Spring 1996
Spiritual Battles
Edited from material by Seeley D. Kinne

A great conflict between Jesus Christ and Satan has been raging, and at this present time is increasing in intensity. This war is for the possession and control of mankind.

The dispositions of Jesus, and of Satan, are diametrically opposite.

Jesus, very God in condescension, came as our Saviour. He drank the cup of man's sin and paid the full penalty for these upon the cross. He has a redemptive purpose that is holy and benevolent, which has been made available to all through His sacrifice upon the cross. He has a far-reaching plan for saving and exalting the human race.

In contrast, Satan is a mass of malignant deceit and treachery. He seeks to destroy the human race. A startling fact is that Satan has succeeded in planting in the mind of unregenerate mankind an idea that God is somewhat tyrannical, that He requires unreasonable things of man and trespasses on his personal rights; though this is the farthest possible from the facts. Rather, it is Satan who does these very things.

Accordingly, we see throughout the pages of history that men under Satan's rule have been persecuting and martyring Christ's followers with every inventible torture, while these saints have prayed for their persecuters, and have sought intervention from the Throne of God.

Over the centuries, there has been an ongoing battle between these opposing forces. The battleground is for supremacy in man. As Jesus and Satan are so opposite in nature, their methods of warfare are also opposite.

Through a process of repentance, purgings, cleansings, and consecrations, along with testings, Jesus is preparing His own for the most important series of battles ever known.

Satan seeks to gain possession of, and bring into final destruction, all those who partake of his deceptive schemes, which produce all manner of wicked, shameful doings. He would fain keep this fight on the natural plane, as it gives him great advantages.

But the Lord is determined to bring it up into the Holy Spirit, heavenly realm. To accomplish this there must be raised up a company of men and women who not only live in the Spirit, but who fully obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Anything less than this attainment will leave us unprepared to enter and win the battle.

The work of the Holy Spirit at this present time is the making ready of this company of spiritual overcomers. Through these crucified, chastened, schooled, and made spiritual overcomers, God will war against the powers of darkness, thereby releasing mankind from Satan's hold.

There are many (seeming) easy ways, or by-paths, by which the cross may be shunned in order to reach a present fleshly satisfaction. But, alas, these will leave those who partake ill prepared for the coming spiritual battle.

The way of cross bearing and suffering is the only pathway worth following, that all which has been lost to the enemy might be fully regained, with Satan and his host being utterly defeated.