God wins in the end. But do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

Maria Billingsley · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

The spiritual battle has been won, we now need to stay the course so as not to be deceived. This is walking with the Holy Spirit.

Bible Highlighter · Nov 3, 2019

Maria Billingsley said:
The spiritual battle has been won, we now need to stay the course so as not to be deceived. This is walking with the Holy Spirit.

I meant our spiritual battle and not the overall battle of God. God will of course win the overall battle, but our personal battle is another matter. If our spiritual battle is won, then we could not be deceived.

dqhall · Nov 3, 2019

Maria Billingsley said:
The spiritual battle has been won, we now need to stay the course so as not to be deceived. This is walking with the Holy Spirit.

If you find yourself in lion country, be vigilant, don’t let your guard down. The lion attacked from behind. Follow the good shepherd. God watched a poor man’s back for him.

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

The Righterzpen · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
But you are not explaining how that verse from Peter applies to believers. It seems like you are simply disregarding what it says. What does our being sober and vigilant have to do with the devil seeking whom he may devour?

Well, let's take a look at the verse.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

"Sober" is also translated "watch" and "vigilant" is also translated "awake".

"Adversary" is made up of two words "on account of" and "one who brings evidence". The second word is a court term. We would say "prosecutor".

"walk about" is also translated as "occupy". (To be preoccupied with.)

"Devour" is composed of two words "according to" and "drink".

So, stay awake while keeping watch because your prosecutor the devil is preoccupied with seeking who he can consume accordingly.

Now "accordingly consume" is probably in reference to whom he can accuse of sin before the law.

So the instruction seems to be to stay awake while keeping watch, because of the one who accuses you of guilt before the law, seeks to consume you by accusing you of sin.

There's a clever phrase I once heard: When the devil reminds you of your past; remind him of his future!

The way of dealing with this issue is to be confessing your sin and repenting. That's what being diligent has to do with the devil trying to devour you.

Neogaia777 · Nov 3, 2019

Many of you are fighting in the wrong way, and with the wrong weapons, and fighting the wrong battles, etc, and in the wrong way with the wrong weapons, etc...

And when you do that, it is futile and in vain, and is very much "vain" or is (the ultimate) vanity, and is very much in vain (as in futile) (also), etc...

We overcome evil with good, and the weapons of our warfare are peace, and joy, and love, happiness, etc, a smile, a kind word, being encouraging and uplifting, kind, etc, or being long-suffering and patient and kind, (without losing it), etc. etc, etc...

Many of you are not fighting with those weapons, and it is the ultimate vanity... the way many of you fighting and/or struggling, etc...

Nor are you fighting the right battles much of the time either, etc...

You wage war against men and other people when you should not, etc, as just one example...

If your not at perfect peace from within when you are fighting, then your doing it all wrong, etc... And if your battles are not purely with only the principalities and powers in high places in this world, or that occupy the high places in this world, etc, then your doing it all wrong also, etc... And again, if your weapon(s) is (are) not peace, and joy, and love, and the like, etc, then your doing it all wrong, again also, etc, etc, etc...

And many of us are doing it wrong, etc...

Were not doing it like Jesus did, etc...

God Bless!

friend of · Nov 3, 2019

Jesus won the war
The rest of us still fight battles,

God bless

The Righterzpen · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
This means that there is the possibility that Peter’s faith could have failed because we pray so as a part desiring something but it is not a guarantee.

Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

James 4:3
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Anything you ask for in God's will, you will get. And certainly to ask for a believer to not lose faith, or the strength to withstand the trails they face is a prayer within God's will.

Praying for wisdom will always be answered with a "yes".

Bible Highlighter said:
In other words, there would be no need for Jesus to pray so that Peter’s faith would not fail, if Jesus knew that his faith could never face the possibility of failing.

Now why did Jesus pray for Peter? What is the purpose of prayer? Prayer changes us, it doesn't change God because His will is already determinate. We pray for His will be done and help to know and accept that will.

I think Jesus prayed for Peter in this instance because Peter was clueless that he was in need of prayer.

