SPIRITUAL
ATTACK
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A SPIRITUAL ATTACK?
1.
One heavy
circumstance after another.(Matthew 4:1-11)
2.
Accusations.(Revelation
12:7)
3.
Ongoing thoughts of
what you don’t have, rather than focusing on God’s blessings.
4.
Continual
temptations at the same point of your weakness.(Matthew 4:2)
5.
Attempts to engage
you in debate.
6.
Fear based on lies,
expose the lie and it must leave.(II Corinthians 7:5)
7.
Doubts about the
truthfulness and goodness of God.
8.
General sense of
heaviness and depression.(II Corinthians 1:8)
9.
Deception.
10.
Division.
If you experience all ten of these, you have uncovered a “major
attack” on your life. The
next step is to know how to respond to these by understanding your
enemy’s tactics.
WHAT ARE SOME OF SATAN’S TACTICS?
“Be self controlled and alert. Your
enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. Resist him, standing
firm in the faith…”(I Peter 5:8-9)
TACTIC #1: Satan incites us to compare ourselves against others in our
kingdom accomplishments, spiritual maturity, and our level of intimacy
with the Lord. This brings in
pride. We can respond to this
attack with, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of God?…Whoever
humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 18:1-4)
TACTIC #2: Satan attempts to keep us in denial regarding our weaknesses.
For our weaknesses are doors that Satan uses to tempt us to sin.
We can close the door on this tactic by asking the Holy Spirit to
show us our weakness. After
they are revealed, ask God to turn them into strengths.
TACTIC #3: Satan attempts to rob us of God’s mercy, grace, and
unconditional loved. Satan
wants us to believe that those of
us who have wandered away, at some point in our Christian walk and then
returned, are inferior to those of us who have never wandered. “If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them, wanders
away, will He not leave the ninety-nine and go look for the one that
wandered off?”(Matthew 18:10-12) The person that has wandered from God
and returns is accepted back with great rejoicing.
We are to forgive and accept those who have returned, just as God
has accepted us, unconditionally!
TACTIC #4: Satan attempts to keep us in a state of unforgiveness and to
have a hardened heart towards others.
“How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against
me?” Jesus says,…seventy
times seven!”(Matthew 18:22) Why does Jesus ask this of us! Because God doesn’t keep score on any of us and we are to
emulate our Heavenly Father.
Now, that you are equipped to win spiritual battles, you can reassure
yourself as you face future battles with this truth: “With God I will
gain the victory and He will trample down my enemies.”(Psalms 108:13)
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