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5 Signs You’re in Spiritual Warfare and How to Fight It
God gives specific instructions in his Word, he gives us all we need to stand strong in this life and have victory over the battlefields of our mind, heart, and soul. Yet all too often we race through busy, full days, ill-equipped, unprepared, or simply not aware of what we’re up against, or who the real enemy even is…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>
The forces of darkness don’t wait for us to be ready for their attack. They’re ruthless, determined, and cunning. The devil could not care less if we “feel” prepared or prayed up for our day. In fact, he prefers we’re not.
But in a broken, dark world, how can we really know if we’re facing the expected difficulties of life as compared to true spiritual warfare attacks of the enemy? Jesus, Himself told us that in this life we would experience troubles (John 16:33), we know this to be true. And though many times, we may not fully know who or what is behind the struggles, we can be assured that God equips us for battle and He instructs us to live alert.
Spiritual warfare is not giving the devil more attention or focusing too much on his evil ways. Biblical warfare is making ourselves more attentive to what God is doing and remembering to stand firm and let Him fight our fiercest battles. There’s power through His Spirit, His Word, and in prayer, and we can be confident that He is always with us, leading our way and covering us from behind.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS WE MAY BE FIGHTING SPIRITUAL BATTLES IN OUR LIVES AND WORLD TODAY, BUT HERE ARE 5 EXAMPLES FROM SCRIPTURE THAT MAY REVEAL YOU’RE UNDER A SPIRITUAL WARFARE ATTACK:
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1. Sudden or extreme onslaught of various troubles, losses, and trials
This is a ruthless attack that Satan often brings against believers. It seems to come out of nowhere, and it’s just one thing after another. It’s hard to even see straight, you feel your life is suddenly spinning out of control. Job’s life is an example to us of what this may be like (Job 1-2). The devil went to God to ask him if he could torment Job, thinking he would try to lead him away from the Lord through the many struggles he faced. As we know from the book of Job, this righteous man stood strong. Though it seemed he was losing everything dear to him, he knew that God held him secure through all the loss and hardship around him. God will never allow the enemy to have full control, he doesn’t have the final say over our lives. We may face battles and attacks in this world, but we can trust in our Mighty God to be our shelter through it all.
Save this PDF to your phone or share it with loved ones to encourage them: Prayers for Spiritual Warfare
2. Attacks of physical danger, illness, life-threatening loss
We know from God’s word that the enemy wants nothing more than to “steal, kill, and destroy” our lives and all we love (John 10:10). He is a thief, a roaring lion, and preys on God’s people and attacks us in battles we don’t see coming. He desires to silence our voices and take us out of this world to shut off the light of God’s love and hope through Christ. Many of us may have experienced near death experiences, sudden and terrible illness, or holding loved ones who were at the brink of heaven. And yet God intervened to keep us here longer. There’s many stories in the Bible of God’s people under great physical attack and danger, and so many miracles that God performed to bring them safely through. Even when it didn’t make sense. Even when it seemed to be the end.
3. Increased temptation and luring towards sin or wrong choices
4. Feelings of overwhelming despair, darkness, and fear
Many may struggle with anxiety and fear in this life. Many may be facing depression and mood disorders, or mental illness. But often the attacks of spiritual forces against our lives raise the intensity to an even greater degree than normal day-to-day struggles. It’s ruthless, and unrelenting, we feel alone and completely overwhelmed and stuck in deep fear and despair. Recognize this darkness for what it is, and stand strong!
5. Deep confusion, feelings of condemnation and guilt, dulled spiritual awareness
This last sign of spiritual warfare can be difficult to see through at times. Because this attack can be so subtle and can happen slowly over time. But when we stop and look closely, we can call it out for what it is. A slow, constant pulling away from God’s truth will leave us feeling confused, irritated, conflicted, and facing generalized feelings of guilt and condemnation that we just can’t seem to shake off. We’ve lost our desire to even press in and pray. Or we’re too busy, we’ve got too much to do, even good things. We’re not in God’s word. We’re out of fellowship with believers somehow believing the lie we can do this life thing all on our own. And yet we feel a dark cloud of confusion and guilt that follows us around and won’t go away. Bitterness can set in. Conflict and broken relationships that we once cared about. We don’t even know what to believe anymore and have started listening more to what the world says is right.
God arms us with the sword, the Word of God, to stand against the enemy’s lies. He equips us with strength, wisdom, and discernment through His own Spirit to stay strong in the real battle of spiritual warfare. He invites us to spend time in His Presence, through prayer and worship, pressing in to know Him more.