I have a 17 year old son who's quite ill. He could die of his epilepsy and if that's what it comes to; I pray that God give him comfort to go in peace, because at this point, I'm not concerned for his redemption. He's been "woke" and he believes.

Bible Highlighter said:
This is why your belief here is a contradiction to what the Scriptures plainly say.

Not when you take the entirety of Scripture in context it doesn't.

Bible Highlighter said:
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But God knows, not everyone will repent.

A lot of people quote this verse outside of the context it's written in. Peter is addressing believers.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

And God does know that everyone won't repent. Why won't they repent. Because repentance unto salvation is an outcropping of the work of the Spirit.

REPENTANCE:
Romans 2:4
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Acts 5:31
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Jeremiah 31:17-19
And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Yarddog · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

I voted other because I believe the spiritual battle is mainly within ourselves. All religions that I'm familiar with have a self cleansing theme, except Christianity. For us, God did that for us and it is for us to turn away from the need to be responsible for obedience and rely on God to do it us for.

That takes surrender to God's Holy Spirit. Man just isn't good at that, so that is the battle.

Toro · Nov 3, 2019

Jesus defeated the enemy, the war is won, over, done victory sealed.

Our spiritual battles remain until our final breath... if the spiritual battle were over and done complete on our end... we would not be encouraged to "fight the good fight" IF there were no fight to be fought.

The victory is promised... but we still must choose to fight the fight, to take up our cross and deny our flesh.... that is the spiritual battle we fight every day and are hopeless and helpless to gain victory apart from Christ... to gain that victory we are to abide in Him and He in us... then we will have that victory because the victorious one guides our steps.

When we fall... we repent, dust off and continue to fight the good fight... like a child learning to walk.

You do not hate your child because he/she stumbles and falls while learning to walk... you are gentle, encouraging... but you demand that they rise and not just renain face down on the ground ..for their good.... you would still love your child... but IF they have the ability to move their legs and mental capability.... and they remain on the ground until they are 35.... you would still love them, but would certainly lose patience with them and their unwillingness to get back up and learn to walk... at some point long before 35 Im sure.

Since we are not perfect, it is inevitable that we will lose spiritual battles now and then..... but in order to share claim to the war that Jesus got victory..... we have to get on the battlefield... the victory is promised, but you cant recieve the victory IF you never enter the battle.

Israel was promised the victory over Canaan... but they did not enter the battlefield in time to recieve the victory. So too are we promised that victory... but if we refuse to fight on the spiritual battlefields while today is today.. we may find ourselves too late like the Israelites desperate to enter the battlefield to recieve the promisedland/victory only to be met with destruction because we waited too long... cause we always thought we could enter the battlefield "tomorrow" but "tomorrow" doesnt always come for everyone.

Glorytothefather2245 · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

Not sure what your trying to say, Yes you have victory thru Jesus the war has already been won but if you get oppressed or tempted by the devil you have to fight back in spirit and authority in Jesus name and tell him to leave and pray. Christ gave us authority over the powers of darkness in his name it doesnt mean you dont have to do nothing about the devil when he shows up in your life, that's where spiritual warfare comes in.

Mark Quayle · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

Funny vague, polite, word, "concerned".

The spiritual battle is won. By no means does this mean we may as well be idle.

With that logic, since the Lamb of God was slain and we were predestined from the foundation of the World, why should Christ have gone through with it?

As my relatives are fond of saying, "We do so because it is so."

Warning note: If we do not do so, we are not so.

aiki · Nov 3, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

Ephesians 6:11-12
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

1 Timothy 6:12
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.

2 Timothy 4:7
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Romans 7:23
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Galatians 5:17
17 For sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Aussie Pete · Nov 4, 2019

Bible Highlighter said:
Is our spiritual battle won? Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

We have the victory. We fight on that basis, not in order to gain victory. However, Satan is like an illegal tenant who must be evicted. If there was no need to fight then all the exhortations in the New Testament are pointless. Why would we need weapons or armour? We are instructed to resist the devil. He's still active and he knows his days are numbered. God permits Satan to remain for a season. God uses Satan to encourage Christians to get stronger in spirit and to gain spiritual knowledge. Those who do not know or use God's word are the weak and defeated. We have everything we need. Use it!

