Don’t you wonder if “spiritual warfare” is misunderstood?
I’ve always been uncomfortable with this language. There is often talk about being out “to the test,” experiencing “battle against demons,” and, in the process, demonizing the works or words of others. Sometimes, you can look at the situation and clearly see the mis-step made by the spiritual warrior that engaged them into their own sense of embattlement.
Too often, it seems as if spiritual warfare is more about I, I, I than Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Is not the battle actually between the Lord and the demons of the world? Our challenge is in declaring “which side” we will be engaged. I believe that we are called more towards trusting in the Good Shepherd rather than striking out afield against demons.
When it comes to spiritual warfare, I have declared pacifism and wish the same for you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
D. Scott Miller
D. Scott Miller is the dean of Catholic Youth Ministry bloggers which is a polite way of either saying that he is just plain old or has been blogging for a long time (since 2004.)
Scott recently married the lovely Anne and together they have five adult young people and also grandparent three delightful kids (so, maybe he is just plain old!) Scott presently serves at Saint John the Evangelist in Columbia, MD as the director of youth and young adult ministry.
He has previously served on the parish, regional, diocesan, and national levels as well as having taught within a catholic high school. He is one of the founders of RebuildMyChurch and has returned to posting regularly (keeping regular is important to old guys) at ProjectYM.
D. Scott Miller
D. Scott Miller is the dean of Catholic Youth Ministry bloggers which is a polite way of either saying that he is just plain old or has been blogging for a long time (since 2004.)
Scott recently married the lovely Anne and together they have five adult young people and also grandparent three delightful kids (so, maybe he is just plain old!) Scott presently serves at Saint John the Evangelist in Columbia, MD as the director of youth and young adult ministry.
He has previously served on the parish, regional, diocesan, and national levels as well as having taught within a catholic high school. He is one of the founders of RebuildMyChurch and has returned to posting regularly (keeping regular is important to old guys) at ProjectYM.
Don’t you wonder if “spiritual warfare” is misunderstood?
Pacifism? Where’s the Catholic fire behind that? What about “You must be hot or cold, if you are luke-warm i will spit you out my mouth”? As a youth minister, arent you battling for people’s souls? If pacifism is your choice, then you should step out of youth ministry and re-evaluate your desire. You have a good point, in the fact that we are called to trust in God, but we cant just sit by and expect God to do all the work. We are God’s instruments, in both the war for his Church on earth, as well in the spiritual realm.
Also, on your comment about it being about “I, I, I” instead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the minute you even SLIGHTLY assume your spiritual warfare has nothing to do with the involvement of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit then you’ve already lost. So i hardly think people DONT think about the Trinity and its involvement in THEIR spiritual warfare. The simple fact that they relate to it as “spiritual” warfare means they relate some ethereal property to it. Also, the reason humans focus on the “I, I, I” of spiritual warfare is because we are the cost of said warfare. Our souls are what are on the line.
I just can not sit by and choose passivity when people’s souls are on the line. Jesus did not choose passivity when the temple was being used as a marketplace. He flipped tables and cracked whips. I will use the same fire, for people’s souls.
Thanks for calling me out on this…
Let me be more clear about where I am critiquing….
> The youth minister who never recruited for an event, then had to cancel the event, and blames evil in the world
> The person who was told what policy was regarding just about anything… ignores it to make it easier for self, a kid, or whoever, (with their own determined god-given motivation) and then gets called out for it only to blame it on the other for not having the same spiritual motivation as they do
> The one, who if you don’t do it their way, with their sense of spirituality, with their style (or even their hand motions) claims that you have fallen short in your service to God
That’s where I, I, I can seem to come into conflict with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
If one is using fire on behalf of the Lord, I hope that they are a burning bush… A vehicle through whom the voice of the Lord speaks. I hope that the fire does not consume them into burning out nor does it cause damage around them… Best as I can figure, we are to be vigilant in remaining close to the Good Shepherd for protection from evil… That’s not a passive task when we recognize that the Lord and the fire of His Spirit remain ever on the move.
The Spiritual Gifts require a sense of maturity to bear fruit. I feel that the examples Scott is pointing out are valid in that yes, those are very annoying and silly, especially when people use the idea that every little mishap is the product of some form of demonic influence. I have rolled many an eye to people telling me their tire flattened as a result of demonic attack. While i am not saying it is not possible, it could also have a lot to do with the nail in the tire. My personal favorite example is the third one. Really they all boil down to one word: pride. Either pride in a sense of self importance (I AM THE DEVILS NUMBER ONE TARGET ALL THE TIME) or superiority (My way is God’s Will and is best and if you are not with me you are against me/God)
The point that sparked conversation between Chris and I was when you mentioned pacifism in spiritual warfare. Did you mean it as in other people’s spiritual warfare, or in literally take no part in the battle as a whole? I know there can be some bias when discussing this sort of thing when we have so many examples of “less than fruitful” use of gifts such as Discernment of Spirits. I think it would be more important to strive to understand what Spiritual warfare actually is and what it is not as well as what gifts are involved and how to properly use them to build the people of the Kingdom of God.