HERE’S 7 THINGS GOD OFFERS US TO STAND FIRM AGAINST SPIRITUAL WARFARE ATTACK:
1. The Gift of the Holy Spirit
God fills us with strength, wisdom, and discernment through His own Spirit to stay strong in the battle. He never leaves us to fend for ourselves and fight in our own strength. We need His fresh filling every day, we need the empowerment that only He can offer. Every believer has the gift of God’s Spirit dwelling within them. The same power that raised Lazarus from the dead, parted the sea, broke open prison doors, and caused the lame to walk, is the same powerful Spirit still alive and at work within us today, allowing us to stand firm in the presence of spiritual warfare.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
2. Armor of God
God reminds us not to go into the day without being prepared and equipped for battle. He tells us to take up his full armor in order to stand against the enemy’s schemes. Each piece has a specific purpose and is designed for our protection and covering. Just as a soldier would not go to battle unprepared, we also should be fully ready for the attacks we will face through the armor of God for spiritual battles. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>
God invites us to have a relationship with Him, He desires for us to spend time in His presence, pressing in to know Him more. He reminds us constantly in His word of the importance of prayer and the power that is found there. He tells us to pray without ceasing. And even when we don’t know what to say, He tells us that the Spirit intercedes for us. He never leaves us to fend for ourselves in a dark world, but reminds us that He is constantly with us, fighting for us, even when we cannot see. Whether you are in a season of rest or a season of spiritual warfare battle, prayer is one of our biggest weapons.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18).
“…The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16).
A Prayer to Guard Against Spiritual Warfare Attacks
We know that the enemy wouldn’t be fighting so hard against us if we weren’t making a difference for your kingdom. He wouldn’t be trying so hard to stop us, if he didn’t think you had so much good still in store. Remind us today Lord, that the battle belongs to you, and whatever we’re up against can be taken down in one fell swoop by your mighty hand. Please help us to trust you more, to stop wasting time just spinning our wheels or fighting in our strength. Forgive us for the times we’ve neglected to set our eyes and hearts on you, for the days we’ve forgotten to come to you first. Fill us with the power of your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your wisdom and discernment to make us aware of the enemy’s traps, so we can stand strong against his schemes. Thank you for your constant reminders that your presence will go with us, in whatever we face, and you will give us rest. Amen – Debbie McDaniel
4. His Word
God arms us with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to stand against the enemy’s lies. Praying God’s words back to Him, is a powerful weapon against the forces of evil in spiritual warfare. It is Truth going out into enemy territory. It reminds us that God knows our way and understands what we face today. It builds our faith and our trust in God. It guards our hearts and focuses our minds back on Him.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12).
5. Power of Praise
Praise invites God’s Presence. He dwells close to us when we praise Him. And praise is a powerful weapon as well. It makes the enemy flee from battle. It pushes back the darkness the surrounds, and blocks the attacks and hissing lies over us. Evil will not stick around if we’re praising our God, who will fight our battles for us. In the story of Jehoshaphat, we see God miraculously defeat the enemy, because of the people’s obedience to praise Him.
6. Obedience to Christ
Our willingness to obey the words and commandments of Christ in a world that would say to walk our own way is huge. It sets a powerful example that says we are willing to die to our own desires and live for the glory of God. But it will never happen naturally. Our very flesh, our own desires and sin nature will fight against it every step of the way. It’s a daily choice that says we will be careful of every thought, we will take up our cross daily and follow Christ’s ways, not our own.
Submit to God’s authority. Be ruthless with sin, which is an open door for the enemy to wreak havoc in our lives through spiritual warfare. Resist him and he has to flee.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7).
7. The blood of Christ and the word of our testimony
We are overcomers in this life because He has overcome. And our lives are hidden in Christ with God. No enemy or obstacle can touch our souls. When we have been set free by the blood of Christ and the power of His sacrifice by death on the Cross, we have a new identity in Him. We’ve been bought with a price, we are not our own, but covered by the grace and forgiveness of Jesus. We live victorious against the attacks of spiritual warfare, and no demon or darkness can ever separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord. There is Power in the Name of Jesus.
“And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” (Revelation 12:11).
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
When we belong to Christ, the enemy never has the final word over our lives. We are secure in God’s hands.
Press on – courageous and free – never held back by fear or defeat. The battle belongs to the Lord, and He has the final victory!
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