Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Is, Was and Will Be Discussion. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Spiritual Warfare; Need counsel from more mature brothers
Topic Started: Dec 16 2007, 09:47 PM (570 Views)
mittahaw
Newbie
[ * ]
Article Discussion may not be the proper place to post this. I'll leave it up to the moderators to place it where it belongs. I'm a babe in the true Christ and would appreciate counsel of those of you who are more mature. I'm listening to the "How God's Overcomers Are To Wage Spiritual Warefare", given by Mike Vinson in Marshall, MI in April of 2006. I've just recently come to understand what "spirits" really are and what it means. This is strange to comprehend seeing how I've been involved in "Babylon" for years. This is because of the IWWB site and God working through the members of Christ body there. I'm coming to know Christ, not another Jesus, but the true Christ. I'm coming to understand how essential spiritual warfare is, and how real it is. As Mike states in the video, its not just the false doctrines and idols of the heart that must go, its also the everyday stuggles that we all must endure. God has brought me to see that of myself I am absolutely nothing, but through Him I can wage this warfare. I'm reaching out to the other members of His body, and asking you be patient w/ me and share your experiences on how you wage the warfare in your lives on a day by day basis. I'm just a fingernail on the body, but I've come to see that I have my place also, for this is where God has me to be. I need the help and the counsel of all of you who are willing to help me. Advise on prayer, quiet time in the
Word, any and everything you can share is most welcome and appreciated.

Thank you all; I truly need the counsel of many if I'm ever gonna' wage this war.

Tim

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ertsky
Member Avatar
Diligent Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
Hi Tim

my email address is

canola.32@gmail.com

if you ever feel like a chat about anything at all, please feel free to write me there

###################################################

Quote:
 
I'm reaching out to the other members of His body, and asking you be patient w/ me and share your experiences on how you wage the warfare in your lives on a day by day basis.


in general for me the main thing is just to realise again and again (and again) that

God is completely in favour of Christ in us but against the man of sin in us

i consider the main front of my/His warfare is against the criminal in me, my main enemy is the old me, the one that Christ died to put to death.

God is never surprised by what we are and do and undergo at times, if we try to come against sin within us in our own strength we will be in for a very rough time, at times so rough you would wish you'd never been born. But God is faithful and if you cry out for help and wait for the cavalry you'll find in time that God has matters well in hand no matter how things look.

if you try and fight the battle some other way the enemy will beat you to a pulp and leave you for dead. Christ in you is well known for rising from out of the dead.

if we do well that is God in Christ in us, if we fail then that is to do with the old adam and the man of sin hiding in us, if things are sweet or if all hell seems to break loose, God is not surprised, so we don't need to freak out, though i often have, it's normal, but can make a bad situation worse, so i try not to, i try instead to remember that God is working all this for my deliverance from myself mainly and from all else secondarily.

i have been fighting the good fight for a long time, i have been left for dead, i have even left myself for dead, but i am alive, because Christ is alive, Christ lives in me, His life IS my life, His victory IS my victory, more and more through each battle, through every turn, Christ is my LIFE more and more, soon there will be nothing left of the old me and i'll be buried or blown up or thrown off a cliff or something, then you'll really see us bust some moves, if you hear i am finally dead, in a few days i'll be more alive than ever, yet not i, Christ lives in me

Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.


Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

that's how i fight, because that's how He fights

by faith in the Word of God, not my faith His faith it is the gift of God.

1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

there is Someone in me who is born of God, His name is Jesus Christ, He is undefeatable, He is well known as King of kings, Lord of lords, for good reason, He absolutely IS God's champion and beloved Son, and He died and lives for you, dies and lives in you?.

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

that's how i fight my day to day warfare, by faith in the Word of God

He took my biggest enemy, myself, into Himself, then submitted Himself to the death of the cross, thereby killing my enemy, that is me, then He rose from the dead, something my enemy is utterly incapable of doing.

there is a man of sin within us all, that must be exposed and destroyed in God's time and in God's way, we know God's Way is Jesus Christ.

so for me the main aspect of spiritual warfare is just to realize again and again (and again) that only God can deal with the sinner in me, it's not up to me to do anything but cry out for help and wait for the cavalry.

it's up to me to die in Him and rise in Him in newness of life by faith in the Word of God.

God knows there is a sinner in me, He put him there, God made me weak and feeble against sin, but the battle is not mine it is the Lord's

there is great peace in just realizing God is well in touch with all your troubles whatever kind they are

here is a verse

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

there is all the warfare i need to know about

when i finally, truly, only believe, then the war is over for Christ has already won

Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

do i feel like a captive?

