Are You Living Spiritually Defeated?

The Causes of Spiritual Defeat

Are you living spiritually defeated?  We often may feel that way but should not stay feeling that way.  Dr. John K Jenkins Sr. stated that there are three causes of spiritual defeat in his sermon on The Parable of the Sower and the Seed.    (Matthew  13)

 1)  Satan’s Attacks  

We don’t understand that spiritual warfare is a part of the salvation package.  When we except Christ’s sacrifice for our sins we are reconciled with God and promised an eternity with Him. Essentially Satan has lost the right to our souls but that does not mean he will leave us alone. Scripture provides various characters who triumphed over enormous obstacles as examples to follow. Satan can and will do anything to keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives.

1 Peter 5:8–9  (ESV)  Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

2)  The Spirit’s Absence 

We give power to the enemy by sinning or by agreement with his lies. Sometimes God does allow things in our lives for His purposes. We can only discern the difference by reading God’s word and through prayer.  We feel defeated because we don’t fight back with the weapons at our disposal.  If we are living the Christian life with clipped wings we can’t get very far.  God needs control of our lives if we are going to fly. Feelings don’t always reflect the reality of our circumstances but in our busyness we often push Him aside.

3) Selfish Agendas.

In our subconscious we think we’re doing just fine on our own. Over and over scripture reminds us that the heart of mankind is deceitful and we are to lean on God’s wisdom and understanding.  Jesus Himself said, “not my will but yours be done.”

Galatians 6:7–8 (MSG)     Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

 

Satan’s Tactics For Defeat

I loved C.S.Lewis’,  The Screwtape Letters , and hope to re-read it this summer.  It is a fictional series of letters from Satan to his apprentice Wormwood with advice on tripping up christians to defeat their walk with God.   Dr. David Jeremiah listed eight signs that you may be under attack  in his lesson on spiritual battle .  The signs may be fatigue, anxiety, stress, temptation, fear, despair, lies and revenge (our knee jerk reactions).   These are all very real parts of our lives but how do we respond to them?

Read Dr Jeremiah’s whole article on his blog, “8 Signs You’re in a Spiritual Battle and How to Win.”

 

Know your enemy! Remember Satan is a murderer, liar and predator.

Our Protection From Spiritual Defeat

The truth of scripture is our protection.  It tells us Who God is and who we are in him.   Here are a few of my favorite verses.

**Isaiah 40:28–31 (ESV)   Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

John  14:6    Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Romans 8:35,37   Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Philippians 4:13   I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

 

Weapons at Our Disposal

Ephesians 6:13–18 (MSG)      Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.   Truth, righteousness, peace, faith,  and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.  In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

 

I have to admit that there have been plenty of times I wondered what God was doing. I couldn’t see any good in my circumstances. However, my faith is grounded in His word so I choose to believe it when I can’t understand.  When I am weak, He is strong. When I can’t see Him, He is still there.  Satan may win a battle or too but He has already lost the war.  Spiritual warfare is a part of  being a Christian but we should never live defeated.