How To Handle the Attack - Spriritual Warfare

Job 1:20 - 22
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Many are the times in this life when the adversary will attack. He comes in many forms using people we love, people we have to work with, and people we hardly even know. He'll use complete strangers if possible to attack us whether legally or illegally. A legal attack comes with sin. Now, as much as it pains us, we know that if we do things God has warned us against we're in for a trial. On a regular basis human beings do what the Lord has already told us not to then we get upset when bad situations stem from our choices. If one is dating someone who doesn't know God and they do horrible things in the course of the relationship why ask why God is letting it happen? When one lies or has a lack of integrity in dealings why look at God to get out of the consequences that result? If adultery or fornication are being committed and then ominous circumstances are the result why expect God to rescue from the evil that goes with it? We can most assuredly expect negative outcomes from negative behavior. Trials do make us stronger, but one opens the door to them through poor life choices.

Illegal attacks come when we're pressing in and pursuing God with fervor and undivided focus and then the enemy comes to hurt us in some way. These are the times when it's confusing. Now there's a temptation to look at God and ask why He's doing this. We end up blaming Him somehow for this situation. The dialogue between the adversary and the Lord in Job might encourage this idea that God is responsible and He can block the enemy easily or stop him from doing these awful things that he does. Not so fast. God is always good and no darkness can be found in Him. His promises are yes and amen. He does not lie or break covenant with His people. So, what's happening in this illegal attack? No, this type is not authorized in the spiritual or physical laws.

Matthew 18:18
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Correct translation actually means in the high places, not heaven. You are binding demonic spirits working against you. They don't dwell in God's kingdom. You are loosing their hold and attachment to you or whatever or whomever you're praying for.)

In each of these cases you are at war. In the first instance where your sin has given the enemy an open door, you must repent. Yes, the standard word from most teachers and leaders out there is that you don't need to if you already accepted Jesus, that's it. You never have to feel any remorse again. This is absurd. When Jesus begins to judge the churches in the book of revelation He tells them all to repent for their trespasses or deal with horrific consequences. Repentance is mentioned so many times in the New Testament it's difficult to count. It's a requirement. After repenting it's war time. Begin to call out spirits by their function then bind them and loose their attachments and connections to you spiritually. They came in through your sin so they had a legal right. Now that you have repented (a heart change causing one to turn away from the sin never to repeat it again), you have access to the blood of Jesus and this is your authority over these enemy influences in your life. Slay them in the spirit by binding them, loosing them, and casting them out repeatedly. Do it for as long as it takes until they are gone. All the while praise God for what He's doing. Thank Him for the blood of Jesus, thank Him for His saving grace. Go forward speaking His truth and do not be entangled again with the yoke of that bondage which was the sin that got you into this in the first place. Keep blaming God out of your purview - He is not the source of the problem.

In the other case you have to immediately go on the attack and pursue the enemy in the spirit. Begin by rebuking him and speaking God's word over the situation. Speak God's promises, His truth, what He says about it, and speak His law. He said that when you are faithful over a few things he'll make you a ruler over many. If you've been faithful and an attack comes to take away what you've been faithful in doing, fight back. He said that when you tithe he will rebuke the devourer so if the devourer is coming to take money away that belongs to you as you've been a faithful tither, fight back in the spirit. This is all spiritual and has nothing to do with human beings. When the enemy uses a human being to attack they are just a vessel and often times have no understanding of the depth of the evil they are committing. Do not take it personally. Get in the spirit and fight. Bind, loose, and cast out the demons working to bring this calamity on you. Praise God for His work in the fight. Call on Him to send angels into the fight. Then wait on the Lord. Keep honoring Him in everything not looking at the situation, but at His promises. Don't make the mistake of blaming God. If you do, repent and move forward with the warfare. These bad things are not God's work. Sickness, disease, violence, poverty, etc. are all works from the enemy. Stand up and fight against him using the weapons God gave you.

2 Corinthians 10:4
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

Well, of course Job has a tough go of it. These are unimaginable circumstances that are so difficult that even the most courageous and faithful of us would be challenged. Job actually begins to lose it. He curses the day he was born and spends chapters saying woe is me that this awful thing has come. He admits to the sin of fear, having had it all along being afraid that something like this would happen. (open door) He never blames God directly, but makes the statement, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." Oops, that's blame. The Lord was not slaying him. In fact, the adversary was responsible for all the calamity in the first place. In the end Job comes to the conclusion that in all these things what he's going to do is give God honor, praise, and thanks for being Who He is. He repents of his sin and always maintains his faith in Him. He fortifies it with his words of honor to God. Then it is all returned to him - in double portions. The adversary has to give back what he takes from God's people illegally. Though the people of Job's era were not aware of spiritual warfare, his repentance and speaking truth ended the siege. (Job 41 - 43)

Be ready to go to war against the enemy and rulers of darkness in high places. Wear your armor at all times (Ephesians 6:10) and keep a tight watch over your thoughts, words, and actions being sure they please the Lord at all times. Say only what He says and keep His word in your heart. (Psalm 119:11)