Spiritual Warfare Survey…
March 24, 2007 | 3:28 PM
I just wanted to do a quick hand count here.
1. Who believes that there is an active spiritual antagonist (adversary, enemy) at work in this world?
2. When was the last time you discussed the topic of spiritual warfare with someone (excluding this)?
3. When was the last sermon you heard that dealt with the topic of spiritual warfare?
If there is an enemy out there that is trying to pick off Christians and stop them from being active Christ-followers, then why do you think we aren’t discussing this topic a little more often?
Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes I feel like we’re sending our brothers and sisters off to “fight” the wrong enemy, and in the midst we don’t even give them any weapons to fight with. It’s like sending our people into Sadr City with bullseyes and American flags all over their clothes. They don’t stand a chance.
Posted in Christianity, Life, Prayer, Theology
joe kennedy, 2008
1. I do.
2. A couple of weeks ago - serious conversation.
3. Can’t remember.
March 24th, 2007 at 7:22 PM
*mutters about stupid wordpress sign in requirements*
In order asked: 1)Yes, 2)Yesterday, 3)about 4-6 weeks ago. In answer to your last comment: Fear and Pride. Evangelical America is too scared to look foolish, hence, our brothers and sisters are dropping like flies. Just what the enemy wanted; us playing into his hand.
March 24th, 2007 at 11:51 PM
1. hand raised
2. this week (but I have kids so spiritual warfare is ever present)
3. it’s been awhile
March 24th, 2007 at 11:55 PM
1. Yes, I very much do.
2. Two weeks ago with one of the college girls I’m mentoring, and who hopes to be a Journeyman with the IMB soon. I was telling her my experiences with spiritual warfare in India as compared to another friend who serves in Africa.
3. Specifically about it…? I can’t remember! THAT long ago.
Yes, I do think we need to discuss it a lot more than we do. I think we don’t for a lot of reasons. I don’t think most Christians understand what it really is. I also don’t think they believe it really exists to begin with. Oh, they believe in Satan and blame him when things go wrong. And they like to talk a big game about spiritual warfare, but what they talk of isn’t really it. I don’t think most PASTORS even know what it is, so how can they preach about it?
I think that most Christians, most westerners really, either don’t believe in the supernatural at all, or they fear Satan’s power too much, based on the movies they’ve seen (like The Exorcist). They don’t realize how subtley Satan works, nor that he does manipulate not only our physical environment but our thinking.
The IMB does a great job of training workers about spiritual warfare, at least they did when I went thru Orientation. So I don’t think we’re sending workers out overseas untrained. But I think the rest of the SBC is horribly horribly unprepared.
But don’t confuse military/government warfare with spiritual warfare. Our soldiers are going where they are going because as a nation we need to defend our interests and citizens in the global community. They need to go into places like Sadr City and fight for American interests. It is ugly and while it preserves lives, it does it at the expense and sacrifice of others. Just think of what our world would be like today if Hitler hadn’t been defeated. While he may not have been our ultimate enemy, he was very definitely under the enemies control. Hitler had to be stopped for the sake of everyone on the planet. So does Al Quaeda. We still have a responsibility to protect the innocent from tyrants.
Spiritual warfare is something else all together, and is something that only followers of Christ can wage. It ought to be something that accompanies every action we take — including military war. But it cannot supplant military war because there will always be people who allow Satan manipulate them and turn them into tyrants.
Does that make sense? Or have I completely misread what you were saying? A distinct possibility tonight — I’m reeeeeeallly out of it!
March 25th, 2007 at 12:15 AM
Guys, thanks.
Lu, my point is that we often send our Christian brothers and sisters out into the world without preparation. That’s akin to sending Army recruits to the middle of Sadr City without any training or weapons. We’re just asking for them to get picked off.
