Spiritual Attacks

If you are anything like me... your shoulders sink a little at the subject matter of spiritual warfare.   You are tired of the dreaded topic that seems to never go away.   We don't just see and hear the evidence of spiritual warfare on television and radio but we see it in our lives and people's lives around us.  It is prevalent or common everywhere... even in the church.   So you can imagine my hesitation in addressing this topic... but after I posted I heard Dr. David Jeremiah and Dr. Charles Stanley) speak of spiritual warfare as well.   This not only confirmed but encouraged my soul.  
 
In my experience and reading the bible, Christians will experience spiritual attacks from the enemy who will use just about anyone or any situation to discourage and hurt us.  We must not only realize the source of these attacks but where our life needs to be securely fastened to so that we may stand as children of God against the wiles of the Devil. 

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers  and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirit in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

The Very Real Unseen Enemy to Humanity
I once shared with you a time when I asked God if the devil was indeed real and that very night the spiritual veil was taken down to reveal our adversary.  Like a figure of a human- he has no horns, tail, or pitch fork.  He is no longer the once beautiful angel he once was.  He had no wings.  He had no armor. His outer appearance is scared and blotchy and it is reasonable to imagine this was caused when he was thrown from heaven.

 "He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven." Luke 10:18

Satan's penetrating evil eyes seemed to look straight into my soul.  He was in this dark vertical channel of a chamber that had an orange flickering glow below him.  When I could not stand to look at him anymore (which wasn't long) I turned my head away and that is when I heard a blood curdling scream that startled me awake.  The scream seemed like it was right by my bed side.  I sat straight up in bed and listened but no other scream came.  The tortured scream no doubt came from one of his deceived victims.

Needless to say I told God, " I know the devil is real now."  I didn't need any other further proof then what I saw and witnessed.  Don't make the mistake of thinking the devil is some folktale, myth, joke or some poetic symbolic illustration of evil.  He is very real.  His deception is making people think he doesn't exist or he is some friend of the rebellious.  

Satan has been deceiving many since the very beginning.  His warfare seems to be increasing, probably because he senses his time is short.  Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy but Christ came to give life and life more abundantly.  Satan wants to persuade humanity to put their hopes in material possessions and riches, power and popularity or even health -that way when he takes those things away they see no value or hope in what they perceive as life.  But LIFE isn't what the world believes is life.  Life is GOD who gives of himself.   God gives ensuring love, sustaining hope, lasting peace, abounding joy, undeserved mercy and grace. Things the Devil doesn't want us to know or understand.  In fact he rather deceive in order to steal the reality of those things in our life and he works hard at it.
      

 "Then the dragon became angry at the woman, and declared war against the rest of her children- all who keep God's commandments and confess that they belong to Jesus." Revelation 12:17                 

 
We find out a lot about ourselves in spiritual attacks.  We find out how far from God we are or how close we are to God.  We also find out a lot about God and his ability to keep us calm as we allow him his rightful place on the throne of our heart. 

Dream of a Spiritual Attack

In the dream a man brought a white horse into the front of sanctuary of our church building.  The horse got spooked and ran to the back of the sanctuary where I was sitting.  I calmly put out my right hand knowing somehow it would come to me.  When it came to my hand it transformed into furious white hound and took my right hand into its mouth to bite it.  I was not afraid or even surprised by this sight.    I might have been had the bite actually been a bite but the hound couldn’t harm me.  When the master retrieved the dog, I could see into the animal's mouth.  Around the inside of hound’s teeth was a blue substance that prohibited the hound’s teeth from biting down onto my hand. 

I admit the subject matter somewhat troubled me ... but instead of letting it get the best of me I sought God and after a few weeks these images were revealed one by one. 

Spiritual Attacks

 "Dear Friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.   Instead, be very glad- for these trials make you partners with Christ in his sufferings, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world." 1 Peter 4:12-13

"God blesses those are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs."  Matthew 5:10

We will all experience as Christians spiritual attacks in one form or another but thank God he has warned us of these attacks in His word and by His Holy Spirit.

Keep These Things in Mind.

1.      Be thankful for the warning from God.  Thank Him for his protection. Psalm91:10-11

2.      Don’t become preoccupied with potential attacks. John10:10

3.      Seek discernment from God concerning those individuals and situations that come across your path. James 1:5

4.     Stay Alert. 1 Peter 5:8

5.     Draw close to God. Humble yourself before God. Stay submitted and reliant on God for understanding especially in the midst of an attack.  God will keep you calm.  James4:7-8

6.     Remember God is on sentinel duty in your life. Psalm27:1-5

7.     Thank Him again knowing you have put your life in His hands. He is your peace. John 14:27
Remember our brothers and sisters who are suffering much more-even at the cost of their own life. 1 Peter 5:9-10 

The Sick Forest

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“This forest feels sick, as if a disease lies upon it.  Is there no way around?” J.R.R. Tolkien

This line struck a cord in my soul.

