What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Christian Weapons of Warfare

Sparkey

Sparkey

Retired
Member
We are told that we (Christians) have weapons of warfare given into their possession that are capable of pulling down strongholds. We are told that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in high places.

Thoughts? What are our weapons of warfare? How do we use them in our every day life? What strongholds do we pull down? How does this translate into our earthly lives? We know that if we bind something on earth, it is bound in heaven (and vise-versa) but how is this implemented? Is it merely ethereal and only in heaven or is the effect realized on earth. Is that what is being stated? Is that what our Father in heaven wants us to know and become familiar with?

How do we comply with this? How can I follow after what Jesus did? Thank you for your thoughtful reply.
Cordially,
~Sparrow
 
Sparrowhawke said:
We are told that we (Christians) have weapons of warfare given into their possession that are capable of pulling down strongholds. We are told that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in high places.
Click to expand...
I am going to make a comment here that does not direclty answer your question, but instead offers a perspective on the "targets" we use these weapons against.

In general, I believe many, perhaps most, Christians mistake the "old nature" vs "new nature" distinction that is there in Scripture as being a "physical" vs "immaterial" distinction.

If I am right, then such persons make the following consequent errors:

1. They mistake criticism of the "old nature" as criticism of physicality - this is arguably the heresy of gnosticism, or is at least closely related to it.

2. They fail to understand that Jesus is Lord over the physical world, and think He only reigns over a "spiritual" domain only;

Anyway, while I have not thought about your question in depth, I would wager a flagon of frosty ale that, in the teaching you refer to, we are not being instructed to disengage from "warfare" in the "real world" of societal institutions, and instead focus only on an unseen "spiritual" world.

So, for example, I suggest that many real-world governments are really examples of "principalities and powers in high places". In other words, we are to "do battle" against such human institutions. Of course, how we conduct ourselves in a matter unto itself - I am in no way suggesting that Christians use the tools of violent force to conduct such a war.
 
Greetings Drew,

Thank you for your thoughts and comments. I really appreciate any view and welcome others to contribute to the conversation freely (within the scope of the ToS). I'll admit having ignorance on the subject. It just seemed to me that our battle ISN'T against flesh and blood. Kindly continue your thought about that, if you don't mind. You mention "real world governments" and "human institutions". Do you have any specific target in mind, or more to the point, what targets does the Bible instruct us to target in our spiritual warfare? Seems to me that we are being admonished to put on the whole armor of God and told to prepare for a spiritual battle against principalities in high places. I'm asking for thoughts about that battle. Is it here and now? We are admonished to take (above all) our shield of faith, which is able to quench the fiery darts. I don't know how to view this outside of spiritual events. That being the case, can/Does it have a earthly effect? I'm thinking we need to get ready "for that day".

I would however agree that we are NOT being taught or admonished to do a Mary Baker Eddy type of Christian Scientism by "disengaging from "warfare" in the "real world" [of societal institutions], and instead focus only on an unseen "spiritual" world." Christian Science asserts that man and the universe as a whole are spiritual rather than material in nature and that truth and good are real, whereas evil and error are illusive products of a fictitious material existence. That is not what I had in mind when I mentioned weapons of warfare at all. Perhaps you can help clarifiy the topic though. What real world institutions are you in reference to, please?



Cordially,
~Sparrow
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Some further food for thought:

A father said, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

And [Jesus] said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (see Mat. 17 and Mark 9:29).

Notice that there are some devils that can only be cast out of another by praying and fasting. Incidentally, note that one of those spiritual weapons (i.e. fasting) has been removed from the modern copyrighted per-versions of the Holy Bible...
 
sojourner4Christ said:
Some further food for thought:

A father said, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

And [Jesus] said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (see Mat. 17 and Mark 9:29).

Notice that there are some devils that can only be cast out of another by praying and fasting. Incidentally, note that one of those spiritual weapons (i.e. fasting) has been removed from the modern copyrighted per-versions of the Holy Bible...
Click to expand...

post those version so that we can compare. i use the kjv, i know of no other version does what you say.
 
"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." - Matthew 17:21 KJV
Click to expand...
"And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." - Mark 9:29 KJV
Click to expand...
Thank you kindly.

When I looked up "prayer and fasting" I also saw these scriptures:
thrown in at no extra charge :lol

"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing [was] sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom." - Psalm 35:13 KJV
Click to expand...
"And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:" - Daniel 9:3 KJV
Click to expand...
"Defraud ye not one the other, except [it be] with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." - 1 Corinthians 7:5 KJV
Click to expand...
 
Sparrowhawke said:
We are told that we (Christians) have weapons of warfare given into their possession that are capable of pulling down strongholds. We are told that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in high places.

