Topical Bible: Warfare of Saints: To be Carried On with Self-Denial

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The concept of spiritual warfare is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the believer's struggle against sin, the flesh, and spiritual forces of evil. This warfare is not waged with physical weapons but through spiritual means, primarily characterized by self-denial and reliance on God's strength.

Self-Denial as a Core Principle

Self-denial is a fundamental aspect of the Christian life and spiritual warfare. Jesus Christ Himself set the ultimate example of self-denial, as seen in His life and teachings. In Matthew 16:24 , Jesus instructs His disciples, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." This call to self-denial is not merely an ascetic practice but a daily commitment to prioritize God's will over personal desires.

The Apostle Paul's Teachings

The Apostle Paul frequently addresses the theme of self-denial in his epistles, urging believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling. In 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 , Paul uses the metaphor of an athlete to illustrate the discipline required in spiritual warfare: "Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."

Paul's emphasis on self-discipline and self-denial underscores the necessity of controlling one's desires and impulses to remain steadfast in the faith. This discipline is not self-imposed for personal gain but is a response to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit within the believer.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in empowering believers to engage in spiritual warfare through self-denial. Galatians 5:16-17 highlights the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit: "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want."

By yielding to the Holy Spirit, believers are equipped to resist the temptations of the flesh and live in accordance with God's will. This surrender to the Spirit's leading is a form of self-denial, as it requires setting aside personal ambitions and desires in favor of spiritual growth and obedience.

The Example of Christ

Christ's life and ministry provide the ultimate model of self-denial in spiritual warfare. Philippians 2:5-8 describes Christ's humility and obedience: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross."

Christ's willingness to lay aside His divine privileges and endure suffering for the sake of humanity exemplifies the self-denial required in spiritual warfare. Believers are called to emulate His example, embracing humility and sacrificial love as they contend against spiritual adversaries.

Practical Application

In practical terms, self-denial in spiritual warfare involves a conscious decision to reject sinful behaviors and attitudes, choosing instead to cultivate virtues such as humility, patience, and love. Romans 12:1-2 exhorts believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, and to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This transformation is achieved through the daily practice of self-denial, as believers seek to align their lives with God's purposes.

Ultimately, the warfare of saints, carried on with self-denial, is a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel. It is a call to live counter-culturally, resisting the allure of worldly pleasures and ambitions, and to pursue a life of holiness and devotion to God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 9:25-27
And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Called to Reach a Higher Standard
... Paul knew that his warfare against evil would not end so ... The apostle carried the
minds of the Corinthian brethren ... morn, when all the sleeping saints are to be ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 30 called to reach.htm

The Church as She Should Be
... If ten thousand saints were burned to-morrow, their dying ... be assailed, but they will
never be carried by the ... If they do not admire our mode of warfare, we think ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the church as she should.htm

Letter i. The Christian's Mark.
... Captain of their salvation, in a warfare which will ... you have the pattern of that
law carried out in ... The attainments of eminent saints are too generally looked ...
/.../letter i the christians mark.htm

How Fursa Built a Monastery among the East Angles, and of his ...
... he distinctly heard this refrain: "The saints shall go ... When this was duly carried
out, he became ... as also concerning the comrades of his warfare, whosoever will ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xix how fursa built.htm

The Fear which Terminates in the Second Death.
... his nefarious designs: And against the saints his rage is ... of God live in a state
of warfare"conflict with ... wholly wears off; it is generally carried, in degree ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xx the fear which.htm

What and Whence are These?
... the prize unless there had been a preceding warfare and victory ... tells that the sole
reason for the saints being in ... as he, and therefore no angels carried him to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 18 1872/what and whence are these.htm

Modern Revivals.
... Popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the ... sin, but he will maintain
a constant warfare against it ... as "less than the least of all saints."(807) It ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /27 modern revivals.htm

Modern Revivals
... Popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the ... but he will maintain a constant
warfare against it. ... less than the least of all saints." 2 Corinthians ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 27 modern revivals.htm

The End
... a collection on behalf of their poor saints, which he ... men accustomed to the horrors
of Roman warfare and the ... He carried, too, a letter addressed to the church ...
//christianbookshelf.org/stalker/the life of st paul/chapter x the end.htm

Reconstruction.
... to the frontier should be carried forward without ... at the South, levied a spiritual
warfare against this ... later years, concerning the Unitarian saints, that it ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xiii reconstruction.htm