Buffetings of Satan

[Seminarysnoozer]

Buffeting:

The buffetings of Satan are all spiritual and often come when we are already wearied by physical trials. The buffetings are quite literally Satan and his minions raining blows onto our spirits in an attempt to get us to falter and fall.

How would one differentiate from direct blows to the spirit versus Satan influencing body desires and function which in turn battles with our spirits?

You seem so sure that Satan can battle our spirits directly even though Brigham Young and others say that is not the case. How would you know that versus the secondary effect of the body's influence on the spirit? Things that are of the Earth and that are carnal Satan has influence over, which includes our physical body, at least while we remain in this carnal probationary state.

[Seminarysnoozer]

I believe there is a difference. Refiner's fire is used to purify that which is mostly pure already. It is refining.

The buffetings of Satan are done to compel people to humble themselves, in order for them to repent.

We go to college to refine our knowledge of the things we learned in high school. We go to prison to learn the things we should have learned, but chose to rebel against, instead.

Hmm, I thought the process of repentance is the refiners fire. I don't see the difference.

In your analogy then we are all in prison since we all sin.

I don't see it that way, I think the buffetings of Satan are the opposition that is needed to push ourselves to new heights, it is the thing to overcome or to win out. When we go to college the test questions are more difficult and challenging. If anything, if a person is in "prison" the buffetings should be made lighter so they can have a chance to overcome them if they didn't learn that before.

I think I see what you are saying but I guess we would need another word then for the increase in Satan's temptations for those that are righteous, what would you call that if not buffetings?

[Matthew0059]

How would one differentiate from direct blows to the spirit versus Satan influencing body desires and function which in turn battles with our spirits?

Tell me: how would he influence our spirits without touching them or interacting with them in some way? Taunting and mocking is the spiritual equivalent of physical assault.

You seem so sure that Satan can battle our spirits directly even though Brigham Young and others say that is not the case.

Source? I'd be interested in reading what they had to say.

[Just_A_Guy]

One thought:

As I understand it, the name "Satan" means "accuser". Christ is the ultimate Advocate.

In this sense, being "left to the buffetings of Satan" could be analogous to being subpoenaed for a court hearing where the prosecutor is present, but your own defense attorney doesn't show up.

[Matthew0059]

I think we give too much power to Satan sometimes. Buffetings can come through natural means without Satan being involved. If God removes his Spirit from us, then just the fact we have lost the Spirit can cause buffetings without Satan being in the room.

There is a difference between the forces of chaos and Satan and his minions (represented in Isaiah 27:1 as "leviathan" and the "dragon in the sea" respectively), and there is a difference between the buffetings of Satan and the trials of the flesh. It takes understanding to differentiate the two.

Example: being physically tired because of having just seen GOD and experiencing a marvelous vision is a trial and condition of the flesh (Moses 1). Having Satan come to you and rage against you is a "buffeting" of Satan (also Moses 1).

If you want to differentiate between the two and say there are "buffetings of the flesh" and "buffetings of Satan", that's fine- just understand the nature of the buffetings of Satan, and that there are times when his angels are anxiously about us waiting to draw us down.

[Matthew0059]

One thought:

As I understand it, the name "Satan" means "accuser". Christ is the ultimate Advocate.

In this sense, being "left to the buffetings of Satan" could be analogous to being subpoenaed for a court hearing where the prosecutor is present, but your own defense attorney doesn't show up.

"Satan" also represents "Adversary" and "Spoiler".

I think acute guilt is a good example of the buffetings of Satan.