Recognizing a Spiritual Attack

"To keep Satan from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his wiles and intentions." - II Corinthians 2;11

I taught on recognizing demons and spirits last year so God's people would understand how satan operates. Satan is not God and does not possess any of the attributes of God. He cannot attack us unless we open our mouth and give him insight into our heart's desires. His attacks are relentless. He will use people, situations, things, as well as words to attack us. He wants to steal, kill, and destroy and will stop at nothing until we are destroyed. One of his many deceptions is to get us to believe that hardships in life are the result of poor choices and decisions. He uses guilt, shame, and condemnation to subdue our spirit and make us think that we are separated from the Lord. Once this occurs, he attacks us, weakening our faith, and forcing us to turn to the world, rather than the Lord for our deliverance. The Holy Spirit wants us to walk in wisdom and know the signs of a spiritual attack. These signs are as follows:

1. Emotional and spiritual: Anger, hopeless, depression, anxiety, and a lack of passion for God's presence.

2. Physical: Increased heart rate, fatigue, headaches, stomach issues, muscle tension, and unexplained tiredness.

3. Mental: Confusion, difficulty sleeping, constantly second-guessing yourself, and a sense of being overwhelmed.

4. Behavioral: pulling away from godly relationships, struggling to pray, and a resurgence of old habits and lifestyles.

5. Financial and Practical: Experiencing setbacks, financial difficulties, and a feeling of being unable to succeed in endeavors.

6. Loss of Spiritual Desire: No willingness to pursue what God wants to do yo in your life:

7. Strife: Violent disagreementor conflict often involving strong emotions and a struggle for superiority. Constantly wanting to compete leading to physical and intellectual exhaustion.

8. Household Disruption: Disagreements between spouses, parents and children, heated debates, and power struggles.

If you are experiencing any of these constantly, satan is using his forces and resources to attack you. The good thing is satan realizes your potential and the plan the Lord has for you. You are close to achieving this plan and walking in your appointed assignent. Satan wants to stop it. You beat spiritual attacks through the following

1. Don't give into it. Once you recognize it, resist it. (James 4:7)

2. Pray. Satan hates prayer. Prayer keeps you connected to the perfect will of God. (I John 5:14)

3. Surround yourself with wise counsel. Satan wants to isolate you, weaken you, and destroy you. Keep mature believers around you and consult with them for protection and safety. (Proverbs 11:14)

4. Remember satan is your enemy. He wants you to attack people who love you, detroying good relationships to lead you into bad ones. (Ephesians 6:12)