"Resist the Devil.."

[Fidei Defensor]

I have a questions for everyone involved in spiritual warfare. When the Scriptures say to resist the devil, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," (James 4:7), "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil's schemes," (Ephesians 6:11), "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering," (1 Peter 5:8-9) does this mean only spiritually, when temptation comes and in prayer, or is there physical element like wrestling, and is it possible like St. Antony of Egypt claimed that Christian can be clawed and physically assaulted? Is resist in context of "resist thinking that way or resist temptation," or is it resist as in actively physically take a stand or both? I am curious, and would love to hear many perspectives.

[TheMatrixHasU71]

On 5/6/2017 at 6:24 AM, Fidei Defensor said:

I have a questions for everyone involved in spiritual warfare. When the Scriptures say to resist the devil, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," (James 4:7), "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil's schemes," (Ephesians 6:11), "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering," (1 Peter 5:8-9) does this mean only spiritually, when temptation comes and in prayer, or is there physical element like wrestling, and is it possible like St. Antony of Egypt claimed that Christian can be clawed and physically assaulted? Is resist in context of "resist thinking that way or resist temptation," or is it resist as in actively physically take a stand or both? I am curious, and would love to hear many perspectives.

It means spiritually, resisting temptation when it comes your way. Physically speaking yes demons can assault you but you cannot physically fight them off. We are nothing to them. They can tear us to pieces. Like the seven sons of Sceva who got their butts kicked. 

If a christian finds himself physically assaulted you pray for deliverance because only Christ has power over a demon to physically remove him from you.

[other one]

On 5/6/2017 at 4:24 AM, Fidei Defensor said:

I have a questions for everyone involved in spiritual warfare. When the Scriptures say to resist the devil, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," (James 4:7), "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil's schemes," (Ephesians 6:11), "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering," (1 Peter 5:8-9) does this mean only spiritually, when temptation comes and in prayer, or is there physical element like wrestling, and is it possible like St. Antony of Egypt claimed that Christian can be clawed and physically assaulted? Is resist in context of "resist thinking that way or resist temptation," or is it resist as in actively physically take a stand or both? I am curious, and would love to hear many perspectives.

good questions..      The devil himself actually personally deals with very few of us.  unlike God he simply can't be everywhere all at once here on earth.   but he does have many many helpers that can give him a hand.

I can't prove it but experience both personal and helping others deal with it, I don't think anyone can be personally possessed without the persons permission.....   non Christians can be tricked into letting demons enter them, but Christians can not be tricked.    never heard of a Christian who had given them permission to enter thier personal selves.

They can oppress both spiritually and physically, and that's my personal belief of why bad things happen to good people.   And they can't do anything physically to a Christian that God hasn't given them permission to do, however they can talk your neighbor into doing things to you.....   more bad things happening to good people.

Spiritual warfare is a complicated thing.   We are all involved on a personal level for the dark side is always looking for ways to harm you spiritually and physically.   Another reason to be in constant prayer with the Holy Spirit.    but on a warfare level, as going out looking for some demon butt to kick around, very few people should be doing that.   The Holy Spirit will lead a person on where, when and how to deal with the dark side and we shouldn't be going around looking for a fight other than our own personal protection.

We all have do do that fight on a personal level every day.   but as other people or places wait until the Holy Spirit directs.    There are instances where possessed people should be left alone until it's time for someone to deal with it.    Until the possessed person is ready to be indwelt with the Holy Spirit, it does no long term good to kick demons out of them.......    the demons will just return later with bigger brothers and the person is in worse condition than they were.

[Wolf Bridges]

Now is when the book of Job's trials becomes relevant . The Devil operates in this world because God permits it so. It is all part of God's plan. Go with God being his holy spirit is inside you. God always has the advantage .  You're his child. 

[Absolem]

To resist the devil means to stand firm in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, overcoming temptation and sin by the power of his Spirit. I don't think it means anything physical as in a demon physically attacking you.

[Jayne]

Tim Challies has a good article about resisting the devil.

Here's what he has to say:

Quote

 

10 Ways To Resist The Devil

July 18, 2013 by Tim Challies

It is one of the Bible’s many sweet and powerful promises: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The question is, though, how do we do this? In very practical ways, how do we resist the devil? Thomas Brooks offers a list of ten ways the Christian can resist Satan’s temptations.

1. Be Ruled by the Word. Make the Word of God your rule and authority and live in obedience to all it says. It will keep you walking straight and guard you from all manner of temptation. “When men throw off the Word, then God throws off them, and then Satan takes them by the hand, and leads them into snares at his pleasure.”

