Having a Rough Time?

Navigating the Spiritual Attack: Embracing God’s Protective Armor

Yeah, I know – I kept ignoring it.

Last night, I seem to be nearing the end of my rope. I don’t even really know why. I suppose I could come up with some arbitrary answer. But it wouldn’t really describe the problem or offer a solution.

Yesterday it felt like things were coming to a head. I know enough to remove myself from socializing when I’m crabby. But this crab-on just hasn’t been shifting off.

Like many others when I’m stressed out I mindlessly scroll through TikTok hoping to shut off my brain. But a number of posts came up in my feed of people who were stressed to the max and just plain worn out but really didn’t know why. The first one caught my attention. But by the time I got to the tenth one, the verse from Daniel 7 came to mind. It occurred to me, “Hang on! I’m not alone. Others are experiencing the same thing. This is a spiritual attack!”

We have an enemy who uses spiritual forces to attempt to wear us out. I know some people minimize these onslaughts and write it off as normal emotional occurrences in life. I won’t say emotion isn’t involved. But, my emotions have been off the charts. They typically aren’t. It’s not like me. Even if it were just emotional there would be a reason or a trigger. Something that I could point to and say, ‘yeah, that’s the culprit.’ But – nothing.

A Spiritual Attack

I think many of us are getting overwhelmed with antagonistic spiritual forces that are swarming like this year’s hordes of cicadas. One of the tactics our archenemy uses against us to isolate us and overwhelm us. He attempts to cut us off from our support system. And if he can’t actually get us cut off, he uses spiritual tricks that make us feel like we’re all alone, even when we aren’t. Then the second hit is to inundate us, swarming our souls with false stressors, unjustified anxieties and unfounded tension. We have enough of the real stuff to keep us running to God for support. But when the song of stress sounds like a million cicadas it’s mind-numbing. And it can push us over the edge. That is the strategy of our enemy. Our strategy is to find the grace of God and stay there.

Hebrews 4:16 (NASB 2020) – Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

Rest, Hydrate, Relax and Put Your Armor On.

We do not fight as the world around us fights. We are human, and have human needs. We need to hydrate. I know that might sound rather obvious, but many of us just simply don’t get enough water, especially in the summer. Properly hydrated we can move, think and feel better. We need rest. Get a good nights sleep. Proper rest and hydration will help to keep our bodies and minds functioning. We need to wise with our body as we wage war in the Spirit. We are spiritual beings that reside inside a physical body. To ignore our physical need is equally as foolish to ignore our spiritual and emotional needs.

The greatest spiritual weapon in our arsenal is prayer. It isn’t arguing and fighting with others. It isn’t speaking our mind louder than everybody else.

Love is also a weapon. Love is strong. Humility is empowering when we are in spiritual warfare . As we humble ourselves before God, He strengthens us, He equips us, He empowers us. He is our armor. Grace is like a barrier of protection, like a shield around us.

I do not advocate fighting with others. Our battle is not against people. It is against the forces of darkness at work in the world, intent on destroying humanity. The only way we can win against our enemy is knowing that God’s armor protects us and He is the One fighting on our behalf.

So, let’s put our grace armor on, held together by the Spirit of Truth. Covering our minds with the helmet of salvation. Protecting our hearts with the breastplate of righteousness. Ready to walk in the good news of the peace that is ours in Christ Jesus, with our flame-retardant, faith shield firmly at hand and the piercingly sharp word of God in our mouths. 

Cheap armor doesn’t do the job. It gives a false sense of security. It cannot protect us. We armor up when we’re afraid, but our emotional armor doesn’t really protect us, because it is made out of fear. Only God’s armor is made out of spiritual material that cannot be destroyed.

The military has a standard for body armor. If it doesn’t meet the standard it isn’t good enough to protect our men and women on the battlefield. A knock off might be cheaper but chances are if you get hit you might not live through the experience.

The wrong armor can be dangerous.. I don’t know about you but I want the good stuff. God’s got the good stuff. His armor is seven level- life protective. But it can only protects us if we put it on. God, Himself is our protection, our stronghold, our fortress of strength. He clothes us with all protective His armor. We can be secure in the knowledge that God is with us.

According to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, we put on Christ like a garment. He not only lives within us, we wear Him like body armor. He is our salvation. He is our righteousness. He is our peace. He is the author and finisher of our faith. And He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Greater is He Who is in me, than he that is in the world.

Psalm 46:1–3 (MSG) God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge of doom, courageous in sea-storm and earthquake, Before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift mountains. Jacob-wrestling God fights for us, God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

1 John 4:4 (NASB 2020) You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

Jesus said in John 16:33:

(AMP) I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Be on the Alert

The Enemy is Taking Advantage of Those who are in a Time of Weakness

In addition to the spiritual assault that seems to be heightened, we are nearing a birthing season. That means we’re in the final stages of carrying the weight of a promise that is about to be fulfilled. It’s getting heavy. We are uncomfortable and unable to do things we normally are able to do.

Directly in front of us is a major shift. This dynamic shift is going to launch many into a long awaited destiny fulfillment. We are nearing the threshold. As we do the enemy is attempting to wear us out so we don’t have the strength to go forward.

Remember the promise the Lord has been giving us for the past few years.

1 Pe. 5.10 (BSB) And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.

The past few years have not been easy. The past few months have been even more challenging. And the past few weeks seem to have brought us to critical mass. Hang in there, my friend. You are not alone. We are in this together. We will come through and emerge with victory.

Extracted from its context 1 Peter 5:10 is a message of hope. In context it gives even greater hope.

I speak peace to your mind, calmness to your soul and healing to your body!

The Lord bless you with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places

Ephesians 1:3–8 (NASB 2020) – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight

He is God of All Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 (NASB 2020) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

You may be one of those who is struggling right now. Take courage knowing you are not alone. Not only is God with you, but the rest of us who are wrestling with these challenging forces are together with you in this battle. We do fight alone. We do not fight in our own strength. Our strength comes from the Lord. Hang in there. God is with you and so are we.

I pray that God will comfort you in your affliction, steady your mind and give you peace. I pray that you be clothed with the full armor of God, able to withstand the flaming missiles of the evil one.

Ephesians 6:10–18 (MSG) A Fight to the Finish – And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.