Summary of The Adversary By Mark Bubeck
Mark I. Bubeck (1975) presents the topic of spiritual warfare and combating demons in a practical and personal way. He embarks by first acknowledging the foundational requisite of Scripture in this arduous undertaking. He continues the voyage by outlining various terrains in which humanity battles against the confrontations of darkness. He notes both the struggle against flesh and then, further, acknowledges the antagonistic role of the world. As he intertwines a myriad of Scripture with a wealth of prayer, Bubeck flows toward the central focus of his informative manual: the direct altercation between the Christ follower and the demonic forces who despise not only their Creator, but also those made in His image.
Bubeck references the multiplicity of sins that assault the flesh, including sexual sins and those that reap a harvest of dissension. Adultery, witchcraft, hatred, and murder are a handful of the more commonly taught, but he delves into some of the less recognized and more tolerated within the body, such as lasciviousness and sedition. Within the battlefield of the flesh, humanity struggles against these temptations internally. On the more external level, lurching forces lay faltering stones of deception and temptation which are carefully laid, if only to stumble the walk and purpose of the Christian.
Bubeck presents the offensive sword clearly, as well as acknowledging the work of the Holy Spirit functioning within each who calls upon the name of Jesus and accepts the gift of His salvation. He clearly lays out who Satan is; his roles, titles, and the history of his fall. He boldly states that all that are in Jesus are given the authority to cast out any demonic forces.
In one particular chapter, Bubeck lays out conditions in which boldness in spiritual warfare is required. He uses a very personal example as he shares how his daughter suffered with demonic attacks and how God worked through him to alleviate her suffering. Bubeck teaches believers that, although the war is already won, we are daily called into battles that require time in the Word and deep, authentic prayer.
Evaluation and Critique
As the reader approaches The Adversary they may be put off by the banality of the covering or the insinuated drama that is promised within the insipidly swathed manuscript. Beyond being drab, the way the book is primarily black with the name written in what appears to be flames could leave the reader feeling uneasy, because of the topic that is being approached. If I were to change anything about this particular text, I would update the cover, making it less disconsolate and nostalgic of the representation of demoniacs in the decade in which it was written.
However, I appreciated all that lay within the bindings and found it to be not only practical, but comfortable. Bubeck powerfully called all believers into battle. The blinders have been removed and we have come into an era that we once believed obsolete. The darkness largely contained in third world nations within the recent history of the world has now poured out as a polluting ocean of wickedness; channeling through television programming, music, and a proliferation of wellsprings that pour into our homes through the internet. Witchcraft and druidism, calling upon unnatural powers, and reveling in bloodlust and gore have become normalized within our culture as we often lionize celebrities who embody such activities.
Bubeck begins each new chapter with a Scripture that draws the attention of the reader to a Biblically relevant objective. For me, personally, his soulful flow drifted between the role of a father, equipping his young, and that of a son, crying out to the only Father who can rescue us from the pandemonium of the enemy forces. He is tender, authentic, and urgent in both his call to obedience in following full heartedly after Christ, and in the way he approaches our duties within the battle surrounding us.
Personal Application
I will be honest in saying that this topic is uncomfortable to me. I have watched our country decay and have been called to boldness, both within the spiritual and physical realm. I am meek and mild; I know that God has prompted me in these areas to stretch and to refine me, but also because He is the only one that can receive the glory, for this vessel is delicate and weak outside of the work of the Holy Spirit. As I read this book I became confused for a moment, but then became more encouraged to suit up further. I do not want to fall into a place where I put more emphasis on the enemy than on the beauty of who our glorious King is, and the saving message of the gospel. I also do not desire to walk in ignorance and fear, neglecting opportunities to be useful in the Kingdom.
There is a part of me that desires to understand some of the “formulas” that are found in various books written by those who are faithfully following Christ, but I wonder, at times, if during confrontation we might be most useful prostrate, crying out to the only One who can truly rescue those being held in a place of siege.
I have come to a place, after reading this book more than before, of knowing that my time spent daily in the Word and on my knees before the Creator of all things is more important than any other activity or ministry that I accomplish. On my own I am only faced with weakness, but as I approach my Redeemer through prayer and Scripture, I am equipped beyond what I can humanly explain. Doors have been opened, words of wisdom that are not my own have brought healing, and my own faltering to areas of weakness have been overcome in the face of battle. In applying this book to my own life, the most useful chapters are not those that describe my enemy, but those that remind me to fall continually before my Father and to suit up in the armor that He has so lovingly prepared for me.
References
Bubeck, Mark I. (1975)The Adversary: The Christian Versus Demon Activity. Moody Press: Chicago, IL.
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