Satanic Attacks

Years ago my sister moved to a new apartment in San Jose, CA. She gave me directions how to get to her place and I drove over to see her . She said her apartment was just off Lee Ave, an exit off the 101 Freeway. When I got to San Jose I missed the Lee Ave exit. I drove all the way through San Jose, turned around and missed it again. I took an exit, found a payphone and called her. This was before GPS’s and cell phones. I was frustrated she’d given me the wrong directions. There was no Lee Ave exit. Perhaps you have already figured out what I then learned. Lee Ave was spelled Leigh Ave. Oh. I was certain I knew what I was looking for but I was just as certainly wrong. In yesterday’s post I suggested all Christians have been attacked by Satan. Yet it may be you still can’t think of or recognize a time when that happened. Okay, what do you think satanic attacks are like? How would you describe them? (It would be great to post your answer in the comments below.) I've heard people say satanic attacks include being tormented by demons, strange noises in your home, unexplainable negative events, bizarre nightmares, sleep paralysis, sickness, getting fired from your job for no reason, depression, anxiety, all kinds of temptations and much more. Well, which is it? Throughout the Bible we read of Satan’s tactics, things he does and can do in attacking people. These all fall into six categories.

6 Categories of Satanic Attacks

1. Blinding 2 Corinthians 4:4. Satan is able to blind the minds of people so they don’t believe the Gospel.
2. Teaching 1 Timothy 4:1. Some teach things they received from demons to keep people from believing the truth of God’s Word.
3. Enticing 1 Chronicles 21:1, Acts 5:1-11. Satan has the ability to put thoughts and desires in people’s minds that can entice them to sin.
4. Interfering 1 Thessalonians 2:18. Satan has the ability to interfere with our circumstances.
5. Inflicting Job 1-2, Luke 13:1-17. Satan can affect people’s health.
6. Demonizing Mark 5:1-20. Satan and his followers can control a person with and for unbelievers without their permission.

Even though satanic attacks include a wide range of things, in all the Bible we’re only warned about one category of satanic attacks, attacks on our minds. There are several such verses, here is one example.

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

If satanic attacks include those other things, why aren't we warned about all of them? Because we can’t recognize or resist the other kinds of attacks. Even the satanic attacks on Job weren't primarily to destroy his health, they were to tempt Job to sin. Satan wanted to see Job “curse God and die.” The battlefield is our minds. We need to focus on our thoughts to recognize satanic attacks on our minds. It isn't as hard as you might think. The armor of God is the key! Before reading this post how would you have described satanic attacks? Or how do other teachers or people describe them? Please leave a question or comment below.