Recently some dear people in my life have been under the attack of the enemy. The Bible says “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). God truly showed up right on time to fight the battle on their behalf. It got me thinking about how an attack of the enemy is never a surprise to God. The enemy may plan well, but he is no match for our Savior! But we have to do our part; when we are under attack there are specific things we can do increase our chances of success and bring glory to the Lord. We may occasionally lose a battle, but victory belongs to Jesus! Knowing what to do when you are under attack can reduce the damage and length of the affliction. If you find yourself under attack:

Put on the Armor of God

God never intended for us to go into battle unprepared. He has given us the armor we need (see Ephesians 6:10-18) to face the enemy. Always remember that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual darkness. The key is to use truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, and salvation as our defense and use the Word of God as our weapon to destroy the enemy.

Cry out to Jesus

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Get to your prayer closet and pour out your heart to the Lord. The bible makes statements such as “God heard” and the “Lord heareth” and “His ears are open unto their cry” hundreds of times throughout the scriptures! He knows what you are going through, don’t be afraid to share your every concern and frustration with Him.

Turn to your support system

When we are under attack we have a tendency to distance ourselves from the people that care about us. Resist the temptation to isolate yourself. That only leads to depression and self-pity. God places people in our lives to be His hands and mouth-piece. He may comfort you through your support system.

Don’t get mad at God

There is a propensity in the human spirit to blame God whenever things go wrong. As difficult as it can be to understand at times, God will not override our free-will. God is also sovereign. We may not understand why we have to go through what we go through, but in the end God is still God. He loves you unconditionally and he came to this earth as a man to die for you. In light of that, there is nothing in our lives that warrants anger towards the Creator.

Forgive

Although this is one of the most difficult things to do during times of distress it is also one of the most important. If you don’t forgive those who have hurt you, that unforgiveness will turn into bitterness. Bitterness is like a poison that slowly destroys you. Jesus taught that if we are unwilling to forgive, neither will our Father forgive us.

Encourage yourself in the Lord

When David’s enemies sought to stone him, the bible says that he encouraged himself in his God. That means that he put his trust completely in God and turned over all his woes and fears to Him. How did David encourage himself? He remembered! David reminded himself of all the good things God had already done for him in the past! When you are under attack it is vital that you remember what He has already done for you. If he helped you before he will do it again!

Put on the garments of praise

There is one sure way to shake off the spirit of heaviness and that is by putting on the garment of praise. The scriptures tell us that God inhabits the praises of his people! When you take the focus off your problems and put your focus on Him you will begin to put things into perspective. It is hard to stay down when you are praising the Most High God. Remember “all things work together for the good of them that love Him” (Romans 8:28). That doesn’t mean all things are good, it means that no matter what happens, God can and will use it for your good.

When you are under attack it is important to remember that you are not alone. During times of distress the devil would like you to think that God has abandoned you or that you are the only human being to ever go through a trial. Satan is a liar and God will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Don’t forget that!

~Rebekah L