Understanding Spiritual Warfare

For devoted believers, the concept of spiritual warfare has been widely discussed. Whether you are a new Christian or a long-time faithful follower of Christ, understanding spiritual warfare is considered important. Life often presents challenges that make it difficult to discern whether a situation is spiritual or simply a circumstantial challenge. This is why, as Christians, it is essential to exercise discernment in all situations and interactions with others.

1 Peter 5:8-9

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

There is an enemy among us. He has been studying humans and everything about us since the beginning of our creation. Our adversary, Satan, has gotten to know us on a deep level. He knows the way we live in our daily lives, our reactions, our weaknesses, strengths, and even the sins that we struggle with. He even knows certain sins which are inherited down through our bloodlines.

Sometimes we are not aware of him inserting himself into our lives. He lurks in the shadows and wants to tear down and destroy everything good and innocent. He wants to interfere with the gifts, destinies, and God’s will for every person.

The enemy wants to distract us from our walk with God and keep us from gaining our spiritual strength. He also wants to fill us with fear, misery, sorrow, and doubt. He will also attack us right before we level up in our faith and receive blessings or be endowed with a spiritual gift from God.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

There is a concept called "fighting in the spirit." This is often associated with spiritual warfare. As believers engaging in spiritual battles and using the power of prayer and faith to overcome challenges is important. We are being attacked in another realm in which Angels and demons battle. We are under attack because we are made in the image of God, and we are his beloved creation.

He has endowed us and chosen us all to have different specific spiritual gifts that we activate by increasing our faith and standing strong on God’s word. Prayer and meditation on the Word are also crucial to building a relationship with Jesus. Through a relationship with God, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to stand against the devil.

Ephesians 6:10-12

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

This is a reminder that our struggles are not merely physical or circumstantial, but that there are spiritual forces at play. Embracing the lord’s will and living in obedience to him gives believers the guidance of the divine and the ability to cultivate spiritual discernment in navigating life's challenges. Various signs may indicate you are experiencing a spiritual attack.

These signs include persistent negative thoughts, unexplained physical or emotional pain, sudden and intense temptation to engage in destructive behavior, breakdowns in relationships, and a general feeling of being spiritually drained or under attack. Recognizing the signs and seeking advice from a trusted spiritual leader or counselor is incredibly important. This can mean life or death spiritually.

Another thing you may experience is nightmarish dreams. In these dreams, someone may be trying to attack you physically. Entities in dreams can pull your hair, try to bite, chase you, and appear aggressive and violent. You will have feelings of fear, anxiety, and sometimes, dread. When these things happen to the dreamer, the enemy has sent an entity or even a witch with an assignment against you. They aim to instill fear in you and maintain a tight spiritual hold. There are a few ways you can be bound. These can include, having an addiction, being out of control of your emotions, and entertaining negative thoughts. These things can also keep you from receiving blessings and even spiritual gifts that are assigned to you by God.

Negative thoughts are seeds planted by the enemy to control you. They make you think people are against you or make you think about doing bad things. When you are under attack, things will manifest in the waking realm. it can be someone talking behind your back. Things at work or home start to fall apart for no reason. Relationships suddenly have a wedge between them.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

You may be blindsided by what is taking place. You must keep your faith centered in God and rebuke and declare the enemy's plans null and void in the name of Jesus. Prayer is a literal weapon against the enemy. Resisting his temptations and taking your thoughts captive (rebuking the negative seeds planted) Can effectively make the devil flee from you and can keep divine protection over you and your family.

The enemy can place certain people in your life that can cause struggles. These people can be a negative influence and convince you to make bad choices and that you are fine. It may seem like little things, but you will become desensitized to sin and fall deeper into the darkness. God has and will always make a way for us to escape temptation. He never lets us endure more than we can handle.

Colossians 1:13-14

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Breaking free from spiritual attacks can be extremely freeing and bring immense joy and abundant blessings. This also means you are strengthening your spiritual life and your faith. When we have to engage in these battles it can be a draining process. It is important to remember we cannot do this alone. We need the strength of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I sincerely hope this information is helpful to someone seeking knowledge. May many blessings come to all my readers.