General Christian Discussions

Casting out of demons, spiritual warfare, etc. – Mack

Mack

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Registered: 01-20-2001
Casting out of demons, spiritual warfare, etc. do you agree with it (say why) or do you not (say why).
joeG

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Posts: 90
From: OK, US
Registered: 01-20-2001
Let me ask you a question. When Jesus commanded the 72 to, among other things, cast out demons (unclean spirits), what exactly do you think he meant?

(I want to get a better idea of where you're coming from)

joeG

Mack

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Exorism and deliverance
joeG

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Posts: 90
From: OK, US
Registered: 01-20-2001
If it is a question of "Is the casting out of demons and/or spiritual warfare is a function of the Christian believer?" then I'd have to say yes. We as believers are given authority over the works of the devil, and we should use it.

Are you asking what is valid, kind of like how the disciples were asking Jesus about the guy (whom they didn't know) casting out demons in Jesus's name?

joeG

c h i e f y

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Posts: 415
From: Surrey, United Kingdom
Registered: 03-07-2002
the devil has many guises

Spritual warfare Mack ?? Exorcism and deliverance, strong stuff, but is it real ?
I think we see more evidence of the REVERSE in society regrettably

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c h i e f y
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Klumsy

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Registered: 10-25-2001
cheify what you you mean by evidence to the reverse?

i believe in casting out demons... I however believe that you focus on Christ and the Good aspects of God more than on the devil.. sure the devil has power, but whenever you focus on the power of the devil, you need to put it in the context of Christ's victory at calvary, in the fact that the devil is not all knowing, not all powerful, not all present, unlike GOd who is..

also some people get way into exorcism etc, and its unbalanced, we can get unbalanced in so many areas..

But i see exorcisms left and right.. sometimes its quite a simple thing, sometimes the demons put on a little bit of show because they don't wanna come out... for people watching that with not much faith, it can be a scary thing... BUt in my experience the person who had the exorcism is SOOO thankful.. people are scared of exorcism (well i don't like that word anyhow) because of preconceptions of it, people think its coming from some crazy priest who is trying to control and abuse some people or something..
and another misconception is that people who are possessed or in bondage are worse people than others, no.. they are just in bondage and need the power of Christ to set them free..

Karl
But of course in this area there are the extremes, and sadly the only aspect of this some people come up against is the extremes, thus its understandable that many people want to keep as far away as possible from this..

but to me its just as natural as praying for healing, praying for people, for the salvation of those in our city, and raising people from the dead :P

Karl

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Karl /GODCENTRIC
Husband of my amazing wife Aleshia
Klumsy@xtra.co.nz

Mack

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Posts: 2779
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man this topic is so oooooooooooooolllllllllllddddddddddddd, ah well

"posted January 20, 2001 10:40 PM"

nfektious
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Posts: 408
From:
Registered: 10-25-2002
...

[This message has been edited by Nfektious (edited November 26, 2002).]

Klumsy

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Posts: 1061
From: Port Angeles, WA, USA
Registered: 10-25-2001
MACK, hey just looked at the date you first posted... it is OLD, i didn't realise, actually when i saw this thread yesterday i was thinking, why is he asking this now

hehe

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Karl /GODCENTRIC
Husband of my amazing wife Aleshia
Klumsy@xtra.co.nz

MeanManInOz
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Posts: 388
From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Registered: 06-26-2001
The real question you need to ask yourself is, how powerful is God ? When Jesus said that for someone to rob a house, they must first overcome the strong man of the house, was He saying that the Devil can, or cannot, overcome God ? I believe He meant that when I recieved the Holy Spirit, the works of the Devil were permenantly cast out, I cannot be affected by evil spirits.

Of course, the 'churches' that are full of non-Christians are clearly not in the boat, so it is possible you have some experience in this area. Overall though, I think the Devil is often a good excuse. I don't mean that he does not exist, I mean that beyond the power to make us believe a lie, he is powerless against the church of God. I've seen people here say their games take a long time to write because the Devil attacks their code. Yup, people have said that. The possibility that they don't know how to program seems lost on them. Overall, it's no different to people being slain in the Spirit or the Toronto Blessing a few years ago - the 'churches' neglect the Gospel and buy into comic book tales. They have itching ears and are too busing swallowing the camel to strain at the gnat.

