What does a spiritual battle look like?

[Whyme]

Is it a battle against our own flesh or against evil spirits, or both? Whats you opinion? Thank you. 

[Sister]

Hello Whyme

A spiritual battle is our battle against good and evil.  The evil can come from ourselves, which are our desires, or from Satan using someone else to tempt, oppress or corrupt us.  Either way, when sin is present - self control is required on how to handle and overcome the situation, and is an ongoing war until we reach our perfection.  Whenever evil is present in any shape or form, evil spirits will always be there because that's their land.

[PeterR]

2 hours ago, Whyme said:

Is it a battle against our own flesh or against evil spirits, or both? Whats you opinion? Thank you. 

Could you please specify which battle you are asking about?

What do you mean saying "spiritual battle"?

[Guest clancy]

4 hours ago, Whyme said:

Is it a battle against our own flesh or against evil spirits, or both? Whats you opinion? Thank you. 

For me, it didn’t look like anything, you certainly know you are in a battle though, Spirit vs Flesh, the battle was long, but the Holy Spirit knows what he is doing, the flesh weakened eventually, you can’t beat God.

 

This is in retrospect....I hadn’t a clue what was happening to me as a new bade...I had to mature before I was able to make any sense of the battle.

 

Look to the Holy Spirit in all things, he teaches us how to walk in the Spirit.

Edited May 1, 2021 by clancy

[PeterR]

3 hours ago, Sister said:

A spiritual battle is our battle against good and evil.  The evil can come from ourselves, which are our desires, or from Satan using someone else to tempt, oppress or corrupt us.  Either way, when sin is present - self control is required on how to handle and overcome the situation, and is an ongoing war until we reach our perfection.  Whenever evil is present in any shape or form, evil spirits will always be there because that's their land.

Hi Sister,
It sounds a bit like New Age teaching to me. Is our real battle as Christians is with our own human nature?

Jas 4: 1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

G3196 - melos
Of uncertain affinity; a limb or part of the body: - member.

Rom 7:23-24  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. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

It follows from the above verses that the source of all of our battles is rooted in our conflict with God.

Could you explain please?

[Whyme]

6 hours ago, PeterR said:

Could you please specify which battle you are asking about?

What do you mean saying "spiritual battle"?

I was just thinking about spiritual warfare and was wondering what others had to say about it. I have no specific battle in mind, other than the battle i wage in my mind against the flesh

[Whyme]

5 hours ago, PeterR said:

Hi Sister,
It sounds a bit like New Age teaching to me. Is our real battle as Christians is with our own human nature?

Jas 4: 1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

G3196 - melos
Of uncertain affinity; a limb or part of the body: - member.

Rom 7:23-24  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. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

It follows from the above verses that the source of all of our battles is rooted in our conflict with God.

Could you explain please?

I didnt think it sounded new age. What you say sounds confusing though. Please elaborate, thank you.

[PeterR]

1 hour ago, Whyme said:

I was just thinking about spiritual warfare and was wondering what others had to say about it. I have no specific battle in mind, other than the battle i wage in my mind against the flesh

That's exactly how I thought you understood it.
I don't know why it is erroneously called a spiritual battle but it is very common.

If I can advise you, radical action is more effective.

These are so called the first conditions of success:

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Rom 13:11-12  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

 

G659 - apotithēmi - From G575 and G5087; to put away (literally or figuratively): - cast off, lay apart (aside, down), put away (off).

 

[Whyme]

5 hours ago, clancy said:

For me, it didn’t look like anything, you certainly know you are in a battle though, Spirit vs Flesh, the battle was long, but the Holy Spirit knows what he is doing, the flesh weakened eventually, you can’t beat God.

 

This is in retrospect....I hadn’t a clue what was happening to me as a new bade...I had to mature before I was able to make any sense of the battle.

 

Look to the Holy Spirit in all things, he teaches us how to walk in the Spirit.

As i think about what i face in my battle, i see its all in my mind and heart. If demons are indeed present, they are there trying to get me to follow the flesh in which no good thing dwells. 

Romans 7:18

New King James Version

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Whyme

[Whyme]

Just a thought i had about this. 

 

Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Romans 7:18 For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.