Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – How do you know whether you are under spiritual attack? I hope the following points help you recognize whether you are being attacked.
Scripture makes clear that we are in a spiritual battle, “not against flesh and blood.” But we don’t always recognize when we are under spiritual attack. The signs below help you recognize it and stand firm. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
Feeling Condemned
Everyone who believes in Christ is saved, but sometimes the accuser of the brothers, the devil or his demons, will try to sow doubt in our minds. He wants us to doubt God’s Word that says He will not lose any who belong to Him (John 6:39) and that whoever comes to Him in faith He will never cast out (John 6:37). So will we trust our feelings more, or God’s Word? By nature, one is objective truth (Scripture), while the other, our feelings, is subjective and can be wrong. The devil has been a liar from the beginning, and even though he accuses us day and night (Revelation 12:10), he has no authority over us. Yes, he is right about our sins, but he leaves out the part about our sins being cleansed (1 John 1:9). The interesting thing about Satan is that when we are tempted to sin, he whispers, “Go ahead… it’s not that bad. It’s just a little sin… and everyone else is doing it,” but after we sin, he says, “How could you be saved… you’re not a real Christian… you’re a hypocrite.” Sadly, many Christians live with a constant sense of condemnation that robs them of all joy, but that is not what Scripture teaches. When you stand before God on the Day of Judgment, the devil will have no evidence against you, because God has declared you righteous in His sight through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Sorry, Satan, we have been declared “Not guilty!”
Losing Your Purpose
When you feel you have lost your purpose in life, you may be under spiritual attack. That is because everyone in the body of Christ, the church, has a purpose. For one thing, God created you to do good works for His glory. Paul writes, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life” (Ephesians 2:10). God prepared good works for you to do long before you were born, so how can we think we have no purpose? Even the devil’s existence serves a purpose, because God is glorified when He uses even those things for His good purposes (Genesis 50:20; John 3:16). If you feel you have no purpose, you are relying more on your feelings than on the objective truth found in God’s Word, which says we were made to glorify God and to “go into the world” (Matthew 28:19–20). You have a purpose. Scripture says so, and Scripture is never wrong.
Dryness in God’s Word and Prayer
When you find it hard to pray, and have perhaps stopped praying altogether, you may well be under spiritual attack. When we stop talking with God, we cut ourselves off from the great source of help in our Father. We can do nothing in our own strength. Jesus made this clear: “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5); but He also said, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). A wonderful way to abide in Christ is to abide in His Word, the Bible. The whole book is about Him, so why not learn more about Him? When you find it hard to read the Bible and pray, that is when you need them most. Why not come to the Father, through Jesus Christ, and ask Him to rekindle the fire and restore your longing for Him? God will hear and answer such a sincere prayer. If you don’t get into God’s Word, God’s Word won’t get into you. If you don’t pray, you are relying on yourself, and I’m speaking from experience: that is a terrible idea. I know, because I have done it! Set a time, a place and a daily schedule for prayer. I pray in bed before I get up. Then I read a bit of the Old Testament and a bit of the New Testament, whether I feel like it or not. Honestly, some days I don’t feel like it, but skipping is a bad plan. If I skip prayer and Bible reading, I start the day without the Bread of Life and cut off communication with my heavenly Father.
Unrelenting Anger
If you are under spiritual attack, you may find yourself quicker to anger than before, even over small things. We can become angry and take it out on others as a result of not reading the Bible, not praying, feeling condemned and feeling purposeless. These things can make us feel useless to God, and that uselessness robs us of joy, of passion for witnessing to Christ and doing good works for God’s glory (Ephesians 2:10). That is exactly what the enemy wants. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Psalm 28:7–8; Nehemiah 8:10), so when our joy goes, our strength goes with it. A great way out of anger is to start thanking God for everything you have. Make a list… add to it every day. When you have time, ask others what they thank God for. Ask your spouse and even your children. It is hard to be angry when you are grateful, and shouldn’t we be the most grateful people on earth?
Conclusion
There are dozens of other signs that you are in the middle of a spiritual attack. In which areas of your life is the enemy attacking? Do you know that Satan was defeated at the cross? We have victory in Jesus and are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37). The devil has no authority over you. Tell the enemy that.
Standing Firm Under Spiritual Attack
When you realize you are under spiritual attack, don’t panic. Jesus has defeated the devil on the cross. Put on the full armor of God as Ephesians 6 teaches: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation and the Word of God.
Reach out to brothers and sisters in the church for prayer. The enemy often attacks those who stand alone, but a cord of three strands is not easily broken.
You may also like: 4 Signs Your Spiritual Life Is in Trouble and 5 Ways to Pray to Defeat Fear.
Prayer
Lord, thank You that Jesus has triumphed over every power of darkness. When we are under spiritual attack, help us stand firm in the truth, put on Your armor and rely on Your strength. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Article: Translation Team – Communications Ministry, Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church
Adapted from: FaithInTheNews.com
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