I know some of you have been shocked by dark posts. The reason I posted them as I needed a place to vent and find answers. I’ve been in spiritual warfare ever since I started pursuing Christianity in 2021.
I don’t feel comfortable talking to family or friends as it may ruin my reputation. The reason I chose this forum as it seemed conservative unlike others which were liberal.
I will try to post more normal. I’m sorry if I disturbed this place.
I’m not disturbed by your post @Josiah, it’s just that I don’t know how to answer you. Even if I did know, it may not be helpful. When you say spiritual warfare, what exactly do you mean? I would also ask if there is sin in your life or sin in your past that you haven’t repented of. You’re not under the covering of our Lord, so something must be amiss.
Do you mean I’m not saved?
I know that Satan is lying me and tempting me more than ever as I am falling Christ now.
No. Of course not. John says that if we say we’re without the sin the truth is not in us. We’re all sinners, but saved by His grace.
Keep pursuing Him. Keep seeking Him, and ask Him for His help. Expect that in His timing, He will answer you. Some things take what we would call a long time. He loves you. Remember that.
This was confusing. What did you mean by this?
It’s my understanding that sin in our lives can give access to the devil. It gives him an opening to oppress us. This oppression is sometimes called a foothold. It’s the devil’s activity and influence in us that seems impossible to overcome. The solution is first to agree with God that the sin is not ok (confession; coming into agreement with God at a heart level) and receive His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 talks about this.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
You have to believe His forgiveness. He’s said He will forgive so you believe what He’s said.
This removes the foothold that the devil has placed, but it doesn’t necessarily take away the problem. You can still be tempted and it’s easy to fall back into that sin if you just leave it at God’s forgiveness.
Read 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
So what is a stronghold? How do we make our thoughts obedient to Christ? What’s the weapon we use?
A stronghold is something that’s really latched onto you that goes against what God says is true. You can recognize it by the sin-confess-sin-confess cycle going on in your life. You know it’s not of God so you’re convicted, but just can’t seem to let go of it. That’s a stronghold.
Our weapon is the Word of God and how we make our thoughts line up to what His Word says is by knowing His Word on it. Not just knowing it, but getting it inside us.
Here’s one way to do that…
Search through the Bible for verses that speak directly to the problem. Find 4 or 5 verses that combat that stronghold and put them into your own words. For example:
" In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error." Romans 1:27
Might be worded by you in this way:
It is shameful to lust after other men and have sexual relations with them. Those who do so will receive a penalty for this sin.
When you’ve found 4 or 5 verses, string them together into a statement. Say this out loud twice a day when you are alone and do this for 40 days. There’s something about the 40 day mark that makes a difference. In the beginning of this process it may feel like you’re just saying words. Do it anyways. Be faithful to the process. What you are doing is speaking truth to yourself and it’s this truth that will demolish the stronghold.