Spiritual Warfare - Personal Observations

[mangy dog]

Unfortunately, I don't buy into Eastern philosophy and its positive and negative energy. I actually take spiritual warfare more seriously than that. I, personally am in engaged in spiritual warfare ALL the time, EVERYDAY. I recognize how inundated our society has become with powers that be from the occult. Its everywhere around us:

wicca
witchcraft
voodoo
shamanism
tarot cards
psychics
magick
lucid dreaming
lovecraft
scrying
past lives
satanism
feng shui
astrology
mysticism

and the list continues...

Now, don't get me wrong. Its a different kind of war. I have no problem loving my brother, no matter who my brother is. If your a Satanist, I'll talk to you, I'll make friends, and I'll even love you as a brother if you give me the chance. And that's completely honest. Is it hard to love someone as a brother you would consider a spiritual enemy? It can be, yet possible.

But...

When it comes to curses, magick, rotes, demonic influences, principalities, and any other possible tactic used as an attack against anyone, including myself, yourself, someone I know, someone I don't know, I will have no choice but to bind your very words or spell as harmless and ineffective.

And...

I can do this because I have at my disposal the most powerful substance in the entire universe.

It can defeat:

all evil, which evidently includes:
sadness and depression
loneliness
hopelessness
pain
anger
hate
sin
sickness
diasease

If Christ's very own spilled blood can defeat all that, what chance do a few curses and magick spells have?

Exactly. None. So yes, spiritual warfare is very real and incredibly dangerous. Most of it happens behind the scenes, but you ask any hardcore occult practioner, and they'll tell you just as well as me, the war... it rages on.

Hello alley...

You could lump all of these under "new age movement" and occultic practices.

You are correct in that we must pray that Jesus will shed His Blood over us and we must invoke His Holy Name. And there is more we can be doing. My job is to pray.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

My job is to pray.

Had any significant results lately?

 

[VanIsle]

Sorry Alley by Reiki is no different than the laying on of hands.Just because christians call it something different doesn't change that it is all about energy exchange. More and more christians have been using "occult" healing methods but change the name so they don't get accused of using the occult.

I have been talking to christians for forty years and I have witnessed the rise of "occult" activity within the born again movement increase every year. But they do get the heebee geebees when you point that out to them. There is no occult or new age. Christians invented the terms because of the manic need to have boogy men to do battle with. But all our demons are of our own making.

The war is not between the occult and christianity, it is between ingnorance and knowledge. Good and evil are human concepts and judgements. They have no reality except in the minds of humans who are insecure and need to feel superior to others because they belong to the chosen group. There is no strength in numbers or belief systems. Strength can only come from believing in ones Self.

I don't know about other churches but I do know that in the OK, members of our church used both Reiki and the Laying on of Hands. Laying on of Hands was used much more frequently and it seemed to be used more as a relaxation method rather than healing which is more what Reiki appears to be about. I know that Laying on of Hands was done right in front of the pulpit to a small degree while being annointed by the minister. A deeper laying on of hands was done by laying on a cot and being swaddled in warm cloths (flannel sheets) while two people prayed for you. It is a very comforting feeling. I have never had Reiki performed on me. Just the laying on of Hands. You have to experience it to feel how comforting it is. The wife of one of the ministers and a good friend did the Laying on of Hands for me. The church here doesn't practice it. I'm not sure how I feel about Reiki. The one fellow in our church that was really into it seemed a little sinister and he actually walked away from the church and would not even allow his wife's funeral to be held there. She worked at the church for about 30 years and to this day I believe she would have wanted her final send off to be at the church. She was a Laying on of Hands person too.

 

[VanIsle]

Had any significant results lately?

Believing in and participating in prayer doesn't mean that a person gets or expects significant results. Some prayers are answered quickly but most take a lot of praying over a period of time. Not all prayers get the answer one hopes to get. We don't necessarily plan to get a positive result for each and every prayer. Sometimes just the act of praying gives a person all the positive result they need. If you don't need it and it has never worked for you - that's okay. If some of us do need it and it works for us - that's okay too. We know that not every prayer has a "yes" attached to it and not every prayer has a "no" attached. Sometimes, a no can truly be a God sent. Hoping and wishing are just ways of praying.

 

[El Barto]

darkbeaver = dingbat

:d

hahahahaha

 

[mangy dog]

Had any significant results lately?

Every day and at every moment of the day.

Some results are great and obvious others are, subtle and not-so-obvious.

 

[darkbeaver]

hahahahaha

et tu El Barto?:-lol:

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Believing in and participating in prayer doesn't mean that a person gets or expects significant results. Some prayers are answered quickly but most take a lot of praying over a period of time.

If a person doesn't get or expect significant results, why bother doing it? No prayers are answered, ever, and people who think they are are misinterpreting events to suit their beliefs. There's no evidence prayer works, the only effect it has is on the people doing the praying, as you partially acknowledged by writing "Sometimes just the act of praying gives a person all the positive result they need." Omit the first word and you've got it. It's a meditative process that produces changes in brain states, that's all the effect it has.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Every day and at every moment of the day.

