Spiritual Warfare

Over the past years I have often heard spiritual leaders talk about being attacked by Satan. They often talk in words and images that what they are going through is worse than what "other people" go through. This has always seemed a little strange to me. Since I have left the "pastorate" this seems even stranger.

While some may believe that "position" or title is the cause of spiritual attacks, I do not. If you say it is not the "position" but the responsibility that is the cause of more attacks, I might agree. But also ask. "What is more contrary to the devils plans than doing the will of God?" Isn't everyone who is "not conforming" to the plans of Satan his enemy?

Now I hear in my mind the voices of pastors and shepherds informing me that they are responsible for the care and feeding of the flock, thus Satan is more intentional about them. I could share with you the inability of evil to be intentional because rebellion, fear, anxiety, jealously, bitterness and rage all exist in the organization of the evil one, but you probably already know that. So let me just say, that Satan tends not to attack the strong, but the week.

Jesus did encounter temptations with the devil in the wilderness, but this was not a spiritual attack, it was temptations. We should not get into the habit of calling ongoing trials and temptations spiritual attacks.

Well the point I want to get is this. If we truly believe in the priesthood of all believers than we all face the same kinds of spiritual attacks. The business owner, the plumber, the banker and the janitor all face the same level of attacks by the enemy because each person is vital to the will of God on earth. While we often talk about the Eph. 4 ministry gifts to the church, which are for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, we don't truly practice it. The "gifts" tend to keep the focus on themselves and have not yet learned to love others as themselves. I could be totally wrong about all this.

My final life observation is that broken people often face the biggest giants and spiritual attacks. Evil, being evil seems to feed on the helpless, the weak and the isolated. They do not stop just to go and attack some healthy pastor or leader. Evil calculates by destruction and the sick gratification destroying brings. In my observations, seldom is the good person every undergone the torment that the person already wounded by evil endures. If you want to see the "voices in my head, cutting my body, raging out of control, oppressed to the point of killing myself kind of spiritual warfare; find someone who is bitter, angry, unforgiving, selfish and sit with them as the drink, smoke, pop, entertain themselves on very sick humor, mock the good, love the evil, curse, despise and yield to the thousand voices screaming at them.

You may come away thinking that God is my shield and strength, His is my ever present protector and I truly an sheltered under His mighty wing