by Dave Kahle
“I hate myself. I hate my life. I hate everything about me. I wish I were dead.”
That thought is clearly not from God. It is, however, the refrain that the forces of evil plant in my mind to attack me. I’ve heard it regularly for years. It is a most obvious spiritual attack and over the years I’ve learned how to defeat it.
My tactic comes directly from James 4:7: Resist the devil and he will flee from you.(NIV). I just speak directly to the demons harassing me and tell them to go away and don’t come back. I often mention that I have authority over them by virtue of the fact that I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. I am God’s child and have inherited, through Christ’s sacrifice, the power over all the forces of evil. If I’m in a situation where I can speak aloud without drawing attention, I speak out loud and command them to be gone. If I have a verse handy, I’ll speak that Biblical verse out loud as well.
They leave and I’m free of the oppressive weight of that thought. A battle won.
If I’m in a season where the attacks are frequent and coupled with the kinds of discouragements, and disappointments that are often signs of a spiritual attack, I take note of Jesus telling his disciples that “These kind only come out with prayer and fasting,” Mark 9:29 (WYC) I’ll fast and ask God to enable me to stand against demonic activity.
I’m convinced that’s these tools and tactics will win every encounter with the forces of evil.
While that works for me, it may be that you have a different set of tools or tactics to use when you are under attack. Please share your experiences and insights in the comment section below.