I have always had a special place for trees.  I grew up in a place where enormous evergreen and maple trees grow and stand.  I enjoyed playing in them and amongst them.  I have great memories of the trees that filled the greenbelts and woods of my childhood home. 

Today I like growing trees in pots on my back porch.  Some have grown from seed and acorn, others I have discovered while tending to my yard and garden.  Little presents from God. White crape myrtles and boxwood elders seem to be my favorite.  

Trees are beautiful things but that wasn’t the main reason why Tolkien’s sentence echoed in the chambers of my soul.    

It was the correlation that my soul drew upon.  It was the illustration that God Himself often makes in His word…  How trees symbolically represent people.

“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”  Referenced from Isaiah 61. 
 

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“But as my people watched, I destroyed the Amorites, though they were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks.  I destroyed the fruit of their branches and dug out their roots” Amos 2:9     

“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing." Ezekiel 47:12

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:8

Even our LORD Jesus Christ is referred to as a tree or branch in scripture.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord;” Zechariah 6:12

How differently I think of the cedars of Lebanon that Solomon used to construct the temple of the Lord. For this event was to illustrate what was to come. It was to show us how the Lord and King, Jesus Christ, would use God’s forests (so to speak) to construct the living temple where he would dwell.

  “Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

A temple that the red dragon, Satan, would love to destroy in as many ways as possible.

 ^“And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.” Revelation 12:17

Tolkien’s speaks of a sick forest, a forest that has been put under an evil spell, a poison that has allowed evil to undermine and weaken the forest of Mirkwood.   It has caused the trees, under closer examination, to become bare and fruitless and pale.   Evil has been allowed to weave its webs there and those assigned to task of overseeing these forests have been overwhelmed at the decline and condition of these once beautiful woodlands.  

It has reminded of such verses in the bible.

 “You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Revelation 3:17

  

“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:10

^“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-12

Now it’s NOT hard to imagine why Satan, the deceiver, would try to convince many with his skilled poisonous whispers "division from God".  In fact Satan tried to separate God’s chosen creation, made in God’s image, by encouraging Eve and Adam to question God in the Garden of Eden.   Satan still tempts individuals with the temporal pleasures and foolish opinions of fallen men -that God is not all that important.   Satan uses items such as money and the securities and comforts of the world that never satisfy in hopes to keep many away from God.   Blinded by the dragon's sickness these people become disenchanted, selfish and close-minded about life.   

For how many... have you known, who inadvertently took their eyes off God and found themselves in a dark predicament?   

Have you ever thought everything is meaningless and pointless because you have failed to seek, surrender your perspective and been appreciative to God for the things He has given you?

Satan tries his hardest to get people’s eyes off of God, who is the sustainer and light of men. (Why do you think Satan works so hard to get God’s name out of “this” and out of “that”?)  For God is the LIFE giving Spirit and without Him we would be doomed to become like the Forest of Mirkwood or the still trees of Narnia. 

“And the trees, they retreated so deep into themselves that they haven’t been heard from since.”…. Narnia movie quote.

Ever been in the presence of such a tree or gathering of trees?  Their thoughts continue in same circular pattern that drives them into a dark deep hole.  They lose track of the path in which they were to stay on.  They don’t seem to remember to look up for a way out. 

  

Fortunately by the grace of God, we have been awakened from such dreadful heavy states just as David.

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!” Psalm 43:5

Jesus said,

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3

What a mighty verse to stop the dark allure of spreading its blight and causing inner spoil of blackness and rot. 

Here is another...

“³ Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.” Revelation 3:3

We need a good shaking from time to time to knock off the cold heavy snow from our branches that hasn’t allowed us to hear or see clearly.  We need a good wind to stir us to allow our roots to grow down into God's love. 

In transplanting my trees, I find some become root bound.  I have to cut the roots on the side of the root ball so they will grow properly in the ground.   We too can put ourselves in a pot of our own making and become root bound in our own understanding and stop maturing and becoming fruitful.  BUT God because He loves us took us out of that pot, cut the root bound away and placed us in His fertile soil with no pots!!!  God doesn't set limitations on us but we do.

   

 ^“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:16-19

So when you feel the allure to trust in something other then God or when all you seem to see is darkness, the mundane, and the meaningless of the world -submit to God and he will lift you up- James 4:10. 

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Remember Satan wants to undermine and sicken the forest of God.  He wants to destroy the tree that you are in God.  He wants to tear down the temple and it's beauty that God is creating in you.  He wants to contaminate your mind and heart with his dragon sickness just as illustrated with Thorin Oakshield in the Hobbit who exhibited hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, division, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy… these are just some of the symptoms listed in Galatians 5:19-21.  A sickness if not awakened and healed from, leads to no eternal life in heaven.   

Satan does not want you to become what God has planned for you.  He wants you to close and blockade the doors and shut them so no light comes in and darkness can have it's way with you.

Think of it this way, Satan knows…   

Who wants to look at a sick tree? Who wants to go into a sick forest? Would you use rotten trees to build a house?  Of course not! Get the picture?

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:7-8

“I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:11-13