Safe & Sound: Standing Firm in Spiritual Battles is one of David Powlison’s finest works. Published by New Growth Press, this book was written by Dr. Powlison as he battled stage four cancer. The Lord called him home shortly after the publication of his work on spiritual warfare.
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The past few works of Dr. Powlison have been short and sweet, providing great wisdom in very concise fashion. This final work of his has proven to be no different. When reading the endorsements of the book, you will find no shortage of praise being given to Powlison and his skillful, rich, insightful writing. Powlison certainly shepherds others as he himself was being shepherded during his own battle with cancer. He leads us to the same satisfying, delightful, comforting Christ that he himself was communing with. So with that being said, I’ll move on to the material being presented in this book.
Safe & Sound: Standing Firm in Spiritual Battles
Safe & Sound is broken up into two parts:
- What is Spiritual Warfare
- Counseling in the Reality of Spiritual Warfare
This layout is very logical and helpful. In order to be able to counsel others in regards to spiritual warfare, we must first lay the foundation of what we mean by spiritual warfare. Powlison walks through the reality of spiritual warfare, and he then discusses how the Apostle Paul understands this topic.
The last chapter (Chapter 3) of Part 1 is a discussion of the Lord and how He is our strength (our weapon). Just to highlight a few aspects of part one, Powlison notes that spiritual warfare is “a metaphor for standing on the Lord’s side in the epic struggle between the Lord and his enemies” (pg. 13). It is a “moral struggle” (pg. 13) and “a synonym for the struggles of the Christian life” (pg. 14) and a “battle for lordship” (pg. 14). In other words, spiritual warfare is a reality that every Christian experiences and is involved in.
After examining passages that deal with the reality of Satan, Powlison says this: “People and their relationship with God are the focus. So, do speak of the devil, but don’t talk too much. The way you pay attention to Satan is analogous to how you pay attention to other influencing factors: bodily problems, personal history, cultural and peer influences, situational stressors, and sufferings. They are in the mix, but the person as a moral responder always come front and center” (pg. 17). Powlison acknowledges the reality of Satan, but he leaves no room for “the devil made me do it” responses.
As a book that is a part of the “Helping the Helpers” series, Powlison moves on in Part 2 to discuss how to counsel others in the reality of spiritual warfare. This is where Powlison shines brightly as a skillful counselor. The reader is able to get a glimpse of how Powlison understands the human condition (sinner and sufferer) and compassionately, lovingly, patiently gets to know those who are sitting right in front of him. You will also notice how masterfully he utilizes God’s Holy Word in the process of helping others.
Powlison explains the importance of prayer when helping others. “The reality of spiritual warfare teaches the counselor and the counselee about our constant need for dependence on the good Shepherd. We express that dependence as we pray at all times, for all the saints, and most especially for those that the Lord has entrusted to us to guide and help” (pg. 45). Counselors need to be those who pray often!
The last chapter of this book is about the last battle that we will all face: death. This is a beautiful chapter that is perhaps worth the price of the book itself. Powlison mentions that he is dealing with his cancer as he writes, and he is absolutely transparent and vulnerable as he expresses his own thoughts and feelings and sufferings. But more than anything, you can sense that he is indeed safe and sound in the arms of his Savior!
As with any book authored by Dr. Powlison, I highly recommend it! It is sure to minister to your own soul while simultaneously preparing you to better minister to others.
Disclaimer: My thanks to New Growth Press for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book on behalf of an unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.
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Matt became a joyful follower of Jesus at the age of 21. He is very grateful to be a husband to Lindsey, and a father to four boys. He is an ordained minister (teaching elder) in the PCA. He previously served as a pastor of biblical counseling and is currently a corporate chaplain in southern Delaware. Matt received his Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds an advanced certification in biblical counseling from the Association of Biblical Counselors. In his free time, he loves playing with his boys, traveling with his wife, and reading (and buying!) books.
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