WAR - Not Edwin Starr

[Dennis1209]

As one who is historically familiar with, and experienced human war; I've never read a satisfactory explanation of how spiritual war is conducted? In human war there's casualties, wounding, detention, prisoners', torture, logistics, strategy and death. 

When the Archangel Michael and his armies fight the princes of Persia and Greece, etc., which of any of the above is utilized in conducting spiritual warfare? If angels are created 'eternal' [both fallen and holy] and cannot be wounded or killed, the list of offensive tactics is greatly reduced. 

The Lord has given us Christians spiritual armor, both defensive and an offensive one [sword of the Spirit, the word of God] in Eph. 6:.

So, if these rebel unclean spirits being fought against are not being cast into the pit, wounded, detained or killed until their final judgment, and remain the princes and powers of the air... Any thoughts on how spiritual warfare is carried out?

[Justin Adams]

This is a very interesting question. I see it as centering around God's creation - mankind. I think in the beginning, the heavenly hosts were informed that they would be the servants of humankind. This grated on certain of them I think and that led to the original issue in the garden. I.e. their foolish ideas were that God would end His creation because they were now fallen. But God (seeing the end from the beginning) had already accounted for that. So we have a long history of redemption. Then in Gen 6 other fallen holy ones decided to create a species for themselves. That ended badly and God did do away with the results of most of that travesty. After the deluge, we see them at it again and the Joshua wars tell us how God got rid of the unholy protogyny and their various horrible creations. (not all Greek and Mesopotamian myths are just mere fantasy).

The 200 or so Watchers that descended on Mt. Hermon were chained "in gloomy darkness" says the apostle. They await the final end of everything. In the meantime, the Territorial Spirits given charge over the nations scattered a Babel (Deut 32) failed badly and were indicted in Psalm 82. They 'will all die like men and fall as any prince'. They have their sentence.

Then came the Lord Yeshua. And He could send demons packing into pigs if required. The demons are low lever unclean spirits and Enoch tells us they are the 'bastard spirits' of dead nephilim. Now the other Territorial Spirits are where the various Pantheons came from. They manipulate governing authorities and thrones and principalities and are the 'Archons' mentioned in scripture. How we deal with them is by removing their patronage, one person at a time thru the saving Grace of the Lord. He Translates these believing people into His Kingdom and out of the kingdom of darkness. One person at a time.

That is a long drawn out war of attrition, but we all know how it ends.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Justin Adams

[Sower]

18 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

So, if these rebel unclean spirits being fought against are not being cast into the pit, wounded, detained or killed until their final judgment, and remain the princes and powers of the air... Any thoughts on how spiritual warfare is carried out?

"Prayer is Warfare", (warfare is prayer)
I listened to Mikey Bonner, a ministry speaker, about thirty five yrs ago, about spiritual warfare, his calling.
I went because I had the same questions as you Dennis.The gist of it as I remember was it is a battle for the mind,
a spiritual war, fought in the mind. (Our hard drive)
Bonner emphasized prayer, when in battle. I became more interested in knowing about the enemy and his tactics,
so began reading books available on the subject and found a book by Jessie Penn-Lewis, who also
wrote  'Battle for the Mind' -'War on the Saints'.
To this day, myself and my wife remember a spiritual battle fought in our home on one night when I would stay up to two o'clock in the morning reading Penn's book about the enemy. Late each night with more understanding, sitting at the kitchen table, reading about the enemy, I sensed, felt, the presence of evil around me, sometimes overwhelming and actual fear.
This was new to me, then. On one particular night, I felt as if I was surrounded by something evil,and it was so oppressive while reading I shut the book and went to bed, and was praying like no tomorrow.
I sensed (knew) in the bedroom, with my wife asleep beside me, there was  a hovering ring of evil around the bed.
The next morning my wife ask what had happened last night and then related she had also felt the evil.
I realized then the evil spiritual realm does exists, and I had called (beckoned) them unknowingly into my home, with my so much concentrations upon the devil and his evil.

The last few years I have ask many people about how the devil can influence them, specifically, to cause them to sin.
How does a devil/evil spirit speak to them, and know it is the devil and not imaginations.  Give me just one example.
No answers. Researching on line, the consensus is split, the devil can/can not read your mind.
No scripture I know specifically addresses this issue. Always wanted to ask the forum but sensed no interest.

I believe all sin (mine) originate in my mind. Choice/choosing.  I also believe the Trojan apple downloaded in the garden,
has corrupted my hard drive, my mind/brain/soul, and a lingering virus somehow gives access in some manner by unseen forces.
satan is not omnipresent, not all knowing, not all powerful. God put limits.
Like in Marine Corps boot camp, we were taught about the enemy we would be engaging, his tactics and habits, strengths and weaknesses, weapons and traps etc. What I know about the devil is he is a liar. So when was the last time you heard one of his lies?
Where did you hear it? In your head? Audibly? Subtly? What was it, the lie?
When God gave us the weapons of warfare, why was the shield of faith ABOVE all the rest?