To all, I want to emphasize that we don’t need to obsess about it all, but we definitely need to have our people prepared. Personally, I think the disciplines prepare us- Scripture memorization, a lot of prayer, church accountability and fellowship (sharing our needs with each other without threat of gossip). We help each other. Our command is to bear each other’s burdens.
March 25th, 2007 at 1:15 AM
1. Who believes that there is an active spiritual antagonist (adversary, enemy) at work in this world?
me
2. When was the last time you discussed the topic of spiritual warfare with someone (excluding this)?
Um, does this evening count? Well, I have had conversations with others on the matter before
3. When was the last sermon you heard that dealt with the topic of spiritual warfare?
That happened a long time ago….
March 25th, 2007 at 1:16 AM
Joe,
Hello, from South America. To answer your questions:
1. active warfare goes on far more than most realize
2. the last time I discussed this topic with someone else was last week
3. I cannot recall the last sermon I heard on this topic; it was probably one I preached in the past few months.
It is seldom mentioned in South America; the South America Region is making a concentrated effort to be sure IMB missionaries have some training in this area. I believe all churches should offer courses on it.
March 25th, 2007 at 3:41 PM
1) Janet & I as well as most of our church believe & see the enemy’s actions weekly if not daily.
2) This weekend on the way back from Huntsville w/ Janet.
3) Last sermon was sometime last year, but our sermons are more evangelical (shallow, not meaty) than our small group meetings. Small group… We have a lesson on it at least once a year & it’s mentioned on one form or another… probably weekly. Maybe not quite that, but very close.
In one of your earlier posts at the beginning of the semester you mentioned being under attack & that you were trying not to see the enemy’s actions at every corner (my paraphrase)…. I agree that it’s easy to ascribe too much power to satan & too little to Christ. I have to remind myself that when something doesn’t go right, it’s not satan, but most of the time just me. I do see his actions though. Quite a bit recently. In fact. & this scares me to type/say it… i believe i see them daily. Actually, nightly. During my prayer time.
So. Here’s one of my most pressing questions: If the prayers of a righteous man are effective, how can he stick around? I’ve been taught that at the speaking of the name of Christ he must flee… Ok…. what if he doesn’t? This scares me. Am I seeing the enemy? Or am i confusing him with my own sin nature/weakness? I’m not talking just about the lack of focus although that’s increadibly strong. I’m talking about weeks of illness of one type or another. I know what we’ve learned in small group, but the application hasn’t been exactly what i’ve expected. kryptonite? Or toughening/hardening?
I would welcome any comments or suggestions.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:53 AM
1) I do! Not to get into any great detail, but I was definitely confronted with the power of Satan in Paris in July 2001…
2) I referred to my experiences at my church maybe a year ago
3) Hmmmm, I can’t remember
March 26th, 2007 at 8:54 PM
1. Who believes that there is an active spiritual antagonist (adversary, enemy) at work in this world?
I do.
2. When was the last time you discussed the topic of spiritual warfare with someone (excluding this)?
This evening.
3. When was the last sermon you heard that dealt with the topic of spiritual warfare?
Besides my own? I referred to it this past Sunday, but not in depth. I talked a bit about the deception that Satan works in our life by trying to get us to forget about the amazing blessings we have in Christ. But, other than that? Hmmm.
March 26th, 2007 at 9:56 PM
1. Me
2. Today
3. Last night my friend Justin preached on the topic to the college and singles group at his church. He preached from Ephesians 6.
I appreciate your comments, guys. My desire would be that, while we shouldn’t obsess over it all, we would be willing to discuss it openly and honestly among each other. Our call is to bear one another’s burdens. The more we talk openly amongst each other about our struggles and our fight, the better we can handle the attack on us.
We should discuss it openly, but not necessarily as the only topic. We should preach it, maybe not weekly, but more frequently than we do. And we should teach our people how to defend themselves, so that they will engage the Enemy and not be destroyed. So that they will be effective disciples in this world. And I’ll discuss that soon.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:03 PM