Thoughts? What are our weapons of warfare? How do we use them in our every day life? What strongholds do we pull down? How does this translate into our earthly lives? We know that if we bind something on earth, it is bound in heaven (and vise-versa) but how is this implemented? Is it merely ethereal and only in heaven or is the effect realized on earth. Is that what is being stated? Is that what our Father in heaven wants us to know and become familiar with?

How do we comply with this? How can I follow after what Jesus did? Thank you for your thoughtful reply.
Cordially,
~Sparrow
Click to expand...

If we are blameless, we are impossible to conquer. The Lord sees to that.
 
not necessarily

in revalation it says

and the dragon made war with the saints and overcame them.

we arent promised physically victory all the time, death sometimes is what the lord uses to accomplish his goals

if you doubt ,read up on the cross!
 
Did anyone remember to mention the Sword of Truth: the Bible! (Jesus quoted Scriptures during His temptation to defeat Satan)

and my personal favorite:

Praising God! (The Israelites marched around Jericho to overtake the city)

:D
 
That really ties into the "Full Armor of God", doesn't it? Seems that I'm due a refresher course on some basic precepts and understanding. Fasting and Prayer, The Sword of Truth (which is the Word of God) and above all remember to take the Shield of Faith. Our God-Trust.

Even though the breastplate of righteousness and other things mentioned as parts of the "Full Armor of God" are not strictly speaking 'weapons' they are used in spiritual battle against principalities and powers in high places. The thing that I was thinking about was that we are able to pull down strongholds. That our weapons of warfare are mighty unto the pulling down of strongholds. (That's from memory, guys, so I didn't quote it and may not have said it perfectly) What comes to mind then is the statement Jesus made, "Greater things shall ye do."
 
Here's merely one of hundreds of examples for comparison:

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29, AV - Authorized Version aka KJV).

vs.

He replied, This kind can come out only by prayer. (Mark 9:29, NIV).
 
sojourner4Christ said:
Here's merely one of hundreds of examples for comparison:

And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. (Mark 9:29, AV - Authorized Version aka KJV).

vs.

He replied, This kind can come out only by prayer. (Mark 9:29, NIV).
Click to expand...

lovely a kjv only, you do realise that the kjv isnt the only inspired and the niv is a de vs fe.
 
tsk, foot notes on the bottom correctly state that some versions include fasting.

both the esv and niv do just that.
 
What verses does the NIV (and most new versions) omit?

Mat. 17:21; 18:11; 23:14; Mark 7:16; 9:44, 46; 11:26; 15:28; Luke
17:36; 23:17; John 5:4; Acts 8:37; 24:7; 28:29; and Romans 16:24, just
like the Jehovah Witness New World Translation and the Catholic
bible.

Readers should read The NIV: The Making of a Contemporary Translation, 1986 THEMSELVES if they want to be Bereans. It is available from Zondervan Publishing House, 1415 Lake Dr. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506 (ISBN: 0-310-24181-2).
 
sojourner4Christ said:
What verses does the NIV (and most new versions) omit?

Mat. 17:21; 18:11; 23:14; Mark 7:16; 9:44, 46; 11:26; 15:28; Luke
17:36; 23:17; John 5:4; Acts 8:37; 24:7; 28:29; and Romans 16:24, just
like the Jehovah Witness New World Translation and the Catholic
bible.

Readers should read The NIV: The Making of a Contemporary Translation, 1986 THEMSELVES if they want to be Bereans. It is available from Zondervan Publishing House, 1415 Lake Dr. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506 (ISBN: 0-310-24181-2).
Click to expand...

are you kjv only type.btw the kjv has errs.

and just so you know in the original bible theres no chapters and verses.

or ot/nt seperation.
 
jasoncran said:
are you kjv only type.btw the kjv has errs.

and just so you know in the original bible theres no chapters and verses.

or ot/nt seperation.
Click to expand...
Pardon the interruption to your private conversation about which version is better fellows, but perhaps you could take it to a different thread? Please?
 
No worries, Sparrowhawke. This thread concerns spiritual warfare and I should not have allowed myself to be distracted...

You said:
We are told that we (Christians) have weapons of warfare...

Thoughts? What are our weapons of warfare? How do we use them... Is that what our Father in heaven wants us to know and become familiar with?

How do we comply with this? How can I follow after what Jesus did?
Click to expand...
Firstly, we can't "follow after what Jesus did" if we don't know what constitutes spiritual weaponry or how to deploy it.

Secondly, since the devil Satan "commeth immediately and taketh away the word" (Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12), we would expect to find counterfeit bibles which subvert or omit the born again believer's spiritual weapons.

Thirdly, to reprise a previous post, we have (according to the AV) two powerful weapons: prayer and fasting - neither of which seem popular these days...
 
Prayer is our most powerful weapon.
When we speak the Word of God, the devil must flee.
Our defense is the Armor of God.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top