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked"

What is a fiery dart? What is the shield of faith? (The belief/faith in the word, all God's promises). What is the opposite of faith?   I believe it's DOUBT!  And where does doubt come from? The mind.  Faith in the word vs doubt in the word (lie).
The mind. That is where the battle is being fought, every day, hour, moment. Right now. We're being monitored.
How. I don't know. But I believe they're monitoring this conversation:) Is there any doubt?

I finally quit concentrating on the devil (liar-darkness) and studied more of God's promises (truth-light).
Light chases out darkness. God is light.
Memorize scripture (down load light to the hard drive)

"Thy word( light )have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin (darkness)  against thee"

I also believe subject this is little understood nor studied. I wonder why? Does everybody have the virus?
 

 

 

 

[Ray12614]

Thanks for posting this. I agree definitely my battles are in my mind for sure. We are in an spiritual battle, and as such we cannot afford to ignore the enemy, as he will take any advantage of us that he can find. He does not discriminate between young and old, male of female, and mercy is NOT one of his attributes. He is cruel and wants to hurt us as God's people because he hates God.

No need for me to reiterate what you have written because I agree with all of it.

Lets fight the good fight of Faith, submit to God, resist the devil and he must flee. Then go on offensive by engaging principalities and powers in Prayer.

Good post . . .

Ray . . . 

[luigi]

On 4/23/2021 at 1:47 PM, Dennis1209 said:

As one who is historically familiar with, and experienced human war; I've never read a satisfactory explanation of how spiritual war is conducted? In human war there's casualties, wounding, detention, prisoners', torture, logistics, strategy and death. 

When the Archangel Michael and his armies fight the princes of Persia and Greece, etc., which of any of the above is utilized in conducting spiritual warfare? If angels are created 'eternal' [both fallen and holy] and cannot be wounded or killed, the list of offensive tactics is greatly reduced. 

The Lord has given us Christians spiritual armor, both defensive and an offensive one [sword of the Spirit, the word of God] in Eph. 6:.

So, if these rebel unclean spirits being fought against are not being cast into the pit, wounded, detained or killed until their final judgment, and remain the princes and powers of the air... Any thoughts on how spiritual warfare is carried out?

Being liberated from having to serve my flesh thanks to Christs sacrifice; I then have the choice to either continue serving my flesh or to follow the guiding Spirit of God. Both Satan and his crew of fallen deceiving angels, along with God and His truth enlightening angels are in everyone currently, attempting to pull us in their direction. This is the war currently underway in everyone. 

From what I gather this war comes to an end at the conclusion of the beasts 42 months, at which point the Lord commences to reign. Those who have God, will then be greatly illumined, while those who do not have God, and have loved the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (the antichrist), will then no longer have the current availability of God's true illumination, and will be without in the darkness.

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

[LearningToLetGo]

I think the following passage sums up spiritual warfare nicely.

 

Luke 22:45-46 (ESV)

45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

[LearningToLetGo]

Duplicate post.

Edited April 25, 2021 by LearningToLetGo
Dupe

[Whyme]

 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [a]lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 

Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 

Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

[Riverwalker]

2 Corinthians 10:2 But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 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, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

It is fought in the battlefield of the soul.  The arrows are temptations and ill words.   

[Dennis1209]

On 4/24/2021 at 5:00 PM, Sower said:

No answers. Researching on line, the consensus is split, the devil can/can not read your mind.
No scripture I know specifically addresses this issue. Always wanted to ask the forum but sensed no interest.

Hi Sower.

I had the same question, did some research, and came to the exact same conclusion. Satan and his minions are not omnipresent and can be only in one place at one time. I make the assumption there are more fallen angels and demons than all of humanity. The word "demon" actually means intelligence." They being created beings, have had a long time to study, observe and continually learn. 

With that said, nothing escapes our Lord's attention. I suspect we're constantly under observation by the spiritual darkness, and the fallen ones probably know us better than we know ourselves, and our susceptibilities and weaknesses, using their intelligence, lies and numbers to trip us? 

My thinking is, based on a number of factors, demons and fallen angels are smarter and more powerful than we may think. I suspect our advanced technology, artificial intelligence (AI), etc., is but child's play to them. Science has produced technology that can partially visually project what we are thinking, through electrical brain interface connections. I have little doubt demons can interject thoughts in our minds directly, not to mention our ear and eye gates, and it may not be a one way street? 

But no, the Bible doesn't give us the answer to those questions, and maybe it's better if I don't ponder and speculate on it.