Some results are great and obvious others are, subtle and not-so-obvious.

Let's have some examples.

 

[El Barto]

et tu El Barto?:-lol:

Don't you start frenching me ..........it's unholy 8O

 

[VanIsle]

If a person doesn't get or expect significant results, why bother doing it? No prayers are answered, ever, and people who think they are are misinterpreting events to suit their beliefs. There's no evidence prayer works, the only effect it has is on the people doing the praying, as you partially acknowledged by writing "Sometimes just the act of praying gives a person all the positive result they need." Omit the first word and you've got it. It's a meditative process that produces changes in brain states, that's all the effect it has.

Sorry but your answer in this particular situation means nothing. You have obviously never prayed and never received an answer to a prayer. You say there is no evidence that prayer works. No one ever said the answer to every prayer is a yes so there is no evidence to say prayer does not work. I would state that in my life, prayer is in evidence. To say it is meditative would mean that I would be sitting with my eyes shut solely concentrating on praying. That isn't what it is about. You can multi-task while you pray. Not all prayer begins with "Now I lay me down to sleep" or Dear Heavenly Father.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

You have obviously never prayed...

There's nothing obvious about that, because in fact it's false, though I concede it's been a long time since I prayed. Not since I figured out what's really going on with religion.

Your conclusion is fairly typical of believers' thinking. They accept things as obvious on the basis of utterly insufficient evidence because it suits their beliefs and they haven't learned how to think any more clearly. Thinking clearly's a learned skill, we're not born knowing how to do it, and most people never learn how to do it. It's only in the last few centuries that *anyone* has known how to do it, it's a relatively recent discovery. You don't have enough information to justify such a conclusion and you're not thinking clearly about the information you *do* have, as should be obvious to you, or you wouldn't have arrived at a false conclusion. What you're really saying, I believe, more politely than a lot of people would, is that I don't know what I'm talking about, and you think that enables you to dismiss what I say as meaning nothing. That's not correct either. Read up a little on the psychology of perception and the lamentably many ways we've discovered that thinking can go astray.

 

[s_lone]

There's nothing obvious about that, because in fact it's false, though I concede it's been a long time since I prayed. Not since I figured out what's really going on with religion.

Your conclusion is fairly typical of believers' thinking. They accept things as obvious on the basis of utterly insufficient evidence because it suits their beliefs and they haven't learned how to think any more clearly. Thinking clearly's a learned skill, we're not born knowing how to do it, and most people never learn how to do it. It's only in the last few centuries that *anyone* has known how to do it, it's a relatively recent discovery. You don't have enough information to justify such a conclusion and you're not thinking clearly about the information you *do* have, as should be obvious to you, or you wouldn't have arrived at a false conclusion. What you're really saying, I believe, more politely than a lot of people would, is that I don't know what I'm talking about, and you think that enables you to dismiss what I say as meaning nothing. That's not correct either. Read up a little on the psychology of perception and the lamentably many ways we've discovered that thinking can go astray.

Dexter Sinister, I find it ironic that you so strongly defend the notion that there is a 'right' and 'clear' way to think while at the same time, you seem to be denying the existence of any form of intelligence or spirit inherent in the Universe. From what I understand of your posts, you are positioning yourself as someone who believes that logic (clear thinking) is an absolute in the same way the laws of physics and geometrical formulas would appear to be absolute. Is that right?

If there is a 'right' way to think, and that we're not born knowing how to do it, where does logic come from? Is it a human invention? And if it is, doesn't it make logic vulnerable to human subjectivity, making it impossible for one to have a truly 'clear' and 'right' way of thinking?

From my point of view, logic works and can be 'perfect' or 'right' because the reality of ''spirit'' is something as real as the reality of matter. ''Spirit'' is not just a side-effect of brain chemistry, it's actually something that is universal in the same way matter and energy seems to be. In other words, ''spirit'' is inherent in the Universe, and that is why there is such a thing that you could call a ''right'' way of thinking.

But I know your view and understanding of the world is very different than mine, and I wonder how you reconcile your view that ''spirit'' is a purely human phenomenon that can be reduced to brain chemistry with the view that there is 'good' and 'pure' logic that can be obtained when one manages to rid oneself of perceptional distortions.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

I find it ironic that you so strongly defend the notion that there is a 'right' and 'clear' way to think while at the same time, you seem to be denying the existence of any form of intelligence or spirit inherent in the Universe.

I see no necessary contradiction between those two positions. There are proven ways to test the truth content of claims, and those are what I mean by thinking clearly. The claim that there's some intelligence or spirit inherent in the universe fails those tests. There are six of them.

