Spiritual Warfare, spiritual poverty, and God’s power

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Spiritual Warfare, spiritual poverty, and God’s power
This episode builds on the previous episodes on spiritual warfare, with an emphasis on the indispensable nature of God's power in transforming individual thought life. Casting down thoughts, imaginations and strongholds rests squarely on spiritual poverty and total dependence on God's empowerment to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph 6:10) is in the passive voice, and therefore it commands believers to be made strong, indicating our inability to be strong in ourselves. The subsequent command to put on the armor of God corresponds to human responsibility in making oneself available for God's empowerment. The latter part of the episode highlights how demonic activity is principally aimed at the thought-life and our fleshly sympathies to satanic suggestion. "Triggers" and the dynamics of addiction are also addressed.

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On This Episode -

Spiritual Warfare, spiritual poverty, and God’s power

Today's Topics -

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
This episode builds on the previous episodes on spiritual warfare, with an emphasis on the indispensable nature of God's power in transforming individual thought life. Casting down thoughts, imaginations and strongholds rests squarely on spiritual poverty and total dependence on God's empowerment to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ. "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph 6:10) is in the passive voice, and therefore it commands believers to be made strong, indicating our inability to be strong in ourselves. The subsequent command to put on the armor of God corresponds to human responsibility in making oneself available for God's empowerment. The latter part of the episode highlights how demonic activity is principally aimed at the thought-life and our fleshly sympathies to satanic suggestion. "Triggers" and the dynamics of addiction are also addressed.

Today's Scriptures-

2 Corinthians 10:3-4, Ephesians 6:10-18, James 1:20, Hebrews 12:11, 1 John 3:1-2, Romans 7:14-25

Are You Putting on the Right Armor?

January 22, 2025

This episode addresses the belt of truth by contrasting it with the belt of the autonomous self, the outlook of all who reject Christ. The belt of the old self is actually a lie and corresponds with the great exchange of Rom 1:25, where unbelievers “exchange the truth of God for a lie.” This episode, following the pattern of Eph. 6:10-17, contrasts the armor of God with the armor of man. Every faculty in unregenerate man is devoted to protecting the autonomous self which is principally defined by devotion to the “lusts of deceit.” Some of the armor pieces of the autonomous self are the breastplate of self-confidence, the shield of independence, the shoes of hostility, and the sword of the soul, the word of the self. The episode provides a stark contrast of how believers and unbelievers engage the world. Believers are called to honestly evaluate their lingering sympathies with “the lie,” while unbelievers are called to reassess their commitment to the lie.

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Samson: When One Sin Becomes a House of Cards

January 7, 2025

Coming from the narrative of Samson and Delilah, this episode posits how God uses deceptive influences to root out and bring into the light our own obstinate embrace of the “lusts of deceit.” While Samson’s obvious sin was fornication, the narrative also paints him as a liar whose moral compromise leads him to lose the lying game to the seductive manipulations of Delilah. About half of the episode centers on the deceptive nature of the “lusts of deceit” which don’t immediately reveal the severity of consequences. The episode deals with many common deceptions that Christians embrace regarding unchecked embrace of the lusts of deceit, including 1)they’re somehow the exception to the rule, 2) embrace of God’s gifts for kingdom purposes renders indulgence in sin a “minor offense,” and finally 3) the bogus conclusion that sin can be managed. All three betray an underlying pride which provides a formidable rationalization for refusing to obey God completely. This monstrous web of deceit came crashing down on Samson..literally in his death. The episode is a stark warning that God takes sanctification seriously and will judge those who “drag iniquity with the cords of falsehood.” (Isaiah 5:18)

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Is the Truth on Your Side?

January 7, 2025

This episode continues addressing putting on the belt of truth in the context of spiritual warfare. While Christians are saved from the wrath of God and placed into the Body of Christ upon conversion, they are not fully on God’s side until every part of them that is sympathetic to the lie or lusts of deceit is removed. Consequently, God in a general sense is on the Christian’s “side,” but often acts as if He’s not. His higher purpose in the lives of believers is their sanctification, and with respect to truth, “He desires truth in the inward parts.” (Ps 51:6) He consequently deals with Christians in ways that sometimes suggest He is not on “their side.” The issue of “sides” is addressed from the critical theocentric perspective of Joshua 5:13-15. The episode closes with the Scriptural evidence that sons of God don’t partake of nonsensical “sides” theology, they consistently treat “enemies” and friends alike, based on the indiscriminate love of God that’s been poured out in their hearts.

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