This post is about spiritual warfare. I didn't pick the topic for this post as much as the topic chose me. Over the break, I experience an onslaught of oppression from the enemy. Oppression isn't something unfamiliar to me; I first began to recognize the harsh lies and feelings from the enemy last semester when my spiritual life began to grow rapidly. On this particular night I was laying in my bed, trying to fall asleep, when I noticed that I wasn't falling asleep as easy as I should be. An hour passed, which doesn't happen when I'm lying in my bed without an energy drink or chocolate covered espresso bean in sight. I start to think that maybe something supernatural is taking place, and that's when it all comes out of hiding. Evil lies and doubt flood my mind. I bring out my bag of tips and tricks I've learned over the last few months. I pray for the presence of God to envelope the room and to bind the enemy, while I submit my body and my mind to him. I say Jesus's name aloud for the room to hear, which has worked really well in the past, but I still felt very unsettled. I didn't want to, and was even annoyed that I had to do this, but I woke up my parents to help me do battle in my room. They prayed with me and we sang a song or two, then I continued to pray alone. God spoke one thing clear to me that night, "I've got you." I'm his. And he won't let anything that I can't take befall me. I prayed for those on my prayer list while listening to worship music then fell into a very exhaustive sleep.
Then something really lame happened to me during the New Year's Eve party that I was at: The oppression came on, mid-party, in a room full of happy people. I can't describe the mix of raw, paralyzing fear, while completely annoyed at the whole situation. It got bad. It was really getting to me. Right before I was going to stand up or walk around or cause a scene or something, the subtle but very loud voice of God broke through again. He said "Stop. You're not going to freak out. I've got you." He wasn't just saying stop to me. It was a "peace, be still" sort of moment where he was calming the winds and the waves of my heart. Call it providence, but an old friend of mine was there at the party who is a buff on theology and spiritual warfare. I took him aside and told him what was going on. He gave me some awesome knowledge to add to my arsenal of weaponry. One particular scripture that powerful intercedes to my situation is 2 Timothy 1:7 - For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. Meditating on this has done wonders for me and combats the fear well. For different areas that I feel attacked, there is truth in his word to combat the lies and topple the strongholds of the enemy.
I'm sure that most of you don't experience spiritual warfare like I have. This was definitely thrust at me. Nevertheless, being armed with truth is something that all Christians should take seriously to take on the lies of the evil one. Maybe they are not as seemingly outright soul-crushing as they can be and have been with me, but that's not to say that he's not capable of subtlety and sneakiness.
Anyway, the purpose of this post was not to scare or to shock. I hope people read this and take something away, whether it be a new awareness, a clearer understanding, or hopefully a new weapon that can be used in the heat of battle. If you have questions, please, don't be a stranger. Let's be in community, fighting together as brothers and sisters closely knit in Christ.
For those who like to be in the shelter of his wings - http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2091&version=NIV
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