THE MOMENT WE ARE MADE A NEW CREATION BY JESUS, WE INNATELY KNOW WE HAVE JUST BEEN PUT INTO A SPIRITUAL WAR: WE INNATELY KNOW WE HAVE 3 ENEMIES, WHICH ARE OUR SIN NATURE;THE WORLD; AND SATAN. THIS SPIRITUAL WAR IS COMPLETELY NOT EXPERIENCED BY ANYONE WHO HAS NOT BEEN MADE A NEW CREATION: WE CAN HAVE A HEAD KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SPIRITUAL WAR, BUT NOT A HEARTFELT KNOWLEDGE. MUCH OF THIS SPIRITUAL BATTLE IS WARRED BY PRAYING BACK TO GOD THE PSALMS IN WHICH THERE IS A PSALM THAT WE CAN FIND WHICH WILL MATCH THE BATTLE WE ARE WARRING AGAINST. GEORGE WHITEFIED WRITES ABOUT THIS WARFARE IN HIS SERMON ENTITLED—SATAN’S DEVICES-A SHORT OUTLINE OF HIS SERMON IS BELOW:
“Thus then, stand the words in relation to the context; but as Satan has many devices, and as his quiver is full of other poisonous darts, besides those which he shoots at us to drive us to despair, I shall, in the following discourse,
First, Briefly observe who we are to understand by Satan. And,
Secondly, Point out to you, what are the chief devices he generally makes use of to draw off converts from Christ, and also prescribe some remedies against them.
First, Who are we to understand by Satan
Second general thing proposed; and point out those devices, which Satan generally makes use of at our first conversion, in order to get an advantage over us.
But let me observe to you, that whatsoever shall be delivered in the following discourse is only designed for such as have actually entered upon the divine life; and not for carnal almost Christians, who have the form of godliness, but never yet felt the power of it in their hearts.
This being premised,
The First device I shall mention, which Satan makes use of, is, to drive us to despair.
When God the Father awakens a sinner by the terrors of the law, and by his Holy Spirit convinceth him of sin, in order to lead him to Christ, and show him the necessity of a Redeemer; then Satan generally strikes in, and aggravates those convictions to such a degree, as to make the sinner doubt of finding mercy thro' the Mediator.
A Second device that Satan generally makes use of, to get an advantage over young converts, is, to tempt them to presume, or to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think
A Third device I shall mention, which Satan generally makes use of, “to get an advantage over us,” is to tempt us to uneasiness, and to have hard thoughts of God, when we are dead and barren in prayer.
Fourth device I am going to mention, his troubling you with blasphemous, profane, unbelieving thoughts; and sometimes to such a degree, that they are as tormenting as the rack”
