Spiritual Warfare Is No Joke

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

For any non-Christian who might be reading this I cannot emphasize enough that you had better get Saved. For Christians do not always survive Satan’s attacks much less unbelievers.

When Satan sets his sights on you–you are in trouble. Spiritual Warfare is a joke to unbelievers. But to Believers who have experienced it, you will never forget it.

The enemy can bring circumstances to bear that can test you, often working through other people, but his primary method of attack is in the area of your thoughts. He is an opportunist. He will come at you when you are physically weak and/or feeling mentally and emotionally unstable.

Spiritual attacks are not a one time event. And when you get old enough you can look back and see events where you have been tested to your limit. That was my case in 1991.

I had been struggling with secondary depression on the heels of the collapse of my physical health. Suddenly I found suicidal thoughts assailing me, backed up by panic attacks. This was something I had never experienced before and I knew it wasn’t me. Certainly not the normal me, and it was sinking me deeper into depression. I went to my doctor and explained the situation. He immediately put me on Prozac. Later I found out that I had a bad reaction to SSRI medications as some people do. Indeed, the number one thing Prozac did to me was to vastly ramp up my anxiety levels. Satan started having a party in my head.

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:16-17

Those fiery darts spoken of above are aimed right at your head and can go into your mind. I was having the fight of my life. I was fighting for my life. After speaking to a therapist I realized I was getting weaker, and the therapist was concerned my ability to withstand those constant suicidal thoughts was going to weaken more over time if I did not get help.

I voluntarily went into a mental health facility. I spent about two weeks there. It was surprising the number of believers I met there, we even had a Bible Study. And I’m pretty sure I met a lady who was possessed, the things she was screaming sent a shiver down my spine. Just more evidence that Satan is alive and well.

I was no spiritual novice. Saved in my teenage years, growing up in a strong Bible believing church, reading my bible and memorizing scripture since childhood, you would have thought I was more than prepared for what Satan had in store for me. 

A change of medicine in the hospital helped. But I was still in the throes of depression. Satan was not just telling me I was going to die in my thoughts, but illustrating how I was going to do it. I did what any Christian should do, along with praying, I opened my Bible to see what God had to say about it all. This is the first verse I found:

I will not die but live,

    and will proclaim what the Lord has done. Psalm 118:17

I held tightly to that verse and had prayer warriors praying for me and I was constantly praying. I was 28 years old. I was in my prime when Satan tried to destroy me, and things looked and felt grim. No one who has not been through this sort of thing can fully comprehend it. 

I don’t judge those who have succumbed to depression. Without the grace of God and hanging on by the skin of my teeth I would not be here today. God protected me, but again, I had been at this awhile and knew the importance of prayer, that I needed the prayers of others, and that I needed all the help I could get. Nevertheless, no one wants to admit they are in trouble and in need of serious help. I wouldn’t and didn’t until I knew I absolutely had to. After all, I was a Christian and had been for many years. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to Christians, Right?

I’m here to tell you that Christians, just like everyone else, are not immune to mental health issues. And the Christian needs to understand we walk around daily with a target on our back. If Satan can’t get you with depression, he is more than happy to get you to commit adultery, or theft, or some other foolish and dangerous activity. It all begins with a thought. One of those fiery darts mentioned above.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 

If you really think you are immune from temptations and dangerous thoughts, then you are saying you are better than Jesus. Do you realize Satan tried to tempt Jesus to commit suicide by throwing Himself off of a building?

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Matthew 4:5-6

I’m sharing all of this with you because not only do most churches never mention such things as Spiritual Warfare, many preachers are simply clueless. But if you read your Bible, you find it reminding us to be strong in the Word of God, to beware of our enemy, to stay armed and ready for battle. For friends, this side of heaven we are in a battle. If Satan can’t get you to destroy yourself while in the throes of depression, he is just as happy to turn you into an alcoholic, drug addict, someone who cheats, steals, is filled with bitterness, resentment, hate, unforgiveness, and the list goes on. 

Prayer is one of the greatest weapons the Christian has in their spiritual arsenal.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Jude 1:20-21

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 15:16

And the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the saints before God. Revelation 8:4

Satan wants to set up spiritual strongholds in your mind. Strongholds of fear, doubt, dread, disbelief, filthy thoughts, dangerous thoughts. He shoots them into your mind hoping you will make them your own. His thought-darts get the ball rolling. How do you combat this? First off by being aware of it. Not every stupid thought that comes into your mind should be acted upon. Indeed not every stupid thought that comes into your mind is your own thought!

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2 Corinthians 10:5

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed that verse and taken captive stupid thoughts and ideas the enemy has cast my way.

You can also use faith to deflect such thoughts.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16

And how do we have that faith?

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

And as mentioned, prayer is a mighty weapon to withstand the enemy. Jesus spent time in prayer, how is it you think you don’t need to pray, or can simply toss up a prayer and go about your business? Prayer is constantly being in communication with God.

And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time. Mark 1:35

Jesus told us not to judge for one simple reason: We are all subject to temptation and will be tempted. As I mentioned, even Jesus was tempted, so how do you expect to escape it?

As I was coming of age there were lots of “Name it and Claim it” preachers on TV. And they were not all wrong, but they were wrong enough to be dangerous. God blesses His children and protects them, but we end up tempting God when we think we are, or should be, strong enough to withstand the devil just by saying so. Sometimes Christians need help. Medication, therapy, treatment of a physical ailment or mental disease. We have flesh and blood bodies and brains that are very much subject to the decay and diseases of this world. We are still waiting for our heavenly body to house our new spiritual birth.

For we know that if our earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1

The Christian is dangerously foolish if they expect to simply ‘believe their way’ out of a problem. Consider what I did. I got medication and treatment and prayed and believed and held on to the Bible for dear life. I did everything right, and barely made it. Yes, I should have gotten treatment earlier, but like many young guys in the prime of life it was hard to admit I needed help. I also ran my physical health into the ground which didn’t help. But in the end I did the right things and it saved my life. Sadly, not everyone comes to these realizations in time or are far enough along in their Christian walk to stand strong in the face of the enemy. The answer in those situations is to call upon prayer warriors, spiritual warriors, not a few of which are in wheelchairs or using walkers. You need people who know how to pray down strongholds because they have been in the battle and have the scars to prove it.

Not everyone is so lucky. So do not judge. I’ve been there and it could have gone the other way for me. And as I mentioned, it isn’t always a mental health thing, but often a physical temptation that is acted upon and brings a person or entire families down. And it all begins with a thought.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for rescuing us from our enemy. Deliver those who are mentally under attack from the enemy, and heal those who have suffered much due to those who have fallen sway to temptations of all kinds. Have mercy on us all, Lord. Amen.