Wrestling With The Spiritual Darkness

[Waggles]

1Peter 5:6  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 
7  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 
8  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 
9  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 
10  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 

[farouk]

4 hours ago, Sower said:

I saw it is three volumes, and about 1200 pages. Have you read it, and what say ye?

Thanks for the heads up..

It's issued by Banner of Truth. The Puritan period saw rather wordy writings in the flowery style of the day, but it's regarded by some ppl as a classic.

[farouk]

4 minutes ago, Waggles said:

1Peter 5:6  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 
7  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 
8  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 
9  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 
10  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 

Great passage there. To think that Peter himself had been hasty and maybe even seemingly unstable at times, but he is now strengthened in the Lord and exhorts others.

[Selah7]

16 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Ephesians 6:12 For 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.

 Spiritual Warfare takes place within yourself. Where to you think this wrestling takes place?

This opponent we are going to be fighting against in these end times is not flesh and blood. …So it will not necessarily be about fighting people you see and hear, but it will be against hidden and deceitful spiritual powers.  Satan is the prince of darkness and spiritually, he controls the minds and actions of those who don’t have the Sword of God in their minds, which is the Word of God—they won’t understand or see the deception coming right at them.

This battle is not with guns and ammunition, but with words and false doctrines and with concepts and ideas.  These are the "fiery darts" of Satan.

s e l a h

[Sower]

6 hours ago, farouk said:

It's issued by Banner of Truth. The Puritan period saw rather wordy writings in the flowery style of the day, but it's regarded by some ppl as a classic.

Have you read it or do you have it?  At three volumes it's pricey.  Why I ask.

[farouk]

13 hours ago, Sower said:

Have you read it or do you have it?  At three volumes it's pricey.  Why I ask.

I don't own a set; it does exist in paperback.

[farouk]

On 3/28/2023 at 5:15 PM, Sower said:

In the mind.

The battle for the mind!

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

I personally believe the fiery darts are doubts, lies, and faith is the shield.

Faith comes by hearing. The Word.  Yes.........(study to show THYSELF approved)

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth"

"Thy word have I hid (memorized) in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (ammunition for the battle)

 

It is a constant battle for the mind. But, in Christ, we have the mind of Christ.

          Abide!

PS.  The way I sorts view this is, our inherited corrupted hard drive mind/brain infected by the apple virus, and then receiving/down loading the anti virus Jesus Christ.., is still plagued by the 'cookies' within us, alerting the enemy when we are venerable. (for attack)
I have to listen then to my WiFi, the holy spirit, of where/what I am thinking!

So enter not into temptation(s), lest I fall, and lose/forget the way of escape.

And become A crippled wounded soldier.

 

@SowerI think that 'the sin that doth so easily beset us' in Hebrews 12 would likely refer to unbelief; and it particularly fits with the theme of 'by faith', 'by faith', 'by faith', in chapter 11. So what you say also about the shield of faith, etc., would seem to fit well, also.......

[Mr. M]

26 minutes ago, farouk said:

@SowerI think that 'the sin that doth so easily beset us' in Hebrews 12 would likely refer to unbelief; and it particularly fits with the theme of 'by faith', 'by faith', 'by faith', in chapter 11. So what you say also about the shield of faith, etc., would seem to fit well, also.......

Yes. Unbelief hinders and even restricts the Spirit.

Matthew 13:58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Mark 6:4-6 But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house. Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

[farouk]

@Sower I think in this subject Philippians 4.8 is very apt also:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

The mind is a keyword in Philippians; and 'think on these things' very much fits such a recurring theme in the Epistle. Interesting also that the background in Acts 16 reflects earnest women at Philippi who prayed by the riverside and were thus open to the Gospel preaching of Paul.

[Waggles]

Paul writing to the Pentecostal elect in Corinth

1Cor 4:17  That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 
18  Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 
19  But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 
20  For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 
21  What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?