What Spiritual Warfare Looks Like

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When you’re seeking God, seeking Christ, the demons can attack in a way in which it feels like you have no power. When you latch onto an evil, intrusive thought, it can feel as if you’re out of control of yourself and you do what you consciously do not want to do.

St. Paul speaks on this in Romans 7:15- “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”

With this, we need to learn how to fight the enemy. First, we must recognize when we have intrusive, demonic thoughts and immediately take ourselves to prayer. Get the name of Jesus Christ on your lips and cry out “Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy On Me”.Overtime, as we seek God, discernment grows and we will recognize the attacks and intrusive thoughts more clearly.

As St. Porphyrios said, “Do not concern yourself with the devil, nor pray for him to leave. The more you pray for him to leave, the more tightly he embraces you. Show contempt for the devil. Don’t meet him head on. When you struggle against the devil with obstinacy, he flies at you like a tiger or a wild cat. When you shoot a bullet at him, he lobs a hand-grenade at you. And when you throw a bomb at him, he launches a rocket against you. Don’t look at evil. Turn your eyes to God’s embrace and fall into His arms and continue on your way. Abandon yourself to Him; love Christ; live in vigilance. Vigilance is essential for the person who loves God. No one ever became holy by fighting evil. We only become holy by falling in love with Christ.”

Instead of focusing on the enemy, which should focus on and seek after Christ. Do as the scriptures say “Do not fear” and diligently seek to love the Lord our God with all of your heart, soul, and mind.

Lastly, if you fall into the enemies trap, immediately and with a contrite heart, repent. Seek God’s mercy and grace and truly have a change of heart. Recognize the patterns of the enemy, so you can guard against the trap in the future. With all of this and if nothing else is taken from this, seek God with all of you and seek to grow in your love for Christ.

Glory to God.