Early Saturday morning I wrote that John’s and my week had been very peaceful. We felt a renewed peace for those last few days of the week, and I contributed it to the fact that we were praying more together. We could see our prayers answered through our attitudes being positive and through John being able to sleep more restfully with less pain and easier breathing.
And then the attack began. It is as if as soon as I typed the last sentence Satan let loose. He had supposedly had enough and was ready to fight back.
I felt it immediately. As the morning went on John and I became more and more irritable and angry. John wasn’t feeling well physically and neither of us were feeling well emotionally or spiritually. I began to dread going to God in prayer because it was the same prayer I have prayed day after day, and even though we see Him working, it just doesn’t seem to be enough. I was exhausted, angry, and fed up.
I said to John that I felt Satan attacking. I could feel the evil. He just looked at me. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. (1 Peter 5:8) The rest of the day was horrible. Now I know that I wasn’t just being dramatic.
Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) He hates it when we call to God for help. He hates it when we experience God’s grace and provision. He hates it when we read God’s Word. He hates strong marriages and families. He hates goodness and hope. He hates God. He wants to steal all of this away from us, kill whatever joy we experience, and destroy us from deep within our souls.
Fortunately, though, we have God, and God has given us, as Christians, authority over Satan. “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.” (Luke 10:19) “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4) In Jesus’s name we can command Satan to leave us, and he has to obey. “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.” (Mark 16:17)
This journey John and I are on is getting more difficult each day. We were told that it would. I am starting to recognize when we are being attacked and understand more than ever the importance of putting on the full armor of God each day as described in Ephesians 6:10-20. Satan is going to try to attack John and myself by trying to invade our thoughts, our bodies, and our marriage during this time, especially as John faces waiting in the hospital for his transplant. Only through the authority Jesus has placed within me with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit can I be strong and stand firm against Satan’s attacks.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:10-20)
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