How To Fight Back When The Enemy Attacks

How can you fight back when the enemy is attacking you?

Spiritual Warfare

Whether we even realize it or not, Christians are under spiritual attacks. We might not think about it that much, but that makes us even more vulnerable to the enemy’s ploys. This is why the Apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus, to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might,” (Eph 6:10), but how can we be “in the strength of his might?” Paul tells us that we must “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11). We will need this armor because the enemy’s invisible. Paul wrote that “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” (Eph 6:12). It would be much easier if we could see the enemy, but we can’t. That’s why we must take action and “put on” the armor. It’s useless unless it’s put on and maybe why Paul again tells the church, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Eph 6:13). If God repeats something in His Word, then it must be important, and the important thing in these verses (Eph 6:11-13) is to “put on” the armor of God so “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph 6:11).

Start Praising God

When someone you know starts bragging about their sports team that just won the champions, but their team is an arch-rival of yours, then it’s irritating when they tart boasting about their team being number 1. In the same way, Satan and his demons hate it when we start heaping praises on God and giving thanks to Him over and over again in worship and in prayer. If you’re alone and you feel like you’re under spiritual attack, why not drop to your knees (if it’s possible) and start pouring out praises to God. Satan can’t stand to hear all of the marvelous things about God, so that’s one way to fight the enemy. Send irritants like praise and thanksgiving to God; it should drive him away. If it doesn’t, then keep doing it anyway because God is worthy of our praises and thanksgiving.

Start Worshiping God

I have a hard time separating worship from prayer, because while I’m praying to God, I am also worshiping God, and when I am worshiping God, I am also praying to God. One way to fight back when the enemy attacks is to start praying to God and worshiping Him and praising Him. That’ brings up another point. I believe we should do all these three things when we are under spiritual attack; start praising God, start worshiping God, and start praying to God. Those three things are like an assault weapon against the enemy, and we know that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3), so if we’re praying to Him, giving praises to Him and are worshiping Him, He’s inhabiting us or dwelling in us. That doesn’t leave any room for evil spirits; with God’s prayers, praises, and worship, you can tell the enemy, “Sorry, there’s no room at the Inn.”

Begin Living God’s Word

Satan will ramp up his attacks by sending spiritual or fiery darts at you when you begin to learn the Word of God more so, when you begin to live out the Word of God. When you are obeying God, you are disobeying Satan and his demons desire for your life. When we do what Scripture says, we’re not doing what Satan wants. This will likely bring on spiritual attacks. I don’t think demons spend much time on lukewarm Christians, but on those who are growing in the Word of God, obeying the Word of God, and sharing the Word of God. When a believer lives in obedience to God, though none of us do so perfectly, the enemy knows that we’re a threat to his kingdom of darkness. When Christians get the salt out of the shaker and light from under the table, then they’re going to face resistance because they’ll get the enemy’s attention. With a mind that’s stayed on Christ we can have the peace of God because we’ve made peace with God (Rom 5:1). Being a Christ-follower will bring persecution. Not because of who you or I are, but because of Who He is, however, following Christ (in obedience) will keep you near the Good Shepherd, and His rod and staff should give you comfort (Psalm 23) and refuge from the enemy, who like a lion, roams about, seeking whom he might devour (1st Pet 5:8).

Memorize Scripture

The psalmist had hidden or memorized God’s Word in his heart so that he would not sin (Psalm 119:11). For example, one man I know who has battled with an addiction to pornography for years, memorized Jobs’ words, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin” (Job 31:1)? This man memorized this so that when his eyes started to fix on something or some woman, he quoted this verse and looked away. I thought that was brilliant! That’s putting the Word of God to good use. Besides, the Word has God’s power in it (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). That’s the weapon of Jesus’ choice when resisting Satan’s temptation in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11). Three times Jesus rebuked the Devil by using Scripture in context and right after Satan had taken Scripture out of context to make it a false pretext. He loves twisting Scripture or ripping it out of context. I suggest you store up on the ammo of God’s Word so that when you are under spiritual attack, you can quickly retrieve the Word of God. We already know that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). Satan is no match for the living, active, breathing Word of God.

Conclusion

What have you done when you are under spiritual attack? Can you leave us a comment about an experience you had when you were under a spiritual attack? What did you do to resist it? How often are you under spiritual attack? I know this; we need the armor of God (Eph 6), we need to praise God, we need to worship God, we need to live out God’s Word, we need to memorize and quote God’s Word, so when the enemy attacks, they don’t have a chance.