routinely deals with demonic issues. It's a simple matter to cast out evil spirits, but the lack of awareness of the issue means that people remain oppressed.

The spiritual war we are in is fundamentally a battle for the allegiance of mankind. God seeks man's willing and free cooperation with His will, which is the best thing that anyone could experience. Satan uses lies, deception, intimidation, fear, blackmail and bribery to coerce mankind into his ways. Since the world is controlled by Satan (1 John 5:19), he does not bother with the world. He must attack the church because the church is the real threat to him and the kingdom of darkness. It is pretty obvious that the church has failed to deal with Satan effectively. It will happen sometime. When? How? I don't know. But sitting around arguing about doctrine and nitpicking about semantics is not going to do the job.

Blade · Jun 27, 2020

Hey I think most of this is like we talk about someone in a fire and duh we would run right in that fire! Yet.. you see that fire you feel the heat..oooh its a different story. Most will run.

Same here. Ever seen a fallen angel? They won't be scary.. will be beautiful. Satan.. so wise got 1/3 of the angels to follow him. Demons... ever see one? Ever see that body float or fly up against the wall? Watch some little girls voice become deeper then yours? Ever stand there here them share YOUR personally secrets? Anway

Does God word talk about "authority"? Whats mans and whats His? Like Iran places like that. Why do you think they are still there? The enemy has rights. Go for it.. walk on over speaking IN JESUS NAME bind cast out all you want. You will get stomped on and locked up.

This is like people in mental hospitals. You can't just walk up and IN JESUS NAME! They laugh at you. Like praying for city.. takes allot of us praying none stop. And that can take weeks months years. And if you take the battle to where you have no authority you will get stomped on.

He leads.. make He told you. Like these preachers had to go back to the hotel. He said LORD..look at all those solders there. They will come at us the second they see us. God said just go. No matter what they saw they did what God said. As all of them went in and passed the solders he looked back to see if they saw him. He said he saw two rows of angels a path in the middle. Not really a fighting story.. I liked it..

We KNOW what authority we have right? You know it IN JESUS NAME! I did. My mom wanted help. My dad had died and she got marred and her new husband was very sick. So we were staying with them. One night I get up to go to the bathroom. lol.. holy JESUS.. I had to cross the living room. So from my right this person? It was all black yet see through. Just before it went through the wall to my left it looked at me.

Now this is the strange thing. I knew what it was thinking. "your nothing to me" and keep walking. Yeah IN JESUS NAME.. never popped up in my head lol I was so brave that I that had two kids in my 40's left the light on for the next week.

So.. always be prayed up. The enemy knows you much more then you know him. He knows your weakness.. he knows you secrets. So ALWAYS confess your sins. Let HIM lead..

Francis Drake · Jun 27, 2020

Maria Billingsley said:
Curse and bind? This is not in scripture.

Given that you reject these two things, what do you think they are that makes them wrong in spiritual warfare?

BobRyan · Jun 27, 2020

Aussie Pete said:
Most Christians are aware to some extent that there is a war going on in the spiritual realm. It is fundamentally Satan against God. "Satan" means adversary. God has given the Church the responsibility of taking the fight to the devil and his evil host (Ephesians 6:10-17).

Nothing in Eph 6 talks about "taking the fight to the devil" - at most all you get there is "evangelism" of other humans and then having defense against the attacks of the devil.

Aussie Pete said:
What should we be doing? We pray and command along these lines
Put a curse on Satan's will and all his activities.

Not much "Satan I curse you" found in the writings of Paul or teaching of Christ.

But if this is our main purpose/job etc as a Christian church then the NT should be full of that sort of thing. It is not.

BobRyan · Jun 27, 2020

Maria Billingsley said:
Curse and bind? This is not in scripture.
.

Yep - there you have it...

topher694 · Jun 27, 2020

BobRyan said:
Nothing in Eph 6 talks about "taking the fight to the devil" - at most all you get there is "evangelism" of other humans and then having defense against the attacks of the devil.

Not much "Satan I curse you" found in the writings of Paul or teaching of Christ.

But if this is our main purpose/job etc as a Christian church then the NT should be full of that sort of thing. It is not.

Oh cool. Vocabulary police to set us all straight. Good deal.

Spiritual warfare

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