Proverbs 4:7-9 King James Version (KJV) "Wisdom is the PRINCIPAL thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee."
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QUESTION: Do you think that new believers (and some who have known Christ for years) really understand spiritual warfare?
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ME: The Bible talks about it. New believers are instructed to stay in God's Word and learn. In other words, it's not "rocket science." This is my ministry. Spiritual Warfare is nothing more than FULL discipleship. Sometimes being “told” what to do does not have the same impact as an explanation as to why. I only hope that my followers come to learn and understand THEY HAVE RESPONSIBILITY in their OWN salvation (i.e. “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”) and that the condition/quality of our lives here on earth is NOT up to God ALONE.
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Philippians 2:12-16 (KJV) "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. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."
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I only wish ANY of my pastors or teachers had taught that when we willfully and continually sin, we open doors (give legal access) to the Enemy. This access does not allow for “possession” of a Christian, as possession is OWNERSHIP (total control). Jesus paid the price to REDEEM us from the ownership of the Enemy at the cross. Willful, continual sin ALLOWS demonization by the Enemy and any of his evil minions, which includes but is not limited to: all kinds of addiction (alcohol, drugs, gambling, sexual, smoking, pornography, etc.), acts born out of compulsion, anxiety, depression, despair, suicidal thoughts, suicide, inability to concentrate, sickness/disease, mental disorders, sleep disorders, financial trouble, relationship issues (spouse, family, friends), etc.
2 Peter 2:19-22 (KJV) "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the polutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
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QUESTION: Yes, they are to stay in the Word! I know that's your ministry and I know that you have a way of explaining it to them. I was just thinking about new believers and all the questions that they have when they first become a follower, how this would all make sense . . . but I'm sure you have that! I was just trying to understand how you would teach it to a new believer without scaring them off. I thought I saw a different message earlier that I didn't get to respond to but I wanted to say that I agree, "SOME" of the churches are not teaching that!
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ME: Yes. As far as new Christians’ questions, I am here to answer all questions. The Enemy ALWAYS wants to scare us off and that doesn’t change with years of being a Christian. Think about all the times you've gone through trials, etc. It's "who" we are as Christians! Amen?
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QUESTION: Yes ma’am. The Enemy wants to scare us. He’s had me scared before. I also have been through trials but all of them weren’t because of the devil. If we as believers recognize our power and make choices based on love versus fear, some of the things we go through can be prevented. I’m speaking from a place where I grew up in church and this fear based mentality is there because so much emphasis is put on the devil versus the power of God that’s within me or us! Yes there’s a battle and thank you for teaching it because it’s real.
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ME: Yes it is. Actually, ALL fear comes from the Enemy (even if the Enemy uses wrong perceptions of pastors’ messages, etc.). Ephesians 6:12 explains that our Battle is not against flesh and blood (people – ANY person). If we believe God’s Word, we must accept that. Our Battle is “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” The Battle does not “originate” with people, but the Enemy works THROUGH people. People have to be convinced [deceived] by the Enemy to go against God’s Word for that to happen, and it happens more than we want to acknowledge. It is 100% FUTILE to get upset with people when this occurs.
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"Love the person, fight the Battle -- not the other way around."
That is a hard lesson to learn and one that’s harder to accept in faith. The Enemy has been working for years to deceive us into believing that “people” are our enemy when it is actually him!!!
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Teaching about the Enemy is essential. If your church did, “KUDOS!” There should be no fear in that. Often times, our perception (via the Enemy) produces fear. Our perception is not always in alignment with the Word of God. The Enemy’s power is NEVER greater than God’s power. OUR WILL tips the scale in the Enemy’s favor; however, if we don’t have the FAITH (which is obtained by and through God’s Word) to accept and sustain the truth. There is nothing lacking in God. Hallelujah!
I continue to teach that VICTORY in our daily Battles depends on US more than it does on God. People don’t want to accept that because it REQUIRES something of them. A lot of Christians want to live a “cupcake Christian life.” We ARE eternally secure in God and He loves us in spite of our sin. That truth does not equate to “it’s okay to sin.”
The quality of our lives here on earth (physically and spiritually) pivots on three things:
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OUR will,
OUR faith and
OUR obedience to God’s Word.
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QUESTION: I understand everything you are saying, but 3 years ago spiritual warfare would have made no sense and possibly would have turned me off without a conversation where I could get clarification and understanding. It's not bad to teach spiritual warfare to a new believer. In a Facebook post with not much explanation or ability to ask questions is really hard. You then run the risk of scaring off a new believer. I had to understand Satan was as 'real' as Jesus before I then understood the rest. I don't read my Bible as I should. I can over-complicate it. Reading some each day is doable. I love that you said memorize a verse every couple of days. Great practice that I will begin implementing.
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ME: I agree that additional explanation and answers are sometimes needed. That’s why I make myself available (here, on The Battle is REAL Facebook page and on my personal Facebook page) to answer questions on spiritual warfare. I prefer all discussions be conducted via Facebook Messenger or by contact form here on the website — not in a public forum — according to Matthew 18.
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We fight the devil every day, 24/7 . . . many Christians today (I believe more than any other time in history) don't consider/utilize/access the power and authority we possess in Christ. Part of my focus is to explain that the struggles we have (family, friends, job, finances, etc.) are all attacks of the Enemy. Either we respond as our Leader in Battle [Jesus] has instructed, utilizing the authority, power and spiritual weapons we possess legally by and through Jesus, or we live DEFEATED lives. It’s not rocket science, but it is not easy to come against the Enemy when one has been deceived in the other direction for so many years.
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We are called to love and forgive each other but to fight the good fight of faith. We have grown so passive with respect to even recognizing when we are under Enemy attack, and even more so with regard to being able to successfully secure victory. The end result is that more often than not we live a defeated Christian life. That is not God’s plan for YOU. That is why there are so many discouraged, depressed, down-trodden, defeated Christians today. They don't talk about it, but they feel it and experience it. Sadly, sin becomes the "norm" instead of VICTORY OVER SIN.
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Following Our Captain in Battle!
Delann Conrad
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