What to Do about Spiritual Attack
Why didn’t someone tell me how awful this is?! I despaired a few months into serving with a Christian ministry. I knew about spiritual attack, but I had never encountered such intense spiritual warfare.
I’m sure someone did warn me—but when we step out for God in a new way, we may find ourselves reeling from the increased heat of the battle.
Let’s look at some crucial truths about spiritual warfare.
Know spiritual warfare is real
Have you ever found yourself thinking something like, I’m just having a bad day, or I’m just stressed out. I’m making too big of a deal about this spiritual attack stuff?
No, you’re not making too big of a deal about evil. The enemy is real, and we battle against demonic forces. Read one of the most well-known passages in Scripture about demonic attack: Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Satan hates us because we belong to God, and he will do anything to thwart our purpose of glorifying God.
Know the signs of spiritual attack
Sometimes we might want to dismiss spiritual attack because it can look like such ordinary situations: a fight with a friend where you have a hard time forgiving; worry about your child getting sick a day before you leave to speak; writers block like you’ve never experienced—and you really need to finish writing so you can practice your talk! Distractions keeping you from prayer and preparation. And on and on.
When I am preparing for speaking or writing, I know I’m under attack when I experience insecurity, discouragement, or doubt (I wrote about doubt in last week’s post—click here). These emotions usually come in the form of thoughts: What if I’m the worst speaker they’ve ever had? What if my writing submission gets rejected again? Why did I ever think I had anything unique or helpful to publish?
Maybe you can relate, as you experience these same attacks. Be on the lookout for other symptoms of attack: unforgiveness or bitterness; emotional upheaval with self, friends or family; sickness; relationship discord; fatigue; focus on self; difficult circumstances piling up at one time; disconnection from God and/or His people.
Because the enemy is a deceiver, we need to pray on a regular basis for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the enemy’s schemes in these forms on any others.
Know how to fight
We cannot fight evil on our own. While that’s ultimately God’s job, we cannot, however, be passive. God has equipped us for battle (see Ephesians 6:10-20). We must wield every weapon available to us, acknowledging without God’s power we are not effective in the battle.
Prayer is my go-to weapon for attacking the enemy’s schemes. I also ask my husband and a group of friends to pray for me when I feel the battle. The other most effective weapon is to speak the truth of God’s Word—and I like to do this aloud. I also find it helpful to post reminder verses around my house and in my car. Because insecurity is often what I battle, I’ve memorized 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
Know where to focus
I’ll give credit to my son for this last point. I asked him to share his thoughts about spiritual warfare, and I love how he got right to the heart of the matter:
“Mom, I think we just need to focus most on the Gospel and God’s love.”
Amen, sweet son.
~Melanie
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject of spiritual attack. What signs do you experience when you’re under attack? What’s your most powerful weapon?
Melanie, I thought I understood about spiritual warfare, but reading this today opened my eyes in a new way. Fatigue! I just requested prayer from friends to help me to pray because I seem to be experiencing fatigue in a new way, I’ve battled it for a while, but I’m tired of It! I will begin to pray in a different way after today. Thank you for this good word.
Melanie,
It is stunning, and perhaps providential that this landed in my inbox this morning, I was writing about this very subject just yesterday afternoon. I got teary-eyed as I read it. You’re calling it “spiritual warfare,” and I was/am calling it “enemy identification.”
Far too often, I believe the enemy is the obstinate individual standing in front of me, the man or woman with whom I find myself at odds. They may even be actively aggressive toward me, or perhaps it is a passive aggressive thing where they are working to thwart my efforts.
THEY are NOT the enemy. They are being used BY the enemy, but I need to understand exactly what you and Paul said, “My battle is not against the flesh and blood standing in front of me…”
Hi Damon,
Thanks for stopping by Next Step! Yes, Satan uses every trick in the book…and then some. I’m glad you’re writing about this topic. It’s so important! Because we live in the physical world, it’s so easy to forget the unseen spiritual world – how there is a neverending battle.
Prayers for you today.
Hi Carmen,
Thanks for the feedback. Okay, can I be honest? That stinky fatigue is my number one symptom – and I’m sick of it too! I am going to pray for you right now. Lord, You know your servant, Carmen. We renounce Satan’s schemes. He has no power over Carmen. In the name of Jesus, we pray for her energy to be renewed! May her sleep be restful and refreshing, and may she wake up with surprising energy to glorify you! Amen.
