I don’t think there is anyone on the face of the planet that do not face #spiritual warfare, even if they do not recognize it. #Spiritual Warfare is a direct #attack of the #enemy on a person. When the enemy attacks he does not attack you randomly or as an after-that, he is a calculated assassin that comes to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10).
The truth is, #Satan hates you. He hates the fact that #God loves you and created you for a purpose. He hates the fact that you are born with purpose and you are very powerful.
He hates the fact that one day you will enjoy eternal life with Christ in heaven…….
And so he will try everything in his power to stop the move of God in your life and through you.
I have been in seasons of spiritual warfare since I became a Christian and God is advancing me in his kingdom. Days when I am suddenly sick for no apparent or medical reasons. Days when I feel like I just want to die, condemnation, and just simple telling God, ‘Lord you have deceive me’ because I didn’t know that when God called me to greatness and to do his work I would be going through so many attacks.
But I want to tell you that anyone who wants to do the work of the Lord will face spiritual attack, attacks that they do not understand or want to fight. However, God has equipped each one of us for warfare. You have what you need to be victorious.
Although I experience seasons of rest from warfare, I do tend to withstand plenty of onslaughts from the enemy and from #church brethren’s, co-workers and others. The Lord has been advancing me in the kingdom and the devil doesn’t like it.
Clearly, I’m a #target—and I am sure you are too. Anyone doing anything to forward the gospel message is on the devil’s hit list. If you are raising up your children in the way they should go, you’re a target. If you are sowing seeds of truth in your workplace, you’re a target. If you are making intercession in the secret place, you’re a target. You get my point. Every believer is in the army of God—and that brings warfare.
At times like that, people around you will be tempted to tell you what you’ve done to open the door to the enemy in your life. Many times, they will act like Job’s friends. You know what I mean. Eliphaz comes over to your house to tell you how it’s all your fault because you have some hidden sin in your life (Job 4:7-8). After he leaves, Bildad calls to confirm Eliphaz’s poor prophecies (Job 8:20). Finally, Zophar acts as a third witness to condemn you in the battle (Job 11:14-17).
Indeed, we all have plenty of friends who like to judge us when life isn’t going our way. The enemy uses those close to us to add fuel to his fiery darts when what we really need is someone to stand in the gap for us. Of course, we should all examine our hearts when the onslaught comes to make sure we don’t have any open doors, but too many well-intentioned Christians give pat answers and platitudes that do not reflect God’s #heart in the midst of our battle.
Cut Out the Platitudes
Spiritual platitudes—banal, trite and stale remarks—are not as painful as pious calls for repentance for sins you haven’t thought about committing. But spiritual platitudes are unhelpful at best and admittedly annoying. Let’s face it, pat Bible answers—”cast all your cares” and “those whom He loves He disciplines”—that really don’t apply to your situation are anything but a word in due season.
When people are going through hell and back, most people don’t need to play patty cake with verses about not growing weary in well doing, fighting the good fight of faith, standing and withstanding or counting it all joy. That may be helpful for baby Christians, but mature warriors usually don’t need to be told what is obvious: Have faith in God; only believe; the battle is the Lord’s.
Yes, we all need encouragement in the warfare and sometimes we need correction. Proverbs 25:11-12 (MSG) says, “The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry, and a wise friend’s timely reprimand is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.”
The key is helping your friends in times of warfare is to be led by the Spirit. Unfortunately, many times we’re not sensitive to the dilemma of our friends. Many times we don’t understand their pain. Often we try to sympathize, but we really can’t empathize. We don’t have any idea what it’s like to walk in their shoes. We can’t see things from their perspective. We aren’t enduring the battling coming against their mind. We just don’t get it.
Pray Without Ceasing
When people close to you are going through trials, facing serious battles or otherwise struggling, the best thing to do is to be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:9). After all, the Bible says there is a time to keep silent and a time to speak (Ecc. 3:7).
Job’s friends offered him plenty of reasons to feel guilty and condemned. His wife went so far as to tell him to curse God and die. Thank God for Elihu, a younger man who witnessed Job’s trials and his friends’ response. Elihu declared, “I am full of words; the spirit within me compels me” (Job 33:18). Unless we can say that, we shouldn’t open our mouths to give counsel.
Ultimately, Elihu pointed to God’s justice and reminded Job that our righteousness is in God alone. Elihu proclaimed God’s majesty in the midst of the storm—and suddenly God showed up on the scene, spoke to Job, led him to repentance, stirred him to pray for his judgmental friends, and restored everything the enemy took seven times.
If you want to help a friend facing intense spiritual warfare and trials, the wise thing to do is to lean into the Spirit and let Him inspire your words and actions. That may mean proclaiming the opposite of what you see and hear coming against them, sharing a prophetic word that edifies, comforts and exhorts, or keeping your mouth shut altogether and just being with them—and it always means prayer.
When your friends are going through spiritual warfare, God is watching how we respond to them. Will we respond with pious condemnation and spiritual platitudes that make our friends feel like failures, or will we be Spirit-led and pray without ceasing?
Partially written by Charisma Magazine
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Responses
So to sum up. ‘Please don’t make assumptions about why I am under attack. Please also refrain from stating the obvious’. Unless of course you are a new or ‘baby’ (not biblical – look again at Paul & Peter’s metaphors about milk), in which case feel free to stir it up as much as possible.