Transcription
[Music] We tend to have a sensationalized view of what a spiritual attack looks like. Movies, television, and popular culture have given us a particular image of what a spiritual attack apparently looks like. However, what the world perceives to be a spiritual attack and what the reality of spiritual attacks look like, these are quite different.
Now, it would be incorrect to assume that all spiritual attacks look like full-blown demon possession. They don't. Most times, spiritual attacks come in much more subtle forms. They come in ways where they wouldn't be expected or noticed. The devil's primary weapon is deception, not aggression. The enemy wants to hide in the shadows and lurk in the darkness. He'll never come out in the open because he wants you to unknowingly give him full access. If he were to show you his full self and intentions, then we would all be quick to call on God and rebuke the devil. However, if he comes as a wolf in sheep's clothes, if he comes in the form of deceptions and lies, if he comes under the guise of regular life changes, then not only won't you suspect him, but you will be unable to fight or guard against him. You cannot fight something you don't know is there.
Now, I want to warn you about some of the signs to watch out for when you're under spiritual attack. If you know the signs, you can detect the attacks and fight against them. To begin with, let me tell you that one sign to signal that you could be under spiritual attack is if the enemy comes at you like a flood. In other words, you're facing problem after problem, one thing after another. When it seems like you can't catch a break, like the old saying goes, when it rains, it pours. I've known people to go through things like a job loss, a relative passing away, another close relative becoming ill, and then they got into a car accident, all in a very short space of time. One thing after another, and you can't seem to catch a break. But the key to recognizing this as a spiritual attack is what your response is to it. The point of this mode of attack is to keep you preoccupied with the problem and not the solution, which is Jesus. It's designed to keep your eyes off of Jesus. This type of attack, where it seems like the floodgates of hell have opened on your doorstep, these attacks are designed to drown you, to drown your faith and leave you in doubt. They're designed to discourage you. But in all of this, the key to overcoming is never taking your eyes off Jesus.
And let me tell you why. Do you remember the story of Peter walking on water? The disciples were in the middle of a bad storm on the Sea of Galilee, but all of a sudden, they see Jesus walking towards them. When Peter sees him, he asks to join him. Jesus agrees. Peter steps out onto the water and is doing fine for a while. Suddenly, the waves begin to rise, and Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus and becomes distracted, and he begins to sink. The waves, the other disciples on the boats, perhaps Peter's own ego, all served as distractions from the one thing Peter should have been doing, which is keeping his eyes on Jesus. It's the same way with us. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and not on all the things going on around us. If we have that singular focus, we can guard against this particular spiritual attack. So remember this: if you feel like you're sinking from a wave of attack, keep your eyes on Jesus. If you feel like you're drowning, keep your eyes on Jesus.
Now, another sign of spiritual attack is that old habits and lifestyles begin to resurface. You see, when as a Christian, you've been baptized, you gave your life to the Lord, you turned your life around, you've made significant changes in your life, but that's only the beginning, not the end. The devil isn't going to let you go just like that. No, he's going to fight to bring you back. In this mode of spiritual attack, you'll notice things like friends from the past come back into your life, trying to draw you backward. Certain people around you will begin to entice you to fall back into old sinful habits. This is the devil testing you and tempting you so that you would leave everything godly for the pleasures of the world. It's like the parable Jesus tells about the farmer planting seeds in Matthew 13. Some seeds fall on thorny ground, and as the plant grows, the thorns choke the plants, and they don't produce fruit. Jesus tells us this represents those who hear the word, receive the word, but cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word. We must guard against this attack by being vigilant about our company and staying plugged into a Bible-believing, godly community. So here's the thing: beware who's in your inner circle. Beware of the company you keep. Some people will push you forward, indeed, but some people come only to pull you backward. And we need to be wise when it comes to those around us.
Another clear sign of spiritual attack is that you find yourself being isolated or being pulled away from godly relationships. This is a trap by the enemy to try and get you isolated and alone so that you're weak and vulnerable. The enemy knows that we are stronger together. The enemy knows that the Bible says in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them." We're not designed to go through the Christian life, or life in general, alone. We need each other to survive and to succeed. We need each other as believers in Christ for encouragement. If the devil can isolate us, he can gain more of a foothold over us. And the way to guard against this attack is to stay vigilant about maintaining a strong godly community and praying for the Lord to surround you with people who are strong in faith and people who have integrity.
