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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 David Velasquez on
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The Church should be in both the defensive and offensive. It is really sad that the church often finds herself in the defensive more often than the offensive.
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. To keep us from temptations and instead lead us from victory to victory. Victory does not mean there are no problems around us, because at times the problems/issues in our lives are generated by family members etc... but through it all we can have victory by being a blessing to them and shining for Christ through it all, instead of being beat up and discourage.
The hedge of protection that God can place in our lives is our best offense along with abiding in the word.
Job 1
9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
That hedge comes from an obedient life to God.
John 8:31-32 (New International Version)
31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
If we abide in Him then we know the truth and that sets us free. The truth is an AWESOME OFFENSE.
CHECK IT OUT.
Luke 4
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Most people see here defense and maybe so, but I see Satan throwing a bullet and our Lord answering with a missel. What bette offense than the word, which is the only peace of our armor for offense, along wth the shild of faith. The shield could also be use as an offensive weapon.
In today’s lingo-
Satan - Jesus I thought you were the man dude. What up with you, you can't even turn a stone into bread.
Jesus - It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
THE TRUTH DOES NOT CHANGE IN YESTERDAYS OR TODAY'S LINGO. THE TRUTH IS THE TRUTH AND IT WILL BE OUR BEST OFFENSE.
When Satan tells me, looked here boy that girl is fine and she is giving you game... what you gonna do player?
I tell him: When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 1 Corinthians 13:11
There is a beautiful woman of God just for me (I think I found her already, so I am not advertising hahaha). Get thee behind me Satan.
He throw me a grenade, I send him an Anti-tank guided missile hahaha
There is much more, but hopefully others get into this very important topic.
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Permalink Reply by Richard L. Broch, Sr. on
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Not a dumb question at all, Mischelle.
An interesting point, the archangel, Michael didn`t even verbally attack Satan on the occasion in Jude 1:9,"But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said,"The Lord rebuke you."
The bible instructs us : Ephesians 6:11,"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."
James 4:7,"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
Revelation,verse 20 tells us of God finally putting an end to this enemy, the devil.
Grace and Peace.
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Hahahaha ohhh I crack myself up bro. hahahaha
Ephesians 4:27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
This scripture also comes to mind as a good offensive and defensive tactic.
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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MEANING OF OFFENSE:
1 a obsolete : act of stumbling *for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel— Isa 8:14 (Authorized Version)* b archaic : a cause or occasion of sin : STUMBLING BLOCK *woe unto the world because of offenses— Mt 18:7 (Authorized Version)*
2 obsolete : DISFAVOR, DISGRACE
3 archaic : INJURY, DAMAGE
4 : something that outrages the moral or physical senses : NUISANCE *offense to the public conscience* *such chord successions are an offense to the ear*
5 a : the act of attacking : ATTACK, ASSAULT *weapons of offense* b : the means or method of attacking or of attempting to score c : the offensive team or members of a team playing offensive positions d : scoring ability
6 a : the act of displeasing, affronting, or angering *no offense intended and none taken, I hope* *his words have given great offense at court* b : the state of being displeased, insulted, or morally outraged *likely to take offense at the least word of criticism*
7 a : a breach of moral or social conduct : SIN, TRANSGRESSION, MISDEED *tolerant of his youthful offenses* b : an infraction of law : CRIME, MISDEMEANOR *nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy— U.S. Constitution*; sometimes : a misdemeanor not indictable but subject to summary punishment *a record of petty offenses*
synonyms RESENTMENT, UMBRAGE, PIQUE, DUDGEON, HUFF: OFFENSE (or OFFENCE),
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MEANING OF DEFENSE
1 a : the act of defending *the defense of Moscow* *to die in defense of liberty* — opposed to attack b : a defendant's denial, answer, or plea : an opposing or denial of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's or prosecutor's case — compare ANSWER 2c
2 : capability of resisting attack *a football team weak in defense* : practice or manner of self-protection *the body's defenses against disease are weakened by hunger* — usually used in plural
3 a : means or method of defending *weapons of defense* : defensive plan, policy, or structure *the inadequate defenses of the capital were easily penetrated by the enemy troops* — usually used in plural b : the method and collected facts adopted by a defendant to protect himself against a plaintiff's action c : a sequence of moves available in chess to the second player in the opening; also : any opening having certain characteristic moves for the second player d : an argument prepared or advanced to defend an action, policy, or thesis : JUSTIFICATION
4 a : defenders or the positions taken up by them *ran through the defense for a touchdown* *falsecarding to mislead the defense* b : a cricket team's batting power or batsmen — contrasted with attack
5 : a prohibitory ordinance : prohibition especially of fishing or hunting *the defense months when fish are spawning* — used chiefly in in defense *trout streams were put in defense*
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It was wise of Rita to put up the meanings as I believe it to be neither Mischelle.
