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The Enemy, Satan’s power

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by jim62, May 6, 2012.

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  1. jim62

    jim62 New Member

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    The Enemy Is Powerful and Unrelenting.
    Consider Satan’s power. The powers which are opposed to us, and against us, and making war on us are the very highest order of evil angels, those who rule over the idolatrous and sinful men in this world of darkness. They are a wicked spiritual host that inhabits the heavenlies, that is, the regions of the air, from which they continually assault us and seek to get us to commit sin. This battle is unseen but real. (Rev. 12:7-12; II Cor. 10:3-5) Acts 26:17, 18 tells us that Satan does possess power. It is the power of darkness (Col. 1:13). It is a supernatural power (II Thess. 2:8-10), and it is a destructive power (Heb. 2:14; Rom. 6:23; I Pet. 5:8,9).

    He is the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4). For he controls the world system and uses it for his purposes. He is the evil spirit working in disobedient men (Eph. 2:2). If we do not guard our hearts, Satan has the ability to fill them with evil thoughts (Acts 5:3). Satan can blind our eyes and lead us astray, just as he blinds the unsaved and keeps them captive. (II Corinthians 4:4; 11:3; II Tim. 2:26). The Bible warns us that through some “snare,” Satan can take us captive to do “his will” (II Timothy 2:26). We Face Satan’s Many Abilities.
    He is a wily enemy and we need to understand this enemy. Never underestimate the power of the devil. He is not compared to a lion and a dragon just for fun (Rev. 12:7-11). The Book of Job tells us what his power can do to a man’s body, home, wealth, and friends, except for limitations given by God. Jesus calls Satan a thief who comes to “steal, and to kill and to destroy.”(John 10:10a)

    Satan is subtle, wise, and cunning. Do we know his devices? (II Cor. 2:11) Do we understand that often he comes as an angel of light and is a chief liar? (John 8:44) Satan wants to use our external enemy, (the world), and our internal enemy (the flesh), to defeat us. His weapons and battle plans are formidable. It’s obvious why carnal weapons are useless in this warfare. Who our enemies are and where they are is given as the reason for needing God’s armor. We are not contending with mortal men, but against superhuman authorities who rule the sphere of the world’s moral darkness. The forces of evil have access to where we are. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
    King James Version (KJV)
    14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
    15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. When we consider the great power which Satan, who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, has upon the minds of many. And as there are temptations to evil conduct, so there is equal danger on the other side. It serves Satan's purposes as well, to set up good works against the atonement of Christ, and salvation by faith and grace. But the end will discover those who are deceitful workers; their work will end in ruin. Satan will allow his ministers to preach either the law or the gospel separately; but the law as established by faith in Christ's righteousness and atonement, and the partaking of his Spirit, is the test of every false system.
     
    #1 jim62, May 6, 2012
  2. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    Satan and his forces are certainly our main enemy, exceeded only by the sin nature within ourselves, which is pretty much the same enemy, except we do that to ourselves. Yes, Satan is a very powerful, but not omni. God sets limits on Satan's power, as in Job. By our standards, he is powerful, and so are his demons. I do not know the exact location, but in Acts, the person who was unprepared to deal with the demon was in essence worked over pretty good.

    Cunning, yes, very cunning. One of his first questions recorded was, "Did God really say you will die if you eat from the tree?" This was a clever way of calling God a liar in the conversation that followed. One of the tactics of the enemy is not to tell an outright lie, but to mix what is false with what is true, and give a deceptive mix. He uses smoke and mirrors, looking at things in a different light or different angles.

    I do not believe Satan can read our minds. There are many verses to indicate the Lord can, but nothing to indicate Satan can. Now, he can observe our actions, and tempt based on that. The most important thing to remember is that our only weapon against such powers is Jesus Christ, and our faith in Him.
     
