When you are Under Attack - Series

When you’re under attack (1)

“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Isaiah 59:19 “19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.”

Your biggest mistakes often occur in the early stage of a trial because it catches you off guard. Surprise is one of the Devil’s favorite weapons, so here are four winning strategies you can use when you’re under attack:

(1) Don’t panic. Live by the Scripture, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). That means God is present, fully aware of your situation, and has a solution. Just be sensitive and responsive to the voice of His Spirit within you (See Jn 16:13 ). Remember, time is on your side. Patience is a weapon that forces truth and motives to the surface.

(2) Analyze it. Solomon said, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider” (Ecc 7:14). Sometimes what looks like a crisis is just concentrated information. And when you take time to analyze it, you benefit from it.

(3) Seek advice. “Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances’” (Pr 11:14 MSG). Ignorance is your enemy and instruction is your friend. Somebody somewhere knows something you need to know; something that can help you survive and even succeed during this painful chapter in your life. Reach for them.

(4) Expect God to move. “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” Adversity is often the Enemy’s reaction to your progress. Rejoice; your heavenly Father’s eyes are on you today. He is pleased with you, and He is going to bring you through this victoriously.

When you’re under attack (2)

“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1Jn 5:4

Adversity is often the Enemy’s attempt to rob you of the next season of God’s blessing in your life. If you’re under attack today, you need to do these three things:

(1) Rise up and fight back. You will be tempted to withdraw or become timid and passive, especially if you have been hurt. Don’t do it. A wounded animal just invites attack. Satan loves shy, fearful types, but real fighters intimidate him. So, be bold and claim the promise, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7).

(2) Use all your weapons. The Bible says, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world…they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Co 10:4 NIV). Prayer is a weapon—use it daily. And join in prayer with others. One person alone can’t multiply faith; increase begins when two people get together (See Mt 18:19). Make sure you know the intercessors in your life, because they have influence with God. Scripture is also a weapon, so use it. “Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17). Find out what God’s Word says about your situation, and then use it like a sword to cut the Enemy’s head off.

(3) Try to see the big picture. Few things are ever as they first appear, so look beyond the moment and see if something good is being birthed in you. After adversity comes blessing and favor, so get your eyes back on the big picture. Paul, who suffered relentless attack, said, “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outlasts them all” (2Co 4:17 NIV). Bottom line: Today you can win.

When you’re under attack (3)

“We don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit.” 2Co 4:8 TLB

Satan can attack you anytime, anywhere. If you want to defeat him, here are some tried and true biblical principles you need to follow:

(1) Guard your mind. You will never be defeated as long as you’re victorious in your mind; that’s the birthplace of everything you do. Satan knows that, and he will try to get your thoughts so scattered you won’t be able to concentrate on what’s important. Don’t let him do it. Get back into focus. Isaiah said, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isa 26:3).

(2) Love people, but trust God. Live by the Scripture: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Ps 118:8). When the Devil wants to hurt you, he will often use a person to do it. Your “enemy” is anyone who attempts to thwart the will of God in your life, so identify such people and avoid them. God never commanded us to trust people; He commanded us to love people—and trust Him. Understand the difference, for your victory depends on it.

(3) Never give up. Jesus said, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:62 NIV). Your dreams and goals are worth any fight, any price, and any waiting period. Your faith is what defeats Satan. Remember Joseph? Every day of adversity was just another stepping-stone toward the throne. So, keep walking and believing, for there is victory ahead!

When you’re under attack (4)

“If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.” Pr 24:10 NLT

For the last few days, we have talked about how to handle Satan’s attacks when they come. So, if you’re under attack today, do these:

(1) Be tough. Life is a collection of battles, which means it can also be a collection of victories. “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1Jn 4:4). Reach within and draw on God’s strength. Go ahead; He longs to show you what He can do for you. “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Heb 13:5-6). Did you get that? “He hath said…so that we may boldly say!” There is power in His Word when you speak it, believe it, and act on it.

(2) Depend on God’s wisdom. Jesus said, “Don’t worry…about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply” (Lk 21:14-15 NLT). God has given you two things that always work: your mouth and His wisdom. When unexpected things arise, the Holy Spirit within you will rise to the occasion and speak through you, so start depending on Him.

(3) Trust God to stop the attack. The Bible says, “He causes wars to end throughout the earth” (Ps 46:9 NLT). God is in control, He is bigger than whatever you’re dealing with, and you’re on His mind this very moment. Your tears, your fears, and your pain have been noticed by Him—and He will move on your behalf.

When you’re under attack (5)

“With us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” 2Ch 32:8 NIV

The new birth creates a battle between your old nature and your new nature, and you must learn how to fight it. For the last handful of days, we have been looking at scriptural strategies for winning. Here are a few more:

(1) Fill your mind with Scripture. David said, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction” (Ps 119:92 NIV). Your mind is like soil; it will grow any seed you plant, good or bad. When you plant words spoken by God, you’re sowing energy, life, and hope into your spirit. God’s Word is like a vaccination; it strips Satan of his power to infect you with fear and unbelief. The psalmist said, “The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip” (Ps 37:31 NIV).

(2) Reach out to others. “When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!” (Job 42:10 NLT). Does that sound strange? It may be strange in the kingdom of men, but not in the kingdom of God. You are the solution to somebody else’s problem, and when you reach out to them, God will reach out to you (See Eph 6:8). Go ahead, try it.

(3) Remember that seasons change. David said, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps 30:5 NLT). This attack won’t last forever—morning is coming! People change and circumstances change. So, start believing God to change things on your behalf. He promised to do it, and He will.

When you’re under attack (6)

“I have fought a good fight.” 2Ti 4:7

Here are three more things to keep in mind when you’re under attack:

(1) You are not unique. In a letter to persecuted believers, the apostle Peter said, “Be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters…are going through the same kind of suffering you are” (1Pe 5:9 NLT). We are all on the same battlefield, but the Devil would love to convince you that you’re the only person who has ever experienced anything like this. That’s so you will feel like a failure and cut yourself off from the strength and support that comes from fellowship with other believers. Be wise; don’t let him do that to you.

(2) Remove any hindrances. The apostle John writes, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God” (1Jn 3:21 NIV). We all sin—the mistake lies in trying to cover it up, because “whoever conceals their sins does not prosper” (Pr 28:13 NIV). If you’re constantly struggling and being defeated, ask God to show you where the trouble spot is, draw on His grace, and deal with it.

(3) Don’t quit. Anybody can begin a marathon, but it takes a champion to finish it. The apostle Paul writes, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2Ti 4:7). Every one of us experiences adversity. But it’s those who stay strong to the finish who get the reward. So, pace yourself, and determine to go the distance. Study the lives of people like David, Esther, Deborah, and Paul. Remind yourself that their God is your God, and He has promised to bring you through victoriously.