The situations and challenges we experience in our lives can at times feel overwhelming or hard to handle. One way to combat this is understanding that the spiritual realm is more of a reality than the physical world before us.

The enemy and his followers hate to see us growing into better versions of ourselves and becoming devoted women who serve The Most High God of Israel. Those wicked spirits will try to attack us in every way possible to see if they can take us out of character and cause us to backslide into old habits. Their goal is to steal our light, take our power, and destroy our relationship with Elohim.

Ephesians 6 makes it clear who and what we are battling day in and day out. It is important for us to remember this and have practical strategies for these spiritual battles as we move through this physical world.

Ephesians 6:11-13
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

As women we have many roles to fulfill and if we are not mindful of the energy we are carrying, our thought patterns, and what stimuli we are letting into our minds; the physical, mental, & emotional stressors of our lives can make us vulnerable to spiritual attacks.

Experiencing stress and a range of emotions is a natural part of being human. However, if we begin to see trends in our lives, or recognize we are unable to control emotions and behaviors that are not beneficial to our growth and servitude, this is a sign of wicked spirits dwelling in our midst.

How can the onset of an emotional attack present itself?

You may start to feel sudden or slowly increasing stress, anxiety, anger, bitterness, worry, sadness, envy, covetousness, or loneliness creeping into your mind. It may be triggered by a present challenge in your life, by a family member or friend, or by memories and traumas.

How can a mental attack present itself?

We may find ourselves spiraling in negative thinking, being overly critical of ourselves or others, tearing down our self-esteem, experiencing burnout, mentally fatigued, battling mental illness, being so consumed in our thoughts we keep ourself from being productive, loss of motivation and excitement for life, consistently making decisions without wisdom, lashing out at others and not understanding why, blaming others for our actions, desiring to do things that will lead us to sin, etc.

Ephesians 6:14-18 tells us how to fight these battles, but how do we practically apply these verses when we are under immediate attack? Let’s discuss some strategies to try.

• Praise & Pray: Stop what you are doing and praise The Lord out loud. Sing your favorite praise and worship song. Say out loud 3 things you are grateful for and say a prayer out loud. (There is power in His name and power in our praise- Psalm 66:1-4)

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  Go Neutral: When you are in the height of negative thinking it is not always possible to immediately switch to positive thinking, but what you can do is go neutral. This means doing something that shifts your brain’s focus. A quick read, a podcast, cooking, stretching, a phone call. Anything that will distract your mind from the negative thoughts. By going neutral you can then slowly progress to a positive place.
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  Write/Journal: By journaling you can get to the root of why these emotions/thoughts/behaviors are creeping in and how you can address the root causes (remember we are tempted of our own lust -James 1:13-15)
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  Meditate: Think on your favorite scriptures. Or do some breathing exercises (keeping our mind on The Lord is the path to peace- Isaiah 26:3).
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  Exercise: Exercising produces endorphins in the body that can help reduce depression, decrease anxiety and stress, and boost your self-esteem.
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  Seek wise counsel: confide in a trusted sister, family member, or friend. Ask them to talk it out with you, pray with you, or fast with you.
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  Fast: As scripture tells us, there are some spirits that can only be removed through prayer and fasting. If the spiritual attack you are facing is consistent and despite your efforts it is not improving, it is time to fast and draw closer to The Lord (Mark 9:25-29)
  
  By applying these strategies we are choosing to not allow the hardships we are face to consume us, and this propels us into a place of spiritual strength.
  We are acknowledging that although the emotions, thoughts, or circumstances are real to us, The living God is real, and is our Rock, protector, provider, and healer. We are acknowledging that The God of Israel is worthy of our praise and faithfulness in all situations. This shows the wicked spirits in our midst that they cannot win! They do not have dominion over us. They cannot conquer us. And they will have to flee because we are standing against them instead of giving them power over our mind and spirit.
  
  Try to keep 1-2 of these strategies in your mental toolbox at all times. You will be armed and prepared the next time a wicked spirit tries to enter your mind. We must continue to grow, build our strength and fight against the powers of darkness so we are able to endure to the end!
  
  

Please share your thoughts and comments!

With Love Sisters,
Kierra Israel