# Can Spiritual Warfare just be from Man's Total Depravity and not necessarily Satan?



## pianoman (Oct 10, 2012)

I've noticed many times people have attitudes or say something smart and it just makes me mad in my flesh. Growing up in a Charismatic church we were always taught it's always Satan trying to make your day bad,etc. I am of the persuasion that many times the warfare we experience from nonbelievers and such that say stuff or just down right seem to hate us is 100% total depravity. Am I wrong to assert that Satan has nothing to do with this and it is man's Total Depravity? It just seems crazy to blame Satan for everything. lol 

Thanks for any replies.


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## Andres (Oct 10, 2012)

God is sovereign, not satan.


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## Jerusalem Blade (Oct 15, 2012)

Zach, I think it is well said that the world, the flesh, and the devil war against us, and we against them.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world . . . whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God (1 Jn 2:15 ff; James 4:4b). If we love the creation / created things more than God, this is idolatry. It is a great temptation to amass "things", and treasure them over God.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. . . And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal 5:17, 24). I take the flesh to mean, in the present sense, the patterns of behavior learned while in the unregenerate state, and which seek to continue their activity against the "new man in Christ". Another way to put it, is that we carry "remaining corruption" in our selves, which we must master by the Holy Spirit. One could also say, it is our remaining self-centeredness / self-love / and self-aggrandizing, and we overcome this by denying ourselves and following Christ. Living by His word, reading it constantly, is a great help in this process of sanctification.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12). Let no one be deceived, for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith (1 Pet 5:8, 9). 

The child of God must be aware of all these adversaries, grow in the knowledge of their wiles and strengths, and in the grace and power of God given to overcome them. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).


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