Discussion on Facebook: What or who is the Devil?

[Lesa Cox]

Hey a couple of folks on Facebook risked osterazation by asking What or Who is the Devil exactly. Is "he" nothing more that Ego or Self? Or is "he" a spiritual baddy going around causing havoc?

[Ginny Pamplin]

First of all, it is sad that one must risk being ostrasized in the Body of Christ for any reason. A body turning against itself is called an autoimmune disease, but, oh well. That's a whole other kettle of fish. Second, who is the devil that we should care what he is? He loves attention so I try not to give it to him if I can help it. THAT said I know for a fact that he is not an ego state, although he seems to set up camp there, he is not self, although he has found inroads to manipulate from there. A baddy??? please-a bully that steals whatever life force he can from innocent and unsuspecting children(note: no matter how old a human is, they are always children to God). While I recognize that this...thing...is out there, I deal with it the same way I would any other ravenous beast---walk calmy and slowly, watching it out of the corner of my eye, senses on alert, dressed in the whole armor of God, with my weapon at the ready, and talking to my Daddy the whole time about how glad I am He is with me and that He has the power to kick the critter smack dab into the next of forever.And I REFUSE TO FEAR. The enemy can smell fear because he feeds on it. It gives him power, the same way trusting God empowers God to act on our behalf. Fear is having faith in what the devil can do(if he can't hurt us, then why do we fear?)Instead,I have faith in the One Who Loves me.

[Paula]

Good answer, GInny!

[Lesa Cox]

Kettle of fish I loved it. But i think the kettle has turned gangerous....

[Keren]

Hi Lesa...Not being brought up in a church, or with a family that ever really discussed God or the devil for the first 43 years of my life...I haven’t had a belief system that includes an "evil power"... now I do.

However, I dont believe in any power greater than that of our Creator, and I have to believe that our Creator created Everything -ie., ALL that is seen and unseen, etc. the good bad and the ugly literally, physically, and spiritually.

Like Ginny indicated, I don’t give "the devil" my attention since I prefer to focus on God. Yet perhaps I should in a way, because to me, like God, the "devil" is something inside of each of us...and not "out there somewhere"

Robert Moore in Facing the Dragon, says it is our refusal or inability to recognize the "evil" inside of each of us and the potential harm that it can do, that creates grandiosity in our personalities, and it that very grandiosity that causes ostracism, wars, rifts great and small between people of different cultures, religions even within our own communities, churches and families

So now I have an awareness of the devil "the dragon" in a place (inside me) where I didn’t before and it includes evil influences on my own feelings of goodness, that may not cause me to do bad things, but may keep me from doing potential good.

Good post thanks
Happy Monday
Keren

[Lesa Cox]

Keren i have GOT to get that book someday.


Keren-Tea said:

Hi Lesa...Not being brought up in a church, or with a family that ever really discussed God or the devil for the first 43 years of my life...I haven’t had a belief system that includes an "evil power"... now I do.

However, I dont believe in any power greater than that of our Creator, and I have to believe that our Creator created Everything -ie., ALL that is seen and unseen, etc. the good bad and the ugly literally, physically, and spiritually.

Like Ginny indicated, I don’t give "the devil" my attention since I prefer to focus on God. Yet perhaps I should in a way, because to me, like God, the "devil" is something inside of each of us...and not "out there somewhere"

Robert Moore in Facing the Dragon, says it is our refusal or inability to recognize the "evil" inside of each of us and the potential harm that it can do, that creates grandiosity in our personalities, and it that very grandiosity that causes ostracism, wars, rifts great and small between people of different cultures, religions even within our own communities, churches and families

So now I have an awareness of the devil "the dragon" in a place (inside me) where I didn’t before and it includes evil influences on my own feelings of goodness, that may not cause me to do bad things, but may keep me from doing potential good.

Good post thanks
Happy Monday
Keren

[Keren]

It was eye opening for me, yet like I mentioned in a previous post I got bogged down with all the Jung archetype references, I need to read it again with a more open minded look at the various charaters, Queen, Warrior, Lover, etc..
the parts that were very clear to me hit home and I have put in place some of his suggestions. If you cant find a copy I will loan you mine.

Lesa Cox said:

Keren i have GOT to get that book someday.


Keren-Tea said:

Hi Lesa...Not being brought up in a church, or with a family that ever really discussed God or the devil for the first 43 years of my life...I haven’t had a belief system that includes an "evil power"... now I do.

However, I dont believe in any power greater than that of our Creator, and I have to believe that our Creator created Everything -ie., ALL that is seen and unseen, etc. the good bad and the ugly literally, physically, and spiritually.

Like Ginny indicated, I don’t give "the devil" my attention since I prefer to focus on God. Yet perhaps I should in a way, because to me, like God, the "devil" is something inside of each of us...and not "out there somewhere"

Robert Moore in Facing the Dragon, says it is our refusal or inability to recognize the "evil" inside of each of us and the potential harm that it can do, that creates grandiosity in our personalities, and it that very grandiosity that causes ostracism, wars, rifts great and small between people of different cultures, religions even within our own communities, churches and families

So now I have an awareness of the devil "the dragon" in a place (inside me) where I didn’t before and it includes evil influences on my own feelings of goodness, that may not cause me to do bad things, but may keep me from doing potential good.

Good post thanks
Happy Monday
Keren