InsanePoet

Member

Posts: 638
From: Vermont, USA
Registered: 03-12-2003
Can you explain Job to me then, Job was clearly attacked by demonic forces. Satan has his limits of what he can do to a Christian, but I beleive that Satan can and does attack beleivers. I don't beleive that a true Christian can be possessed by a demon.

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Victory Infinitum

MeanManInOz
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Posts: 388
From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Registered: 06-26-2001
:quote:
Can you explain Job to me then, Job was clearly attacked by demonic forces. Satan has his limits of what he can do to a Christian, but I beleive that Satan can and does attack beleivers. I don't beleive that a true Christian can be possessed by a demon.
:/quote:

I hope I got the quoting right

Job is irrelevant. I am talking not about people in the old testament ( which ended in Acts 2 ), but Christians. Jesus when He was in the Earth said the Spirit could not be sent until He had risen from the dead, so what hope did Job have of recieving the Holy Spirit ?

Klumsy

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Posts: 1061
From: Port Angeles, WA, USA
Registered: 10-25-2001
HEY meanman, see you pop up your head from time to time, a little response to you.. i don't want to start a thread war thingy though

quote:

The real question you need to ask yourself is, how powerful is God ? When Jesus said that for someone to rob a house, they must first overcome the strong man of the house, was He saying that the Devil can, or cannot, overcome God ? I believe He meant that when I recieved the Holy Spirit, the works of the Devil were permenantly cast out, I cannot be affected by evil spirits.


i agree with you.. so often we don't realised the awesomeness and might of our mighty God, and when Christ died he said he "It is finished"

Of course, the 'churches' that are full of non-Christians are clearly not in the boat, so it is possible you have some experience in this area. Overall though, I think the Devil is often a good excuse. I don't mean that he does not exist, I mean that beyond the power to make us believe a lie, he is powerless against the church of God.

However the devil has power, real power, yet because we have the Holy SPirit in us , we have more power, However the real question in these issues are authority, and dominion, like the Children of Israel, God gave us the land, yet we have to possess it... you see because of lack of knowledge, ignorance and fear etc, we can abdicate the authority God has given us to satan and that gives Him room to exercise His power.. for He is the KIng of this world, of this age... sure God own's the world, yet he gave dominion/authority over this world to men, and men through sin abdictated it to Satan.. Christ restored authority on the Cross and gave it to the Church, yet the church often doesn't walk in authority..

To believe that the devil moves, demons posses people (i don't believe demons can posses christians, though i believe Christians can let themselves be influenced by them, but what they let into their lives, yet not be possesed...) but anyway to believe that the DEvil has power, and alll that sort of things, doesn't require not believing in the BIgness of God and the indwelling of hte Holy SPirit (though for some people that is the case).. its just having hte knowledge of authority and dominion, (for people perish for lack of knowledge) yet when you understand this, and decide YES Lord I am going to possess the Land, then you have decided to live the life of a victor, a conquerer is CHrist who can do all things who Christ has strengthed, yet becareful if you go battling and possessing the land that you are walking and abiding in Christ, and there is no gunk like pornography , pride etc in your life, for uncomfessed sin is like grime that restricts the ever so essential flow of the Holy SPirit in our lives..

Karl

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Karl /GODCENTRIC
Husband of my amazing wife Aleshia
Klumsy@xtra.co.nz

MeanManInOz
Member

Posts: 388
From: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Registered: 06-26-2001
:quote:
for He is the KIng of this world, of this age
:/quote:

Actually I believe the Bible calls him the prince of the air, his power is in words and ideas. Overall I think we agree, the devil cannot possess or overtake a Christian by force, yet a Christian can allow him or herself to be overtaken. Indeed, force was never his tactic, even in the Old Testament. Otherwise he would have attacked Eve instead of talking to her.

Klumsy

Administrator

Posts: 1061
From: Port Angeles, WA, USA
Registered: 10-25-2001
woops i didn't mean to capitalize the devils attributes
just habit from typed about God and stuff...

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Karl /GODCENTRIC
Husband of my amazing wife Aleshia
Klumsy@xtra.co.nz