Robin Mauro · Nov 4, 2019

The Righterzpen said:
Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

James 4:3
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Anything you ask for in God's will, you will get. And certainly to ask for a believer to not lose faith, or the strength to withstand the trails they face is a prayer within God's will.

Praying for wisdom will always be answered with a "yes".

Now why did Jesus pray for Peter? What is the purpose of prayer? Prayer changes us, it doesn't change God because His will is already determinate. We pray for His will be done and help to know and accept that will.

I think Jesus prayed for Peter in this instance because Peter was clueless that he was in need of prayer.

I have a 17 year old son who's quite ill. He could die of his epilepsy and if that's what it comes to; I pray that God give him comfort to go in peace, because at this point, I'm not concerned for his redemption. He's been "woke" and he believes.

Not when you take the entirety of Scripture in context it doesn't.

A lot of people quote this verse outside of the context it's written in. Peter is addressing believers.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

And God does know that everyone won't repent. Why won't they repent. Because repentance unto salvation is an outcropping of the work of the Spirit.

REPENTANCE:
Romans 2:4
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Acts 5:31
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Jeremiah 31:17-19
And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Great scriptures you quoted - the only part I disagree with is the part about Peter being clueless.
Peter was heart broken. Peter hated himself. Peter was in danger of never coming to God again, because of his self-condemnation. Peter was completely and utterly broken by his denial of Christ.
And what was Christ's response? He loved Peter. He loved Peter so much; Peter, the rock upon whom He built His Church. Jesus said, first thing to Mary, "Go tell Peter..." Jesus was suffering right along with Peter. That's what friends do. Jesus knew beforehand Peter would fail, but he loved him anyway, and he knew Peter loved him too...deeply

Heavenhome · Nov 4, 2019

I voted "other" because whilst the ultimate battle has been won by Jesus on the cross, we are still in a spiritual battle daily until Christ returns and we go to our God in heaven.
That is why we are told to put on the armour of God in Ephesians 5:11-17.
Of course there are many other references as well.

ChetSinger · Nov 4, 2019

We fight the enemy:

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Yet the big picture is that Christ has already won the war. As long as we keep the faith we are guaranteed to be victorious because of Him.

Bible Highlighter · Nov 4, 2019

The Righterzpen said:
Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

James 4:3
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Anything you ask for in God's will, you will get. And certainly to ask for a believer to not lose faith, or the strength to withstand the trails they face is a prayer within God's will.

Praying for wisdom will always be answered with a "yes".

Now why did Jesus pray for Peter? What is the purpose of prayer? Prayer changes us, it doesn't change God because His will is already determinate. We pray for His will be done and help to know and accept that will.

I think Jesus prayed for Peter in this instance because Peter was clueless that he was in need of prayer.

Again, it is illogical for Jesus to pray for Peter's faith to not fail if there was no possibility of Peter's faith failing. You don't believe that a Christian's faith will fail. Yet, Jesus prayed so that Peter's faith would not fail.

Also, Jesus said, "“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me." (Matthew 23:37) (NLT).

So here we see the Lord's will not coming to pass. Jesus desired the children of Jerusalem to be gathered together like a hen protects her chicks, but they would not let him do so. It was not because GOD elected them to do so.

You said:
A lot of people quote this verse outside of the context it's written in. Peter is addressing believers.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Yes, Peter can refer to "us" as the whole of humanity. So this is not proof that Peter was only referring to believers. That's nonsense. If things are as you say, then GOD would be responsible for people remaining as sinners with them never having any kind of hope of salvation. What about the whole, love your enemies thing Jesus taught? Also, Scripture says that GOD is angry at the wicked every day (Psalms 7:11). So...... why is GOD angry at His own decision to make some to remain as sinners? Why did it grieve GOD in Genesis 6 that many in the global flood turned out to be wicked? Could not GOD just elect them to salvation whereby He would no longer feel grieved by their wickedness? Come on now. Your belief here makes no sense in light of Scripture.

