130. GOD’S TESTING OR UNDER ATTACK ?? Isaiah 59:19

The first approach we must take in this matter is to see it for what it is. Are we being tested by God, Or is Satan organising an attack. People often confuse the two. So first of all, Get a few Spirit filled friends around you and pray asking God how you ought to handle your problem. If He is testing you, He will make the answer very clear, usually by telling you what He requires off you. So pay close attention when you pray, also pay attention to what you read. (Scripture is best) Don’t search for what you would like the answer to be, God will give it to you plainly enough. Listen to what people have to say to you, in their normal conversations, and be alert and attentive to what’s going on around you; God works in the natural more than we think. He is aware and often allowing things to happen to us to get our attention. So, spend personal time with God in prayer because He will answer you through at least some of the above. And when He has told you, “do it” and get it off your plate. It may be to give help to someone in some way, or visit someone in prison or hospital, or volunteer your services in your church or some other organisation. Like all of us, you need to be in God’s Will. That’s where He can use you best. The problem is, that’s the one place Satan does not want you to be. Now, if all that hasn’t made any difference to the attacks you are suffering, You can then start treating them as attacks from Satan, again starting with prayer and get others around you, to get the covering of The blood of Jesus and The presence of The Holy Spirit. The biggest mistakes often occur in the early stage of an attack because they catch us off guard. Surprise is one of the devil’s favourite weapons. Here are four winning strategies you can use when you are under attack. (1) Don’t panic. Live by this Scripture, (Psalm 46:10). “Be still and know that I am God” That means God is present and fully aware of your situation. He has a solution. You just have to be sensitive and responsive to the voice of His Spirit. See (John:16:13) Remember, time is on your side and Patience is your weapon that will expose truth and motive. (2) Analyse it. Solomon said (Ecclesiastes: 7:14) “In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider” What looks like crises may be concentrated information. So take time to analyse, you will benefit from it. (3) Seek advice.: (Proverbs11:14) “Where there is no counsel the people fall; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Remember this..., Ignorance is your enemy, but instruction is your friend, so there will be somebody somewhere who knows something you need to know that can help you survive and even succeed during this painful chapter in your life. Reach for them. (4) Expect God to move, (Isaiah 59:19) Tells us; ”When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” Adversity is often the enemy’s reaction to your progress. Rejoice, your Heavenly Father who has allowed this to happen, also has His eyes on you today He is pleased with you, and He is going to bring you through this victoriously. Adversity is often the devil’s attempt to rob you of the next season of God’s blessing in your life. If you are under attack, do these three things. (1) Rise up and fight back. You will be tempted to withdraw and become timid and passive, especially if you have been hurt. Don’t do it. A wounded animal just invites attacks. Satan loves shy, fearful types, they are a ‘push-over’ for him. But real fighters intimidate him. So be bold and claim the promise in (James 4:7) Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (2) Use the weapons : The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:4) Paul speaking,”I use all God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds”. Prayer is a weapon - use it daily. And join in prayer with others. One person alone can’t multiply faith. but faith Increase begins when two people get together; (See Matthew 18?19). Know the Intercessors in your church or Group, they have influence with God. Scripture is also a weapon, so learn it and use it. *Ephesians 6-17) “Take The Word of The Spirit, which is the Word of God” Find out what The Word of God says about your situation, then use it like a sward to cut off the enemy’s head. (3) Look at the big picture. Few things are what they appeared to be at first. So look beyond the moment, see if something good is being berthed in you. “After adversity comes blessing and favour.” So get your eyes back on the big picture. In (2:Corinthians 4:17) Paul, who suffered more attacks than than we do said...”Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Satan can attack you anywhere and at any time. If you want to defeat him, here are some tried and true biblical principles you need to follow; (1) Guard your mind. You will never be defeated as long as you’re victorious in your mind; that’s the birthplace of everything you do. Satan knows that, and he will try to get your thoughts so scattered, you wont be able to concentrate on what’s important. Don’t allow that to happen. Get back into focus. Isaiah said in (26:3) “You Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you because they trust you.” (2) Love people but trust God; Live by the Scripture, (Psalm 118:8) says; “It is better to put your trust in The Lord, than to put confidence in man.” When the devil wants to hurt you, he will often use a person to do it. Your ‘enemy is anyone who attempts to thwart the will of God in your life, so identify such people and avoid them. God never commanded us to trust people, He commanded us to love people and trust Him. Understand the difference, your victory depends on it. (3) Never give up: Jesus said in (Luke 9:62) “No one who puts their hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God.” Your dreams and goals are worth any fight, any price, and any waiting period. Your faith is what defeats Satan. Do you remember Joseph? Everyday of adversity was just another stepping-stone towards the throne. So keep walking and believing. There is victory ahead. You have read quite a bit of how to handle Satan’s attacks when they come, so if you are under attack today, try these; (!) Be tough, Remember life is a collection of battles, which means it can also be a collection of victories. (1John 4:4) reads, “He who is in you, is greater than he who is the world.” Reach within and call on God’s strength, go ahead, He longs to show you what he can do for you. He himself has said,”I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we may boldly say with the writer of (Hebrews “The Lord is my helper, what can man do to me.” Did you get that? He Himself has said...So we may boldly say, there is power in His Word when you speak it out loud, believe it our hearts and physically apply it. (2) Depend on God’s wisdom: Jesus said (Luke 21:14) don’t worry about how to answer the charges against you, for I will give you the right words and such wisdom, that none of your opponents will be able to reply.” God has given you two things that always work: His wisdom and your mouth, when unexpected things arise, The Holy Spirit within you will rise to the occasion and speak through you, so start depending on Him. (3) Trust God to stop the attack:(Psalm 46:9 Tells us, “He causes wars to end throughout the earth” God is in control, He is bigger than whatever you’re dealing with, and you are on His mind this very moment. Your tears, your fears and your pain has been noticed by Him – And He will move on your behalf. The new birth creates a battle between your old nature and your new nature. So, you must learn to fight it. That is why I have given you some spiritual strategies for winning. Here are a few more. (1) Fill your mind with Scripture; In (Psalm 119:92) David said “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.” Your mind is like soil; it will grow any seed you plant, good or bad, when you plant words spoken by God, you are planting words of energy, life and hope into your spirit. God’s Word is like an antidote, it strips Satan of his power to infect you with fear and unbelief. In another Psalm we read “The law of their God is in their hearts; Their feet do not slip. (2) Reach out to others” When Job prayed for his friends, The Lord restored his fortunes. In fact The Lord gave him twice as much as he had before. Does that sound strange? It may be strange in the kingdom of man, but not in God’s Kingdom. You are the solution to somebody else’s problem, and when you reach out to them, God will reach out to you. See Ephesians 6:8. Go ahead, try it. (3) Remember that seasons change: In Psalm 30:5) David said,”Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” This attack wont last forever – morning is coming, people change and circumstances change. So, start believing God to change things for you. He promised to do it and He Will. Here are three more things you need to be aware of when under attack. (1) You are not unique; In a letter to persecuted believers, the Apostle Peter said, (1Peter 5:9) “Be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers is going through the same things you are.” We are all on the same Battlefield, but the devil would love to convince you that you are the only one suffering these things, he wants you to feel like a failure and cut yourself off from the fellowship and the strength and support that comes from other believers. Be wise, don’t let him do that to you. (2) Remove any hindrances. In (1John 3:2) we hear him say “Dear friends, If our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God.” We all sin, - the mistake lies in trying to cover it up, because (Proverbs 28:13) tells us “Whoever conceals sin does not prosper.” So if you are constantly struggling and being defeated, ask God to show you where the trouble spot is, then ask Him for His Grace to defeat it. (3) Don’t quit Anyone can begin a marathon, but it takes. A champion to finish it. In (2Timothy 4:7) Paul writes “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” Everyone of us experiences adversity. But it’s those who stay strong to the finish who get the reward. So pace yourself and be determined to go the distance. Study the lives of David, Esther, Deborah ,Joseph and Paul. Remind yourself that their God is your God and He has promised to bring you through victoriously. Thank you for reading this somewhat lengthy but nevertheless very necessary word. This can be soul-saving stuff, The Lord and I have worked long and hard on it, and I didn’t want to miss any of what He was downloading to me. So, I truly hope and pray that many who read it will really benefit from it; especially when Satan comes knocking (and he will) at the door of your heart or mind. Trust in your God’s love, There is nothing like it in this world. God bless you all. Phaline.