I agree with Richard L Broch, Sr that Ephesians and James tells us exactly what to do and that is RESIST (or withstand against or oppose).
We resist, withstand or oppose with truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace (as Rita has mentioned - blessed are the peacemakers), faith, salvation and the Sword of the Spirit (the Word).
Taking captive every thought and bringing it into obedience to Christ - the Word!
In regard to defence - THE LORD IS OUR DEFENCE!
Did Yeshua defend himself - He was as a sheep to the slaughter! He uttered not a word - wow! Do we do that or are we ready to defend ourselves.......
Blessings
Linda Ruth
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Linda -
I understand what you are saying, our Lord fights for us but He also has given us weapons.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.2 Corinthians 10:4
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.1 Timothy 6:12
Jesus went toe to toe with the false religious leaders of His time and left them with no way to answer Him. He would shut them up quickly. When the time of accomplishing what He came here to do came, He remain silent to fulfilled prophecy and because He did not want to get in the way of what He came here to accomplish. But even then my God, my Lord said this:
11Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” John 19
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain, Ecclesiastes 3
Of course God is our strong tower, beautiful and mighty, everlasting King and our Defense.
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And I did acknowledge those resisting or opposing weapons.
2 Cor 10:4 is a metaphor:
2Co 10:4
The weapons of our warfare - The apostle often uses the metaphor of a warfare to represent the life and trials of a Christian minister. See Eph_6:10-17; 1Ti_1:18; 2Ti_2:3-5.
Are not carnal - Here he refers to the means used by the false apostle in order to secure his party; he calumniated St. Paul, traduced the truth, preached false and licentious doctrines, and supported these with sophistical reasonings.
But mighty through God - Our doctrines are true and pure, they come from God and lead to him, and he accompanies them with his mighty power to the hearts of those who hear them; and the strong holds - the apparently solid and cogent reasoning of the philosophers, we, by these doctrines, pull down; and thus the fortifications of heathenism are destroyed, and the cause of Christ triumphs wherever we come; and we put to flight the armies of the aliens.
Source: Clarke Commentary
1 Tim 6:12 is an allusion as JBF says:
1Ti 6:12
Fight the good fight — Birks thinks this Epistle was written from Corinth, where contests in the national games recurred at stated seasons, which will account for the allusion here as in 1Co_9:24-26. Contrast “strifes of words” (1Ti_6:4). Compare 1Ti_1:18; 2Ti_4:7. The “good profession” is connected with the good fight (Psa_60:4).
lay hold on eternal life — the crown, or garland, the prize of victory, laid hold of by the winner in the “good fight” (2Ti_4:7, 2Ti_4:8; Phi_3:12-14). “Fight (literally, ‘strive’) with such striving earnestness as to lay hold on the prize, eternal life.”
also — not in the oldest manuscripts.
professed a good profession — Greek, “didst confess THE good confession,” namely, the Christian confession (as the Greek word is the same in this verse as that for “confession” in 1Ti_6:13, probably the profession here is the confession that Christ’s kingdom is the kingdom of the truth, Joh_18:36, Joh_18:37), at thy being set apart to thy ministerial function (whether in general, or as overseer at Ephesus): the same occasion as is referred to in 1Ti_1:18; 1Ti_4:14; 2Ti_1:4.
before many witnesses — who would testify against thee if thou shouldest fall away [Bengel].
AHHHH but alas it is obvious to me that you like a GOOD FIGHT David whereas I prefer peace at this point in time!
Jesus did at times go toe to toe with the Teachers of the Law but He also at times avoided them and also we must remember that He is the Divine!
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Linda,
No not alas, I have always admitted I love fighting, there is a time to stand down and let things go and let God bring to light the truth of the matter and if He chooses to leave it for the judgment day, no problem. Sometimes we win by letting others think they have won as we remain silent. When all they have done is revealed their heart. But you bet I am a fighter as a matter of fact I would love to say I never take the armor off, but that would be a lie, but I try to sleep with it and walk with it daily. I fight my flesh daily. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. :)
Blessed are the peace makers - amen.
Ok blessings.
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Hi Friends,
I posted the meanings of the two words, so that we can know what we are talking about. In light of the meaning of the two words, does God want us to adopt an offense or offensive position?
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