Recovering from a Spiritual Attack

 

By: Sarah Geringer 

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Today I'm recovering from a spiritual attack. I should have seen it coming after making a major life announcement on my podcast this week. But in the victory I was celebrating on having the courage to make the announcement, I forgot the possibility of a spiritual attack. I overlooked the prowling lion lying in wait to tear me apart.

Every single time I've worked to advance God's kingdom, I have gotten attacked by the enemy. You would think after so many attacks, I would have been better prepared this week. However, I'm only human, just like you, and it's very easy to lose sight of the spiritual dimension in our trials.

Last night and this morning, I reeled from the aftereffects. They showed up in my body, mind, heart and spirit. The attack wounded me so badly, I was off-kilter for many hours, and my productivity and self-image tanked.

As I get my bearings again, I'm reflecting on the ways I'm recovering from a spiritual attack. I hope this list of suggestions I wrote from my real life helps you next time you face an attack from Satan.

1. Realize the attack is more from Satan than from people. It's incredibly easy to get wrapped up in the wrong someone caused you, then blame, complain and retaliate. But God reminded me of Jesus' words as the soldiers nailed him to the cross: "Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 NIV) In a spiritual sense, the soldiers were simply agents of Satan's will. Jesus knew this, and it made his forgiveness faster and easier to deliver. Meditating on this truth helped me move into forgiveness faster too.

2. Treat yourself with extra kindness after the attack. I was so derailed from getting only two hours of sleep last night that I had to go back to bed most of the day. While I felt discouraged about all the tasks that would be jettisoned, I sensed God saying, "This is a sick day for you. You are sick at heart and you need to heal. If you had a fever or the flu, you wouldn't feel as guilty for taking off, would you?" He was kind to remind me to be gentle with myself as I recover from the attack. A nap helped a lot, as well as stopping negative self-talk.

3. Reach out to others for support. A spiritual attack feels heavy. We need other Christians to help us recover. It takes courage to reach out and ask people to pray for you when you have been attacked. But I can testify I felt much better after posting in a private Facebook prayer group and calling two friends, who offered many prayers and words of encouragement. This was a time investment on my part, but it was some of the best medicine I could apply to my wounds.

4. When you don't have the words to pray, pray the Psalms. There's nothing the enemy would love more than to silence us after an attack. Though it can be difficult to find the energy and concentration to pray when you are recovering from a spiritual attack, you can go right to the Psalms and simply pray them out loud. I found great comfort in Psalm 30 and Psalm 31 last night. I also love the names of God in the beginning of Psalm 18, which replenished my strength. 

I hope these ideas will uplift you the next time you are recovering from a spiritual attack. You can also read my hugely popular post with 5 ways to stand firm during a spiritual attack HERE. You may also like THIS POST and THIS POST I've written on the subject. 

Looking for more encouragement? Check out all the posts I've written for Woman 2 Woman Ministries HERE.

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Have a blessed weekend!

Sarah Geringer
Finding Peace in God's Word

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