{"id":428,"date":"2014-08-28T11:36:42","date_gmt":"2014-08-28T15:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/?p=428"},"modified":"2014-08-28T11:36:42","modified_gmt":"2014-08-28T15:36:42","slug":"preparing-for-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/preparing-for-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing For Attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

We have all heard it said, “the best defense is a good offense.” \u00a0There is a lot of truth to that in living out our spiritual life. \u00a0Even though God saved me many years ago, and even though I have preached on the passage several times, there are times that I get taken off guard by spiritual attacks from satan. \u00a0Paul says in Ephesians 6 to “put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes\/attacks) of the devil” (Eph. 6:10). \u00a0Jesus told His disciples and us that when we focus on loving Him and serving Him, spiritual attacks are going to happen. \u00a0It is important to realize that attacks come in all different styles. \u00a0Some are physical attacks, some are interpersonal attacks, but there are also some intrapersonal attacks as well. \u00a0I believe most people are aware and prepared for physical and interpersonal attacks. \u00a0But I think the biggest area we are unprepared is when the attack is coming within ourselves. \u00a0We need to realize that satan will use whatever it takes to get our eyes off of Christ. \u00a0Some examples of intrapersonal attacks are doubt, discouragement, the blues (mild depression that isn’t all the time), and there are others. \u00a0So how do we handle these things? \u00a0The first step in handling any spiritual attack is to pray and talk to God about it. \u00a0Sometimes God is allowing things in our life because of a sin that He is disciplining us for and wants to remove from our life. \u00a0Sometimes, however God is allowing the attack in our life to grow up spiritually or to minister and reach out to someone else. \u00a0Therefore, it is vital that we talk to God and ask, “why is this occurring, what are you trying to teach me or who are you trying to reach through this?” \u00a0If it is not because of a personal sin, then we want to take it to the next step. \u00a0The second step is to trust God’s plan and purpose through this trial. \u00a0It is easy to say it, it is easy to acknowledge it when we are not being spiritually attacked, but sometimes we forget that God is sovereign over all people and all events, at all times. \u00a0Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. \u00a0In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” \u00a0Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” \u00a0So we need to trust God. \u00a0Next, we need to take an inventory of our life. \u00a0Are we being good stewards? \u00a0Times that we are the most vulnerable to disease is when our body is run down. \u00a0We are a people and a nation on the go. \u00a0We don’t eat right, don’t exercise, and don’t get proper sleep. \u00a0The end result is our body does not perform at peak efficiency opening us up to injury or sickness. \u00a0In our spiritual life, when we are not praying, studying our Bible, living our life in obedience, it is the same as not eating right, not exercising, or getting proper sleep. \u00a0We are inviting trouble into our life by doing these things. \u00a0One of the ways we are most vulnerable to spiritual attacks mentally is when we are not well rested. \u00a0When we are constantly going, moving from one task to another, we get mentally and physically fatigued. \u00a0Then we don’t do things with excellence which means we overlook details or do something the wrong way. \u00a0It is important that each day we have some downtime. \u00a0It is vital that each week we have a day of rest. \u00a0We were created this way by God. \u00a0So when you begin to wrestle with doubt or discouragement or even the blues, it is a good time to ask yourself, am I mentally fatigued or physically tired? \u00a0Do I need a little extra prayer time and physical rest? \u00a0Not always, but many times mental attacks can be dealt with by praying to get God’s perspective on the situation, as well as some additional rest to let your body and mind rest. \u00a0Finally, worship God through it all. \u00a0I realize when you are under spiritual attack it is more difficult to worship, to be joyful, and thankful. \u00a0But these are the times we need to do it the most. \u00a0In the story of Job, he lost his possessions, health, and children in a very short time frame. \u00a0Dare I say that would have broken most of us? \u00a0Many people would have been like Job’s wife and said, “Curse God and die.” \u00a0We would have asked, what did we do to deserve all of this. \u00a0We would rationalize it by saying, “I am not perfect, but at least I’m not like ________ and do what they do.” \u00a0Some may have even walked away from trusting God. \u00a0Yet we see Job do something different. \u00a0“Then Job arose, and rent (ripped) his mantle (outer shirt), and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshiped, and said, ‘Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'” \u00a0The only way Job could do that is to have a godly perspective, which only comes from spending time with God. \u00a0A contemporary Christian group, Casting Crowns, has a song called “Praise You In This Storm.” \u00a0The chorus says, “And I’ll praise You in this storm\u00a0And I will lift my hands\u00a0For You are who You are\u00a0<\/em>No matter where I am\u00a0<\/em>And every tear I’ve cried <\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>You hold in Your hand\u00a0<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>You never left my side\u00a0<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>And though my heart is torn\u00a0<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em>I will praise You in this storm.”<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

I know going through spiritual attacks isn’t easy, and it takes a lot of you. \u00a0But just know God never wastes an opportunity in our life. \u00a0He has a plan for us. \u00a0Sometimes it is a plan we don’t understand. \u00a0But it is always the right path for us to get us to Him, or draw us closer to Him. \u00a0Rest in Christ (trust Him) and get physical rest as well (it is a gift from God), and know He will guide you through this as well.<\/p>\n

By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We have all heard it said, “the best defense is a good offense.” \u00a0There is a lot of truth to that in living out our spiritual life. \u00a0Even though God saved me many years ago, and even though I have … Read More →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[296,60,295,71,9,29],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=428"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":429,"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/428\/revisions\/429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.westlakebaptist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}