The Battle For Your Soul: Spiritual Warfare

When I moved into my first apartment, my boyfriend graciously helped me move in. Before we brought anything into my room, he did something I will never forget. He pulled out oil that had been prayed over by his church and put it along the archway of my bedroom door. He, then, grabbed my hand and began to pray. In his prayer, he said "Lord, let this be a place where Jordyn grows closer to you, and may your Spirit be present. Cleanse this place of any unclean spirits or anything that wishes to bring harm upon her. Protect her from any harm seen or unseen in this place. Amen." In scripture we see God use oil to symbolize His blessing poured out upon His people. The anointing oil represents the blood of Jesus that covers us, saves us, and protects us. The power isn't in the oil, but rather, the blood of Jesus that it represents. Now, whenever I feel afraid or under spiritual attack, I bring the oil out and repeat that prayer. 

Over the last couple of years, I've come to realize the daily battle we face. There is a very real spiritual battle over our souls taking place every single day. Sometimes we feel it, and sometimes we don't. Nonetheless, we face a very real enemy who is working hard to cause us to stumble and doubt our faith. He may come after your identity, your passion, your mind, your family, or your heart. We face an enemy that targets us in a very personal way because of the intimate knowledge he possesses of us and our weakest areas. Yet, there is good news. We know that all enemies flee and cower in the name of Jesus, and our prayer has the power to disarm them. So, we do not need to be afraid of the battle in front of us, but we do need to be on watch for the ways he tries to trap us. 

So, what does it actually look like when we face spiritual warfare? It can look different for everyone. However, all of the enemy's tactics share the same goal, and that is to prevent people from knowing God and entrusting their lives to Him. Satan is always seeking to prevent people from experiencing the life-changing love of God. One warning sign could be feeling on fire for God one moment and spiritually dull the next. For example, I had the opportunity to attend the Passion Conference in Atlanta, Georgia at the start of this year. While I was there, I felt the Lord reaffirming His calling on my life. I felt on fire for Him, and my spirit was renewed. However, as soon as I got back from the trip, I was faced with brain fog, anxiety, and just an overall lack of motivation to spend time with God. To make it worse, I felt guilty for the lack of desire I was feeling. When this happens, the enemy will want you to blame yourself for your struggle. You see, we often attribute all of our struggles to our bad character, but what if we are really a victim of satanic sabotage? When we begin to grasp the concept that there is an intentional attack on us, we begin to see our struggles for what they really are. Sometimes, they are a matter of our own self-destruction, but other times, it has everything to do with a battle happening in the spiritual realm over your soul. 

When I used to play basketball, I remember my coaches watching game tapes of the team we were going up against that week. By knowing the other team's methods and tactics, we could learn how to fight against them and win the game. Similarly, to fight this battle, we have to know who our enemy is and the methods he uses to defeat us. Satan is called the "Father of lies". Personally, the biggest spiritual attack I face is one against my identity and the calling God has set forth for me. It seems that every time I have a win, the enemy is on the back side flooding my head with doubt. He will say things like, "You really think you're good enough to do that?", "You don't really believe you'd ever be successful in that, do you?", or "Who are you to do that?" The ironic thing is that we tend to get so caught up listening to the one who got himself kicked out of heaven instead of the one who created the heavens.

In John 8, Jesus is talking to the crowd about who He is and who the crowd belongs to. In this, Jesus makes the statement that if the crowd were God's children, then they would love Him and believe His words. He goes on to state, "'You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."' Knowing this about our enemy, why do we still choose to believe the lies he tells us about ourselves? The only true way we can see the attack of the enemy is by knowing the truth of the Lord. 

Let me be really clear. God does not have an equal. He doesn't have a rival. The enemy is not a god. He is not a peer or even an opponent to God in any way. God and the enemy are not on the same playing field because the battle is already won. The enemy's battle is over before it even starts. He is limited in what he can do, and he is nothing more than a copycat seeking to convince us of his "power". He simply creates illusions, confusion, and deception. That said, we never need to pray from a posture of fear or uncertainty. The Bible tells us, "...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6). Psalm 121, also, tells us that the Lord will preserve you from all evil and He will not let your foot slip. So, do not be afraid of the battle in front of you. Stand firm in the Lord, and trust in His deliverance.

The best way we can fight spiritual warfare is with scripture on our lips and our knees bent in prayer. That said, we are not capable of winning this war on our own. Jesus is the one who intervenes for us and wins the battle. Prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy, but victory is fundamentally about trust in the Lord. God desires for us to experience victories over spiritual battles, and prayer is His way of offering it to us. As Christ's followers, it is our job to put on the armor of God so that we can stand and defend ourselves from the devil's schemes. Whether you believe it or not, spiritual warfare is a very real thing. There is a constant battle for your soul taking place at this very moment. Why, you ask? Because your soul has been given value by Christ Jesus, and the enemy is afraid of the powerful plan God has placed on your life. All of our time on this earth will be spent facing spiritual warfare. If we're not actively fighting, we're losing. 

May your roots run deep, and your faith remain strong! As always, Stay Rooted, my friends! <3