A Different Perspective on Spiritual Warfare
By Chris Hammond, MS, IMH
Oftentimes, we see spiritual warfare as an attack from the outside. Some larger force outside of us is coming after us with the intent to cause harm. These attacks can take the form of financial failure, marriage infidelity, natural disasters, rebellious children, economic depression, war, or dissension in churches. And sometimes, correctly, this is spiritual warfare. But sadly, sometimes these events are instead direct consequences of our own sinful actions and desires. Yet the greatest battle for spiritual warfare is not the larger than life events happening outside ourselves; rather it is in the smaller thoughts and feelings stirring inside.
Thoughts. Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly to better evaluate your thoughts.
• What do you really think about and how much time do you spend thinking about it?
• Do you replay conversations over and over in your head instead of what you did say?
• Do you fantasize about how to get even with someone who has caused you harm?
• Do you image achieving a great result to vindicate yourself in front of others?
• Do you focus your thoughts on one area of our life (i.e. work) at the expense of another area of our life (i.e. family)?
• Do you wish for someone else to experience the same pain as you?
• Do you dream about winning the lottery?
• Do you think about your past failures and wish you had done it differently?
• Do you call yourself a failure, loser, or other self-depreciating statements?
Each one of these seemingly insignificant thoughts is actually part of your spiritual battle which is more appropriately named distraction. By distracting you from thoughts that are good, pure, just, and holy, you have taken your focus off of God and onto more worldly desires. Some of these desires seem innocent such as winning the lottery and giving the money to family and charity but in reality if God wanted you to have more money He would not need the lottery to give you more money, He would just give it to you. By focusing on the lottery or some of the other thoughts listed, you are being distracted from the things and people God did bless you with in your life and instead setting yourself up for disappointment.
Feelings. Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly to better evaluate your feelings.
• If it feels good, do you do it regardless of whether or not it violates your standards?
• If it feels good to buy a new piece of clothing, do you do it even if you don’t need it?
• If it feels good to flirt with someone, do you do it even if it jeopardizes your marriage?
• If it feels good to have a drink or two or three, do you do it even if you risk becoming drunk?
• If it feels good to mouth off to someone, do you do it even if you risk damaging the relationship?
• If you don’t feel like reading the proposal, assignment or book, do you do it anyway?
• If you don’t feel like parenting your children today, do you do it anyway?
• If you don’t feel like dealing with your grief, do you do it anyway?
Everyone has feelings and some days the feelings are stronger than others, feelings can drive us to do an action or not do an action regardless of how we think. Just like our thoughts can lead us astray, so can our feelings. Run away feelings turn into a spiritual battle better identified as discouragement. Fear of discouragement may drive us to do something that makes us feel good in the moment regardless of the consequences, where as discouragement may drive us not do to do something. It is important to remember that God created feelings so feelings in and of themselves are not bad contrary to many popular beliefs. By feelings which drive our behavior without a thought filter can be destructive.
Spiritual warfare is not always the big things happening around us; sometimes it is the little things happening inside of us. Take an inventory of your thoughts and feelings to see if they need a cleansing. After all, most historians will tell you that the greatest battle is the one you are fighting right now.
-------------------------------------
Reprint Permission- If this article helps you, please share it with your own list at work or church, forward it to friends and family or post it on your own site or blog. Just leave it intact and do not alter it in any way. Any links must remain in the article. Please include the following paragraph in your reprint.
"Reprinted with permission from the LifeWorks Group weekly eNews, (Copyright, 2004-2011), To subscribe to this valuable counseling and coaching resource visit www.LifeWorksGroup.org or call 407-647-7005"
About the author- Chris Hammond is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern at LifeWorks Group w/ over 15 years of experience as a counselor, mentor & teacher for children, teenagers & adults.
Oftentimes, we see spiritual warfare as an attack from the outside. Some larger force outside of us is coming after us with the intent to cause harm. These attacks can take the form of financial failure, marriage infidelity, natural disasters, rebellious children, economic depression, war, or dissension in churches. And sometimes, correctly, this is spiritual warfare. But sadly, sometimes these events are instead direct consequences of our own sinful actions and desires. Yet the greatest battle for spiritual warfare is not the larger than life events happening outside ourselves; rather it is in the smaller thoughts and feelings stirring inside.
Thoughts. Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly to better evaluate your thoughts.
• What do you really think about and how much time do you spend thinking about it?
• Do you replay conversations over and over in your head instead of what you did say?
• Do you fantasize about how to get even with someone who has caused you harm?
• Do you image achieving a great result to vindicate yourself in front of others?
• Do you focus your thoughts on one area of our life (i.e. work) at the expense of another area of our life (i.e. family)?
• Do you wish for someone else to experience the same pain as you?
• Do you dream about winning the lottery?
• Do you think about your past failures and wish you had done it differently?
• Do you call yourself a failure, loser, or other self-depreciating statements?
Each one of these seemingly insignificant thoughts is actually part of your spiritual battle which is more appropriately named distraction. By distracting you from thoughts that are good, pure, just, and holy, you have taken your focus off of God and onto more worldly desires. Some of these desires seem innocent such as winning the lottery and giving the money to family and charity but in reality if God wanted you to have more money He would not need the lottery to give you more money, He would just give it to you. By focusing on the lottery or some of the other thoughts listed, you are being distracted from the things and people God did bless you with in your life and instead setting yourself up for disappointment.
Feelings. Ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly to better evaluate your feelings.
• If it feels good, do you do it regardless of whether or not it violates your standards?
• If it feels good to buy a new piece of clothing, do you do it even if you don’t need it?
• If it feels good to flirt with someone, do you do it even if it jeopardizes your marriage?
• If it feels good to have a drink or two or three, do you do it even if you risk becoming drunk?
• If it feels good to mouth off to someone, do you do it even if you risk damaging the relationship?
• If you don’t feel like reading the proposal, assignment or book, do you do it anyway?
• If you don’t feel like parenting your children today, do you do it anyway?
• If you don’t feel like dealing with your grief, do you do it anyway?
Everyone has feelings and some days the feelings are stronger than others, feelings can drive us to do an action or not do an action regardless of how we think. Just like our thoughts can lead us astray, so can our feelings. Run away feelings turn into a spiritual battle better identified as discouragement. Fear of discouragement may drive us to do something that makes us feel good in the moment regardless of the consequences, where as discouragement may drive us not do to do something. It is important to remember that God created feelings so feelings in and of themselves are not bad contrary to many popular beliefs. By feelings which drive our behavior without a thought filter can be destructive.
Spiritual warfare is not always the big things happening around us; sometimes it is the little things happening inside of us. Take an inventory of your thoughts and feelings to see if they need a cleansing. After all, most historians will tell you that the greatest battle is the one you are fighting right now.
-------------------------------------
Reprint Permission- If this article helps you, please share it with your own list at work or church, forward it to friends and family or post it on your own site or blog. Just leave it intact and do not alter it in any way. Any links must remain in the article. Please include the following paragraph in your reprint.
"Reprinted with permission from the LifeWorks Group weekly eNews, (Copyright, 2004-2011), To subscribe to this valuable counseling and coaching resource visit www.LifeWorksGroup.org or call 407-647-7005"
About the author- Chris Hammond is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern at LifeWorks Group w/ over 15 years of experience as a counselor, mentor & teacher for children, teenagers & adults.
Comments