    #2 saturneptune, May 6, 2012
  3. jim62

    jim62 New Member

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    The Christian Must Watch and Pray as He Becomes an Overcomer! EPHESIANS 6:18-24 (Read, reread the text many times.) Watchfulness, vigilance, and prayerfulness are extremely important in our daily battle. Our self-dependence, neglect, and carelessness will make us vulnerable to attacks. Christ is our example as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He taught the apostles to watch and pray! (See Mark 14:32-38; Luke 11:1-13; 18:1-7)
     
    #3 jim62, May 6, 2012
  4. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    Jim.... Do you think Christ was an idealist?
     
    #4 Earth Wind and Fire, May 6, 2012
  5. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    I would add that we are not to be doing battle with the devil. We are to draw nigh to God while resisting the devil and then he will flee from us. People who think that they can enter into battle with satan and win are deceived. The first couple could not do it so neither can we. God will do the battle if we submit to Him.
    James 4:7,8
    Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
    Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
     
    #5 freeatlast, May 6, 2012
  6. jim62

    jim62 New Member

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    If we are not to be doing battle with the devil, then we would have no need for armour. We fight with THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, prayer & fasting
    Ephesians 6:10-18

    King James Version (KJV)

    10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
    11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
    12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
    13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
    14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
    15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
    16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
    17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
    18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
     
    #6 jim62, May 6, 2012
  7. jim62

    jim62 New Member

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    Are you an idealist???
     
    #7 jim62, May 6, 2012
  8. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    By doing battle I am referring to people who try and cast out satan and attack him. I agree we are to follow all we are told in scripture but that simply allows us to draw near to the lord while we resist the devil, not seek him out in battle as I see some try and do. We simply stand our ground and he will flee.
     
    #8 freeatlast, May 6, 2012
  9. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    In philosophy, idealism is the group of philosophies which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing. In a sociological sense, idealism emphasizes how human ideas — especially beliefs and values — shape society. [1] As an ontological doctrine, idealism goes further, asserting that all entities are composed of mind or spirit.[2] Idealism thus rejects physicalist and dualist theories that fail to ascribe priority to the mind. An extreme version of this idealism can exist in the philosophical notion of solipsism.
    Religious and philosophical thought privileging the immaterial or supernatural over the material and natural is ubiquitous and ancient. However, the earliest extant arguments that the world of experience is grounded in the mental derive from India and Greece. The Hindu idealists in India and the Greek Neoplatonists gave pantheistic arguments for an all-pervading consciousness as the ground or true nature of reality.[3] In contrast, the Yogācāra school, which arose within Mahayana Buddhism in India in the 4th century CE,[4] based its "mind-only" idealism to a greater extent on phenomenological analyses of personal experience. This turn toward the subjective anticipated empiricists such as George Berkeley, who revived idealism in 18th-century Europe by employing skeptical arguments against materialism.
    Beginning with Immanuel Kant, German idealists such as G. W. F. Hegel, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, and Arthur Schopenhauer dominated 19th-century philosophy. This tradition, which emphasized the mental or "ideal" character of all phenomena, birthed idealistic and subjectivist schools ranging from British idealism to phenomenalism to existentialism. The historical influence of this branch of idealism remains central even to the schools that rejected its metaphysical assumptions, such as Marxism, pragmatism, and positivism.
     
    #9 freeatlast, May 6, 2012
  10. jim62

    jim62 New Member

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    Now I understand your view, and I respect that:thumbs:
     
    #10 jim62, May 6, 2012
  11. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    A Big....

    :thumbs:
    AMEN:thumbs:
     
    #11 righteousdude2, May 6, 2012
  12. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    actually, most of us would NOT be dealing with satan directly, but involved with demonic forces under his control!

    most of that would be in the antichrist system in world also, thru entertinment, morals, values etc espoused by culture !

    And we resist that by thinking as God wants us too by refilling minds by word of God, staying prayed up, in fellowship with saints, and putting on armor of God!
     
    #12 Yeshua1, May 7, 2012
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