1. Falsifiability: any true claim must in principle be falsifiable. That is, it must be possible to at least conceive of evidence that would prove it false, because if no conceivable evidence could ever falsify a claim, the evidence in its favour doesn't matter either, it's invulnerable to any kind of evidence and it's propositionally meaningless.
2. Logic: any argument offered in support of a claim must be logically sound.
3. Completeness: the evidence offered in support of a claim must be exhaustive; you must consider all the evidence, not just evidence that supports it. You're not allowed to pick what you like and ignore the rest.
4. Honesty: the evidence must be evaluated without deception, of yourself or others.
5. Replication: any test must be repeatable by others, with the same results.
6. Sufficiency: the evidence offered in support of a claim must be adequate to establish its truth.

The first three are logically necessary rules for evidential reasoning. If we want to be confident of the truth content of a claim, it must be propositionally meaningful and the evidence offered in support of it must be rational and complete. The last three are pragmatically necessary rules for evidential reasoning. People being as they are, they are often motivated to rationalize and deceive themselves and others, they can make mistakes, and perception and memory are notoriously unreliable. Therefore, the evidence offered in support of any factual claim must be evaluated without self-deception, it must be carefully screened for error, fraud, and appropriateness, and it must be substantial and unequivocal.

A claim that passes those tests isn't necessarily true in any absolute sense, but as I posted elsewhere recently, it does mean that you're justified in placing considerable confidence in it, you've sold your belief for a fair price. A claim that fails even one of them should be rejected as at worst false, at best unproven; it should certainly not be accepted as true. It's better to admit you don't know than to believe something that's false.

 

[darkbeaver]

There's nothing obvious about that, because in fact it's false, though I concede it's been a long time since I prayed. Not since I figured out what's really going on with religion.

Your conclusion is fairly typical of believers' thinking. They accept things as obvious on the basis of utterly insufficient evidence because it suits their beliefs and they haven't learned how to think any more clearly. Thinking clearly's a learned skill, we're not born knowing how to do it, and most people never learn how to do it. It's only in the last few centuries that *anyone* has known how to do it, it's a relatively recent discovery. You don't have enough information to justify such a conclusion and you're not thinking clearly about the information you *do* have, as should be obvious to you, or you wouldn't have arrived at a false conclusion. What you're really saying, I believe, more politely than a lot of people would, is that I don't know what I'm talking about, and you think that enables you to dismiss what I say as meaning nothing. That's not correct either. Read up a little on the psychology of perception and the lamentably many ways we've discovered that thinking can go astray.

Having delivered that very reasonable little lecture you should answer this question carefully. Do you still have religious feelings about the demolition of the world trade towers?. Are you still the fairly typical believer in the officially blessed version of events or have none of the scientific revelations shaken your faith? Only in the last few centurys you say. I know that to be wrong, I know that to be the rankest of popular academic dogmas. :smile:

 

[MHz]

Not all prayer begins with "Now I lay me down to sleep" or Dear Heavenly Father.

That's interesting, ever see and differences when you start off with the Lord's prayer (as given in the NT) before you make your pleas? Starting every prayer like that is not vain repetitions, it is like addressing a letter.

 

[MHz]

the truth content of claims

Global warming/cooling....mark...set...Go

 

[In Between Man]

I would like to post for the record that everyday for the last two plus months I have fully thrust myself into spiritual warfare. I took on more warrior responsibilities when I decided to start taking charge and authority of my personal life around me.

Every morning when I wake up I pray the following things:

Thank you Father for this day!

Thank you God for surrounding me with your favor like a shield, I have favor will all those around me, coworkers, managers, customers, friends, enemies. Doors open for me that would otherwise be shut.

I apply the blood of Jesus over myself, my loved ones, and over my dwelling.

I bind the powers of darkness in Jesus Christ name! The powers darkness cannot talk to me, suggest things to me, tempt me, influence me, cause direct or indirect harm to me, or to my loved ones.

I hear the voice of the Good Sheppard, I KNOW the voice of the good sheppard!

I bring my body in line with the word of God. My body works the way God intended. My body is a temple for Christ. Body, you have no desire to lust or overeat.

I have strength, energy, wisdom and victory through Christ Jesus! Amen!
-
And then I'm ready to face the day. Standing on God's promises about favor and protection are the only way for this cowboy. So far, I have received many blessings, with only more to come.

Any one else starting their day with spiritual warfare? I myself feel stronger spiritually throughout the day, and growing spiritually every single day.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

... answer this question carefully. Do you still have religious feelings about the demolition of the world trade towers?.

Still? I never had any religious feelings about that.

...have none of the scientific revelations shaken your faith?

Scientific? You mean all the conspiracy theory BS going around? There's no good science there at all.

 

[Cliffy]

Any one else starting their day with spiritual warfare? I myself feel stronger spiritually throughout the day, and growing spiritually every single day.

Christianity is a religion, not a spiritual movement. To think otherwise is delusional. You may feel stronger in your belief with your declaration but spiritually you would be no closer to the truth. Just because you believe that something is true does not make it true. The truth is only relevant to the beholder. To everyone else it is just an opinion.

Just because you know a bunch of people who believe in some of the things you do, does not make it any truer. It is the monkey tribe in Jungle Book running around shouting, "We all say it is so, so it must true."