The last few months have been some of my most trying ever. In less than 2 weeks, I’ll be on a plane to participate in a globetrotting summer long mission trip.
As it approaches, things seem to be getting ever harder. In the last week, I’ve had a few encounters that threw me for a complete loop. I told my friend Sarah about these today, and her response was: “You’re experiencing Spiritual Warfare.”
I used be comfortable with “cessationism,” that teaches that spiritual signs, like healings, or humans interacting with Angels and Demons ceased after the New Testament was written. This doctrine fits well within Western Enlightenment culture, and it helped differentiate me from my Pentecostal/Charismatic friends that cast demons out of washing machines.
The problem is, I can’t find ceasationism in the Bible. Jesus spoke to demons. Paul taught that “our battle is not against flesh and blood.” I’ve also encountered godly, reputable people who have had “supernatural” experiences.
The idea of spiritual warfare is enticing to me, because it gives a broader purpose to my personal struggles. But my anti-supernatural background is well rooted, and keeps me suspicious.
I’m looking for a theology that incorporates the supernatural, without becoming that guy who sees a demon behind every shadow.
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