Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – The road of carrying the cross with Jesus is not as strewn with roses as many imagine. There are times you experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s presence, but there are also times you are strongly attacked and your spiritual life runs dry.
Our spiritual life is not always on a mountaintop. There are seasons when we feel dry and distant from God without knowing why. These four signs of spiritual attack help you recognize when your spiritual life is in trouble, so you can return to God quickly. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
There are many signs that you are under attack, but here are four basic ones to help you recognize your own spiritual condition.
4 Signs Your Spiritual Life Is in Trouble
1. Feeling worthless
This often happens right after you have been set free from sin and are boldly sharing the gospel with those around you. The enemy, Satan, does not like it and attacks you. You may then feel worthless or unworthy of salvation, and doubt that you are saved. You think of yourself as a hypocrite and a sinner.
The devil always lurks and whispers things like, “Who do you think you are? A wretch like you preaching the gospel?” I personally treasure this verse: “And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).
2. Not praying
Let me say it again: whenever we feel guilty, we need to repent and confess right away. Don’t let sin linger in your life, because the longer you delay prayer, the harder it is to restore that fellowship. Falling into this condition means gradually losing the greatest power we have received from God. Often when I try to focus on prayer, the phone rings, someone knocks on the door, the washing machine spins… and all these interruptions crowd my mind. That may come from the powers of darkness. The one thing the devil truly fears is when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ and are covered by His precious blood. Prayer is not easy. For some it seems simple, but when we are under spiritual attack, prayer is the last thing we do. Only when we kneel earnestly before Him can we grow. Sometimes it is hard, but start by giving thanks to God and learning His Word and His attributes. This keeps the devil from interfering with your prayers and forces him to retreat from your mind.
3. Feeling condemned and judged
This is similar to the first sign, feeling worthless, but there is a difference. We may feel we are not like a believer because we don’t feel holy. We need to know God’s Word, read and memorize Romans 8. This passage offers so much encouragement and is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible.
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37–39)
Hearing these words, do you feel condemned? Certainly NOT! Never trust your feelings; trust only God’s Word.
4. God’s Word feels dry
This may be the hardest thing to do when you are under spiritual attack, yet it is the most effective weapon when combined with prayer, because God’s Word is eternal and powerful. We believe God’s Word is sharper than a double-edged sword, so why do we let it slip away? The less you feel like reading God’s Word, the more you need to read it, to ask for and receive His power. Live in God’s Word. Make a daily Bible reading plan and stick with it. This is a crucial weapon in this spiritual battle!
Conclusion
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
This is Jesus’ invitation. If you are weary, under attack, tempted or running the race alone, come back to God. If you read this and see yourself facing one of these signs, may the Holy Spirit comfort you and lead you back to experience God’s everlasting love. God is waiting for you!
Restoring Your Spiritual Life
Recognizing the signs is a grace, because it is God calling us back. Start with simple steps: confess honestly to God, return to your time in His Word and prayer, and reach out to brothers and sisters in the church for support.
Jesus invites us: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” He does not wait for us to fix ourselves before coming; He invites us to come as we are.
You may also like: 5 Essentials for Spiritual Growth and When I Am Afraid.
Prayer
Lord, search our hearts and show us what is drying up our spiritual lives. Draw us back close to You, and refresh our hearts with Your Word and Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Article: Translation Team – Communications Ministry, Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church
Adapted from: FaithInTheNews.com
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