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OFFENSE OR DEFENSE ???
Can a Christian ever be on the offense against satan? of Must we always be on the defense? This probably sounds like a dumb question. However, I would like to know and have Scriptural references, please.
In Jesus Love,
Mischelle
In Jesus Love,
Mischelle
Views: 304
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by forgiven on
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I think that when we obey Jesus' commandments, read scripture and pray, it is definately an offence to that old devil. It is like a drop kick to his cajones. (:
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Sis Rita,
I am curious to know what you think about the question you asked us. :)
Love you.
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Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Matthew 18:7 King James Bible
I pray dear God that you teach me, so that I will not be an offence; that thing which is of the devil.
A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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Hi, Bro Dave.
I don't think God wants us to be on the offensive about anything. To me, that is an action of Satan and his cohorts.
Christ said, "Blessed are the peacemakers..." He did not say that the rabble rousers would be blessed. When we approach a situation on the offensive, we are giving the devil leverage. We are to keep peace at all costs. God does expect us to dress in the *armor* that He has provided us with, in defense of any evil that comes our way. Christ calls us His *sheep*. A sheep is not an offensive animal. For the most part they are docile. On the other hand, a goat will charge anything that is in his way and some things that aren't in his way.
So to answer my own question.....no, I don't think God wants us to ever take the offensive side.
Blessings,
Rita
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Hello beloved Rita,
I hear what you are saying and since I specified we fight not against flesh and blood I thought I was clear in what I meant, we fight principalities etc...
I am in agreement with you about being peace makers, but I do not agree with you at keeping peace at all cost. I will never choose peace over the truth. I would die for the truth and will never compromise it for a fake love or unity in a lie. So I contend (fight for the truth) as I am commanded. God calls us to be warriors for Him. But I hear you sis.
As I have explained in my first post here our offensive strategy should primarily be:
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
1 Chronicles 4:10
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.
Our best offense is to Ask God to keep us from harm.
Judges 6:11-16 (New International Version)
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." 13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." 14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" 15 "But Lord , [a] " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." 16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
>> I don't think God wants us to be on the offensive about anything.
I understand what you are saying but do not agree with it one bit, but that is ok this is by far an issue I would contend for.
There are also Rams among the sheep sis Rita don't forget. Rams are sheep, but they will knock you out. hahaha
I think I am a Ram sheep hahaha
Blessings to you too. :)
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Permalink Reply by RoyW on
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When I listen to David, I want to put on my armor, go out and fight the enemy. However, when I listen to Linda, I want to let the Lord go out and fight all my battles for me.
At our school, we have chosen the mascot, "Warriors." We used to sing a song going into battle called, "Mighty Warriors." At that point we were training our young to be warriors for Christ in this world and on the football field.
That song is still going on in my mind:
Mighty Warriors, dressed for battle, Holy Lord of all is He.
Commander in Chief, bring us to attention,
Lead us into battle to crush the enemy.
Satan has no authority here in this place.
He has no authority here.
For this habitation was fashioned for the Lord's presence,
No authority here.
(Then, we would sing the chorus again.)
Exodus 15 tells us that our Lord is a Warrior. I think David got some of that when he was born anew in the Spirit of God.
In this world, we are in a war. I find myself fighting the false doctrines of this world in the minds of our young people. We are losing close to 70% of our young to the enemy according to recent polls. We better wake up, put on our armor and fight for our young.
Can you imagine what Linda does when her children come home from school bearing a or many false doctrines that are being perpetrated on our young? You would be better off fighting a mother bear over her cubs. My wife is the same.
We have become too complacent. It is time for all Christians to take up arms against the enemy. He has come to steal our young. He has marched into our camp and taken them out right under our noses. Sound the alarm, arm yourselves with the whole armor. While we are at it, we had better be teaching our children how to put on the armor as well.
Amen and amen.
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Roy,
I guess that is difference between men and women. Men like to fight - women like to let the men do the fighting for them. The law of nature. When the skirt was thrown over the woman in the Old Testament it was meant to be well I'll let JFB speak:
Rth 3:9
I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman — She had already drawn part of the mantle over her; and she asked him now to do it, that the act might become his own. To spread a skirt over one is, in the East, a symbolical action denoting protection. To this day in many parts of the East, to say of anyone that he put his skirt over a woman, is synonymous with saying that he married her; and at all the marriages of the modern Jews and Hindus, one part of the ceremony is for the bridegroom to put a silken or cotton cloak around his bride.
What is that book, "Men are from venus or mars or whatever...."
If you contrast the quote from JFB with the fact that we are the bride and Jesus is the Bridegroom then HE is our PROTECTION or covering:
Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the World!
When my sons come home from school with "the way of the heathen" shall we say I simply refute it with scripture which is the Sword of the Spirit - not just once but again and again and again until they GET IT! If you get what I mean.
I think the key to taking our children back is "Fathers hearts turned toward home". But alas......
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And, on that note - The Berean daily commentary has a very good article today on the "cows of Bashan."
http://www.theberean.org/
You would have to read it today as it will be replaced with another tomorrow.
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Sorry, David.
I thought God keeping us from the evil one was a given. I frequently ask God to keep my family and loved ones and, so far, that has always protected me as well.
I didn't consider what you wrote about *the truth* because *the truth* as far as i know it, is always first with me. Christ did not become angry much, nor did he assert the offensive, except for defending the use of the temple for Holy things. Truth can be spoken without anger and being offensive.
His action may seem offensive but it, in reality was defense. The money changers had actually started the problem because they were using the temple to conduct theft. They were the offense.
Regarding the verses you quote from Judges, the Angel of the Lord, (Jesus), was telling Gideon to defend Israel against what the Midianites had already started with the Israelites. Because the Midianites had started the fight, Gideon is encouraged to finish it in the strength of the Lord.
I do find your choice of verses interesting, however, and and a great learning tool for us.
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?
How many times do we ask this question of the Lord? The answer is, everytime something bad happens. So then we seek to do your answer..."I will never choose peace over the truth. I would die for the truth and will never compromise it for a fake love or unity in a lie." The fact that the lie has been told to disguise the truth, you are acting in defense of the truth. You are not acting on the offense. The lie is the offense. The truth is the defense.
This is the reason that I posted the meaning of offense and defense to begin with. Argument feels like offense but if the lie is told first, the offense, then the truth is the defense.
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:) Love you sis Rita, great post.
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One last thing, if we adopt the offensive position, we are attempting to take away the free will that God Himself has given us.
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