2. Beware of Grieving the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that gives the Christian the ability to discern Satan’s temptations and to see his hand in and behind life’s circumstances. If you grieve the Spirit, you drive off the one whose ministry involves guarding you against Satan’s attacks.

3. Labor for Wisdom. There is a great difference between knowledge and wisdom, between accumulating facts and applying Scripture to those facts so they become wisdom. It is not the Christian with the most knowledge, but the Christian with the most wisdom, who is equipped to battle Satan’s temptations.

4. Resist the First Stirring of Temptation. It is safe to resist temptation and dangerous to dabble in it. “He that will play with Satan’s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan’s hook.” God promises that we can resist temptation, not that we can resist sin once we have begun to dabble in that temptation.

5. Labor to Be Filled With the Spirit. The Spirit is a Spirit of light and power. The Spirit’s light shines bright against the darkness of sin and his power is sufficient to overcome all evil and temptation. When it comes to fighting Satan’s temptations, it is better to have a heart filled with the Spirit than a head filled with facts.

6. Keep Humble. A humble heart would rather lie in the dust than rise to prominence by sinful means; it would prefer to lose everything than to sin and be left with a guilty conscience. The humble person is neither drawn in by what Satan offers, nor terrified by his threats.

7. Be Constantly on Guard. A secure soul is a soul in a position to be led astray and ensnared. “That soul that will not watch against temptations, will certainly fall before the power of temptations.” Satan strengthens his assaults when the soul grows drowsy and careless. So be constantly on guard. “Watchfulness is nothing else but the soul running up and down, to and fro, busy everywhere; it is the heart busied and employed with diligent observation of what comes from within us, and of what comes from without us and into us.”

8. Continue Communing With God. It is as you join in communion with God that he gives you strength to resist Satan’s attacks. “A soul high in communion with God may be tempted, but will not easily be conquered. Such a soul will fight it out to the death.” Take full advantage of God’s means of grace.

9. Do Not Engage Satan In Your Own Strength. You need to draw the power, and even the desire, to resist sin from Jesus Christ and you need to do this every day. “Certainly that soul that engages against any old or new temptation without new strength, new influences from on high, will fall before the power of new temptation.” Commune with God, be on guard, be humble—do all of these things! But do not rely on them in the battle; instead, rely on Christ.

10. Pray Constantly. “Prayer is a shelter to the soul, a sacrifice to God and a scourge to the devil.” So pray and pray constantly. Tell God of your own inability to detect and respond to temptation; tell him that you are utterly dependent upon his grace; tell God that Christ’s blood has been applied to you; tell God that you are his child; ask God to deliver you from temptation for the glory of his name.

 

 

 

 

[Pudgenik]

On Saturday, May 06, 2017 at 4:24 AM, Fidei Defensor said:

I have a questions for everyone involved in spiritual warfare. When the Scriptures say to resist the devil, "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," (James 4:7), "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil's schemes," (Ephesians 6:11), "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering," (1 Peter 5:8-9) does this mean only spiritually, when temptation comes and in prayer, or is there physical element like wrestling, and is it possible like St. Antony of Egypt claimed that Christian can be clawed and physically assaulted? Is resist in context of "resist thinking that way or resist temptation," or is it resist as in actively physically take a stand or both? I am curious, and would love to hear many perspectives.

I was going to avoid talking on this subject as it brings up a lot of anger from those who do not grasp or understand.

Let me clarify this so all can understand me. In God's orchestra, there are some who play string instraments and others percussion and yet others wind instruments. Within all these, i play something different a tambourine.  This tambourine is so out of place, it is questionable that it belongs in the orchestra altogether.

Yet it is God's. And God's will.

To answer your question on Spiritual Warfare, it is both.

I have been in battles where my ribs have been physically broken. 

Just as the devil, mostly deals in the spiritual, can become visible into the physical world.

Iwant to mention here, your best defence and offence when dealing with the darkness, is the love of God.

Let God's love fill you first then pray. 

[Prycejosh1987]

On 5/6/2017 at 10:24 AM, Fidei Defensor said:

Is resist in context of "resist thinking that way or resist temptation," or is it resist as in actively physically take a stand or both?

I think the answer to these questions is one and the same. It means to fight against that mentality that is causing you to be tempted.

[Fidei Defensor]

2 minutes ago, Prycejosh1987 said:

I think the answer to these questions is one and the same. It means to fight against that mentality that is causing you to be tempted.

That’s a sensible conclusion.