Many in the modern church think that revenge is the spirit of war. This is a naive, absurd statement for two reasons. Firstly, the spirit of war is a real spirit that works to stir up strife, anger, and hatred between nations, individuals and groups. Secondly, revenge is an act committed by people when they yield to the spirit of war.
Some people think that by referring to a person being 'under a spirit', I am denying that they do not sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, this is an indictment of the persons uncontrollable desire to commit a specific sin which leads them to be seduced and blinded by the evil spirit which tempts people into committing that sin. Such is the naivete of the modern evangelical who made such an accusation against me, and yet accuses me of being "naive" for linking an article from that particular website which also coincidentally happened to have depraved material. I am not seeking to argue with him, and I did not I un-link the website because of him. I did so in spite of him.
The spirit of war blinds those who hold onto sins of the flesh and consumed by them into thinking that it is just to commit these sins of the flesh and control others with these sins. For example, the sexually immoral woman uses sexual immorality to control men who he hates, uses them as objects to express her utter contempt for men. The man consumed by selfish anger uses his anger to dominate those around him to express his anger which he thinks is just.
Some people think that by referring to a person being 'under a spirit', I am denying that they do not sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rather, this is an indictment of the persons uncontrollable desire to commit a specific sin which leads them to be seduced and blinded by the evil spirit which tempts people into committing that sin. Such is the naivete of the modern evangelical who made such an accusation against me, and yet accuses me of being "naive" for linking an article from that particular website which also coincidentally happened to have depraved material. I am not seeking to argue with him, and I did not I un-link the website because of him. I did so in spite of him.
The spirit of war blinds those who hold onto sins of the flesh and consumed by them into thinking that it is just to commit these sins of the flesh and control others with these sins. For example, the sexually immoral woman uses sexual immorality to control men who he hates, uses them as objects to express her utter contempt for men. The man consumed by selfish anger uses his anger to dominate those around him to express his anger which he thinks is just.
The spirit of war manifests in 3 ways: manipulation, intimidation and domination. Those controlled by the sins of the flesh through others experience at least one of these three. The spirit of war uses this to stir up division, strife, anger and hatred. He does this to trap people into sin and hold them in bondage. 1 Peter 5:8 warns: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Division, strife, anger and hatred weaken people from the being strengthened in doing God's will or stirs up greater hatred for God in the case of the unsaved. Satan desires to sift as wheat (Luke 22:31).
Revenge is not merely a desire to kill or for ill-will; the seed of revenge is unforgiveness. Violence is not merely acts of physical attacks. It is hatred which comes from the heart. It is a desire for others to be destroyed spiritually, whether the person realises it. The spirit of war feeds on the desire for revenge, violence and murder by stirring the flames of wrath, anger and jealousy. For the unsaved, and also many believers who are under the spirit of mammon, mammon seeks to feed on the jealousy of the person, leading the person to feel inadequate or treated unjustly when one does not have material 'equality' with others. As long a person continues to be in bondage to anger, wrath or jealousy, his will be under the spirit of war which manifests in revenge and violence.
Such is the spirit of war.
Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? (Proverbs 27:4).
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