I receive that prayer in the name of Jesus!
WAW! Just as last week’s post, this came in the perfect time. Yesterday I visited a sweet friend and encouraged her in some struggles – at night I had the worse stomach pain (mind you, one of her physical problems was a huge pain in her abdomen) and back pain that stopped me from getting a good night sleep and most importantly stopped me today from doing an important training for my BSF class. My sister was the one mentioning about being a spiritual attack as well! I believe it – I had so much doubt the whole day, and still some pain and not able to do much but rest… And it’s been VERY hard to read my Bible. I will go do that now…
Thank you for your timely post and encouraging words!
Hi Gabriela, Nice to see you again!
That’s crazy! But I’m rejoicing that you’re making the connection. I have a chronic condition so I pray a lot for healing. I’m going to give you an example of how I pray. I’m not saying you need to pray exactly like this, but sometimes an example helps and I’ll pray it for you too: In the name of Jesus, I pray for any demonic force coming against, especially the stomach and back pain, to be stopped in the power of and authority of Jesus. You have no power over me, evil. I repent of any fear and unbelief that I may have given into. Thank you for your love, Lord, and I rest and stand strong in that. Amen!
I also want to be clear when it comes to illness – that prayer is my main line of defense for my chronic condition, but I also see a doctor regularly. Just didn’t want to be misunderstood.
I remember C.S. Lewis writing that we tend to go to one of two extremes regarding spiritual warfare. Either we see the devil around every corner and blame him for everything, or we don’t give him a thought. I tend to lean the way of not considering spiritual warfare enough. Today’s post was a good reminder. I’ve been going through a really emotional, stressful season and I need to pay attention to the spiritual warfare going on and make sure I’m prepared.
Oh my, I love that inisght from C.S. Lewis. Thank you for sharing that, Laura!
I will pray for you during this season, that your feet, heart, soul, and spirit will find the goodness and security of His level ground.
I experience all the signs you mentioned. In fact, on this day I am recovering from what I call an escalation in attack. Satan knows those who can hurt us most. If that loved one opens the door, evil will use him/her to break your heart. It is hard to walk out the truth that we fight against the spirit controlling that person as opposed to the individual him/herself.
Amen, Amen. Praying for protection all around you!
I love this and needed it so much this month. I am a brand new author, released my first book under contract on September 1st as well as a new speaking venture, and it has felt like the temperature has been cranked up in my soul and life! I sent this article to my husband too, and he said, “Babe, it’s spot on, just what we suspected.” We knew we would have trials, but some of the blows came from the least likely sources…at the most vulnerable times. For me it looks like weird health issues that have no source, just uncomfortable and distracting with their threat of harm. A long-time friend who essentially rejected my book (which is pretty much my story!) and has offered no reason but has withdrawn all support of me as a woman showing up to my life. And in spite of the peace in my family, the joy in our home and the fruit from speaking and writing Gospel-centered, the guilt and shame for being in the public with a voice has nearly shut me down so many times I have lost count! If it weren’t for the Word reassuring me with timely anchors that I am tracking with God, and the wisdom and counsel of wise friends and family…I may have folded the whole thing by now. Today my eyes are wide open though, knowing that my “little ministry” may seem like small potatoes to some, but ANYTIME we step out with the GOSPEL, we can expect big battles. I am trusting that ultimately it will all be worth it, and even now see my soul growing in perseverance – and I needed this built into me. I don’t “have to” do any of this, but I get to and I want to…so it’s time to armor up, this is ground war! ❤️
Heather,
Thank you so much for sharing! I think it always helps to know that others are experiencing similar things and you’re not crazy and it’s spiritual attack.
Congratulations on your book! I am praying for you right now! Sometimes the only prayer you need is to say the name of Jesus aloud!
Praying now that you sense God’s comfort in this storm!
This opened my eyes. I have been experiencing a lot of spiritual attack these days. Fear, falling sick often in my body, fatigue n yes attack in my sleep. Attack through dreams. This is the worst attack I feel . As you mentioned I’ll pray aloud n read my Bible aloud.
Thank you