GOOD! He leads captivity captive

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

that's how i fight my warfare, it is the only Way i have ever gotten the victory over myself or any other thing

by relying on Jesus, by dying in Him and rising in Him to newness of life.

if i fall down, i get back up, He loves me so much

He suffered and died to kill the sinner in me

everytime i have thought it was all over, He has appeared and shown me how little i know of what God has prepared for those that love Him.

here then are some of my thoughts on warfare

Exo 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
Exo 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Exo 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
Exo 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
Exo 15:8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

HA! take that enemy of God lurking within me

well long answer, short answer

i could cut and paste the whole bible in here

man shall live by every word

Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

warfare

Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

there is my warfare

and here is my champion

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.

well there is so much more to say but these thoughts seem to touch on what i mainly think about warfare

f
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ertsky
Member Avatar
Diligent Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
i was just having a look in Zec 14 and noticed this verse

Zec 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

earlier today while thinking on things and feeling light affliction i was greatly encouraged to hear this

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

which reminds me of

Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

regarding warfare and fighting the good fight

it seems my body is the land ruled over by a weak tyrant much like ahab (very much like ahab) (ahab is the first me)

1Ki 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

ahab (old carnal me) wont do what the Lord wants, it is foolishness to him, the fact of the matter is he cant

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

i mean look who i took to wife

1Ki 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

here is a revealing conversation between ahab and the man of God

1Ki 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
1Ki 18:18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

i see these two men within me meeting and having precisely this conversation

and so the old me hates the new me (unfortunate for the old me LOL!)

Mic 7:6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

i wonder what the Lord will do to these enemies within

1Ki 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

these enemies within me that eat at jezebel's table

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

1Ki 18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

i read the whole story looking for all of it within, ahab in me elijah in me, looking for jezebel's influence etc etc it's all in there

1Ki 18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

there is what God in Christ is doing in me

2Co 10:3 For walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh;
2Co 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful to God to the demolition of strongholds,
2Co 10:5 the demolishing of arguments and every high thing lifting up itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ,

1Ki 19:17 And it shall be, he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.

##############################

man shall live by every word

so the details of our warfare in every respect are Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21

every failure every success

we must expect against all expectation to the contrary to live out the sayings of the book, all of them

this all seems very daunting but

is anything too hard for the Lord?

Gen 18:10 And He said, Returning I will return to you at the time of life; and, Behold! A son shall be to your wife Sarah. And Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, and it was behind Him.
Gen 18:11 And Abraham and Sarah were aged, going on in days. The custom as to women had ceased to be to Sarah.
Gen 18:12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After my being old, shall there be pleasure to me; my lord also being old?
Gen 18:13 And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why has Sarah laughed at this, saying, Indeed, truly shall I bear, even I who am old?
Gen 18:14 Is anything too difficult for Jehovah? At the appointed time I will return to you, at the time of life, and there will be a son to Sarah.
Gen 18:15 And Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh.

Luk 1:45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered through our offences, and was raised again through our justification.

there i am with Christ, there He is with me

from Gen 1:1 to Rev 22:21

living by every word, failing falling dying rising living ascending separated united in ignorance in understanding a babe a child a young man an elder, all of it

rebellion obedience death life

adam

Christ

f
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ertsky
Member Avatar
Diligent Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
i had another thought about warfare

which direction is the battle focussed

inward or outward

i used to focus outward, everything was out there, that guy over there

now i focus inward, everything is in here, this guy right here

look in this verse

Isa 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

swords into plowshares, swords with outward focus into plowshares for breaking up the fallow ground

spears into pruning hooks, spears an offensive weapon focussed outwardly into pruning hooks (who does the pruning? and who is pruned)

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

so i could see in all this a shift from outward fighting to inward cultivation

(the battle is the Lord's)

Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

where is the kingdom?

Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

so main focus inward not outward, once the Lord has won the battle within the outward should not pose such an insurmountable problem.

i am the blind pharisee in this verse

Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

the sooner those false doctrines are burned out of me the better, but it is the Lord's work

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

2Sa 23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
2Sa 23:11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
2Sa 23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

he stood in the midst of the ground

and defended it

slew the philistines

and the LORD wrought a great victory

Psa 108:13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

The just shall live by faith.

oh and i always remember that verse someone shared here

Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
Deu 7:23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.

truly the sum of the Word is always needed

not one verse, all of them, no wonder it takes a whole lifetime

f
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ertsky
Member Avatar
Diligent Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
Deu 7:23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.

those are two fine verses that should never be omitted when thinking about warfare

f
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ertsky
Member Avatar
Diligent Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
after thoughts after thoughts, thank God for afterthoughts

2Co 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Co 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
2Co 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
2Co 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
2Co 6:8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
2Co 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
2Co 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

this passage and the whole 2Cor6 is just wonderful

cant wait till i understand it more fully

f
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · Article Discussion - Forum Closed · Next Topic »
Add Reply