Spirit Led Living

Answer:   The apostle Paul believed that our struggle is against spiritual forces of wickedness. He wrote to the Ephesians   "For our struggle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12 NRSV)   "For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again--but Satan stopped us." (1 Thess 2:18) Paul's perspective concerning this spiritual battle was remarkable. He knew where the real battle had to be fought. On the spiritual level. But he never became paranoid about our spiritual enemy whose very nature keeps us from seeing him directly. Paul recognized the enemy's presence through spiritual discernment given to him by the Holy Spirit. He was   able to detect the enemy's activity in the circumstances he encountered. Paul was also able to draw upon his source of stre...

Ascetics View of Fasting But the ascetic tendency in the early Church led to reliance on fasting, etc., as not only helps to, but substitutes for, the inward and spiritual life. The theory which placed the origin and seat of sin in the body also tended to give value to the practice of fasting. It came at last to be considered as an effectual means grace or of securing forgiveness of sin. (from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) Some of this is viewed in some early translations of the Bible such as the KJV and the Septuagint which added “and fasting” to verses were it was not present in the earlier documents. An example of this is: Matt 17:21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."   (NKJV) True Fasting Isa 58:3-9 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' ...