You said:
And God does know that everyone won't repent. Why won't they repent. Because repentance unto salvation is an outcropping of the work of the Spirit.

REPENTANCE:
Romans 2:4
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Romans 2:4 does not say Unconditional Election or describe a process like Unconditional Election. You are just injecting your biased belief into this verse and not comparing Scripture with Scripture.

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." (Romans 11:22).

You said:
Acts 5:31
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Try re-reading the verse again in context. I just read it and it does not read in the way that you suggest. It does not read with a Calvinistic bias. Nothing is suggestive here of a forced repentance given to Israel. Peter is defending his position to the unbelieving Jews and he is saying that Savior is at the right hand of God and that He can give repentance to Israel if they want it. This does not mean Israel at that time as a nation repented. So the fact that Israel as a nation did not receive repentance is proof that Peter was not talking about how Jesus was giving some kind of forced repentance upon the nation of Israel.

You said:
Jeremiah 31:17-19
And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

"I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God." (Jeremiah 31:18).

It is talking about the chastisement or correction of the OT saint and not forced salvation. Many times Israel had backslid into worship false idols. Do you believe GOD wanted them to do that? They are God's chosen people. Why would He want them to do that?

This is a heart felt cry of help from God to serve Him again, and not some kind of talk of forced regeneration. Here is is in the NLT.

"I have heard Israel saying, ‘You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the LORD my God." (Jeremiah 31:18) (NLT).

Hear the cry of the OT saint here? He is crying for help for God to restore Him and to turn Him back to God's good ways. This is a prayer to God and the Israelite here is not talking about some kind of forced regeneration or forced repentance. If God elects some to be saved and others to not be saved, it would be futile to pray for God to force us to have the perseverance of the saints. One would either have that or not. One would be forced by God to do His will or they would not be forced to do His will. So again, your belief here is not consistent with the Scriptures.

The Righterzpen · Nov 4, 2019

Robin Mauro said:
Great scriptures you quoted - the only part I disagree with is the part about Peter being clueless.

What I meant about Peter being clueless; was at the time prior to the denial; Peter was sure he was going to die for the kingdom. And he certainly had all the intent, guts and fortitude to follow through. In a previous post; I described Peter as a Marine Corps "Semper Fi" mentality kind of guy. Never realizing that his human courage would fail him; for having no grasp at that point what the magnitude of the atonement was. I believe as the hours ticked by; Peter began to see it. And Jesus interceded for Peter that his faith not fail because Peter could not see at that point that it might.

Obviously Peter understood that later; which is where he comes to the point your talking about. It was definitely a test of Peter's fortitude of self perception.

Bible Highlighter · Nov 4, 2019

Heavenhome said:
I voted "other" because whilst the ultimate battle has been won by Jesus on the cross, we are still in a spiritual battle daily until Christ returns and we go to our God in heaven.
That is why we are told to put on the armour of God in Ephesians 5:11-17.
Of course there are many other references as well.

My question was not in reference to the overall or ultimate battle of God, but it was in regards to our personal or individual battle.

I think most were confused by this because I did not clarify it in the OP. So this was my fault. My apologies. I am going to try and rename the thread and the OP for clarity.

Blessings to you in the Lord this fine day, and thank you for your reply.
I agree with you.

Bible Highlighter · Nov 4, 2019

To all:

I think most folks misunderstood the question, and they should have voted "Yes" (instead of "no) because their replies are suggestive that they we should not be concerned with fighting against the enemy because Christ has gained all the victory even in their own personal spiritual battle. No need to fight against the devil, Jesus did that, right? No need to worry about sin. Jesus took care of that on the cross, right? No need to be concerned about much of anything except just having a belief alone on Jesus for salvation.

Granted, Scripture is not in agreement here with this kind of thinking, though.

God wins in the end. But do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

Do we not need to be concerned about fighting against the enemy?

Yes, no need to be concerned. The battle is won.

No, we need to be concerned. We are still in a spiritual battle that needs to be won.

I don't know.

Other (Please explain).

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