The last sign of a spiritual attack is that prayer will become more difficult than usual. We all go through down spells where we just don't feel like praying or connecting with God, or our prayers feel dry and powerless. However, we should never let it get to the point where you actually stop praying. This is because the flesh and the spirit are at war, and the enemy does not want you to reach out to the Lord. This is the type of season where you should even fight harder to fast and pray, because some battles won't be won by just prayer alone. As Jesus said, "This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting." In the time when you feel most disconnected, that's the time to go harder.
If we keep our spiritual eyes and ears attuned to these signs, we can be ready, aware, and able to fend off every spiritual attack from the enemy. One way the enemy attacks a believer's life is through despair, depression, and discouragement. When Paul wrote his second letter to the Church of Corinth, he had endured horrific events: three shipwrecks, he survived the stoning, endured five, five lashings, frequent imprisonments, and three beatings. All of this was enough for Paul to fall into depression and despair. This was enough for Paul to be left discouraged. Under such pressure, many Christians would have fallen into a pit of despair. But I want you to see what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." We may face battles and attacks in this world, but we can trust in our mighty God to be our shelter through it all. In these times when we're tossed to and fro through the waves of adversity, this is when we should gear ourselves up to fight. This is the time that we have to pray, fast, and study God's word in order to find peace in the midst of it. So during those seasons, in those moments when we feel overwhelmingly discouraged and without any strength to keep going, this is the time that we must call out to God. This is the time that we must seek strength from the Lord. This is the time that we must cling on to the power of the Holy Ghost.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." This is one of those passages of scripture that really puts things into perspective. The Bible is telling us here that although we live in this world, we do not, and we should not, fight our battles like the world. In fact, the weapons that we have available to us aren't physical weapons. But note how the Bible says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God." The weapons we can access as children of God have divine power. They are weapons unlike anything in this world because they are heavenly weapons. And at the mention of the word weapons, people usually think of the physical weapons in this world, like a bat or a gun. However, the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 4:12, "For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The word of God is one of the weapons that we have as children of God. It's a weapon that is powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. The word of God is a weapon that you can use against the devil. It's an effective weapon against the devil.
In fact, so what does the Bible mean when it says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh"? As a believer, you're not fighting people. You're not just fighting circumstances. No, you're fighting the spirit behind the person, the devil behind the situation. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." This is what the Bible says in Ephesians 6:12. So here's what I am encouraging you to do today: pray for victory in all areas of your life. Declare God's promises in all areas of your life. Believe that there's power in the name of Jesus Christ. There is power in God's word and through His Spirit. When we pray, we can be confident that the Lord is always near to those who seek and call on Him. Believe that God will break every plan of the enemy. Trust that the Lord will have the final say in all matters concerning you. The conflicts you face, the battles you face, the Lord has the final say over all of that. So I encourage you, people of God, to trust God. Trust in the word of the Lord. Trust in His promises, and you will have the victory.
Spiritual warfare is a phrase that we hear a lot in the church, and while many people have an idea of what it is, many people do not fully understand it and thus are unaware that they have been in many spiritual battles over the course of their lifetimes. The devil is committed to preventing people from knowing God and trusting Him with their lives. The enemy's tactics do differ depending on whether someone is already a Christian or not, but his ultimate purpose is always to keep people from experiencing the love of God. Now, let me clarify this for everyone listening: spiritual warfare is not something to be feared because the battle belongs to the Lord. This war is not one that we fight on our own, but we allow God to fight for us because it's only when we do this that we will be able to wage victorious spiritual warfare. This war affects every area of your life. There is no way you can avoid the conflict. A lot of Christians don't even know they're at war, but others can see the results of the battle in their lives because they have become casualties of spiritual warfare. They're discouraged, depressed, downtrodden, and defeated. Others are marital and family casualties. Divorce, conflict, and abuse are some of the battle scars these believers bear.
Let me give you some insight on the enemy's strategy when it comes to spiritual warfare. There are four things the enemy sets out to achieve when he attacks believers. These four things are to discourage, to distract, to stir discontent, and to bring discord. Allow me to elaborate: the enemy seeks to discourage you from your faith. The enemy seeks to distract you from your calling with worldly pleasure and all manner of temptation. The enemy seeks to stir discontent in your physical life. And finally, the enemy seeks to bring discord between you and other believers to stop the unity of the gospel.
So here's how you gain victory. The Bible tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. It's important to take regular time alone with God, preferably as free from distractions as possible. Jesus wanted to give God His full attention and spend time with His heavenly Father. If even Jesus needed to withdraw from crowds and His friends to be alone with God, and Jesus is God, how much more do His followers need to do the same? Prayer is a powerful weapon for spiritual warfare. Prayer is you giving your battles to God. You're calling on Him to engage in the battle for you.