Satan Attacks Where He’s Succeeded In the Past–Grab Hold of the Abundant Life From Jesus

Make no mistake — Satan will attack you where you have been weak before. Where you have faltered. Where he has caught you in the past. He will try to take you down yet again. How have you responded to these attacks though? Have you grown in your ability to recognize and thwart those specific attacks that have leveled you before? 

Satan wants you to be exhausted and weary physically, so he can also get to you emotionally and spiritually.

It was not a coincidence that I launched my blog 2 weeks ago and went public that Wednesday. On Friday night, 2 days later, my son was hit with a bad stomach virus and began vomiting. He had a fever the next night. Mind you, this is my son who has a seizure disorder and anytime he gets sick, we are on high alert for a fever that could potentiate a seizure and compromised breathing and a life and death situation. We are on alert to make sure he stays alive and doesn’t stop breathing during a seizure. You see, during his first seizure when he was two, and so very little, I had to give him breaths because he was turning blue around his mouth, and his breathing was compromised. I had no idea if we would lose him or not that day. It was terrifying and not something I wish on any parent.

For us, sickness has been life and death dangerous ever since. A time to be on alert and protect him and prevent a seizure from a breakthrough jump in temperature, because the ramifications could mean death.

My son has also had seizures not associated with fever in subsequent years. We have learned his seizure triggers thankfully, and how to try to prevent them, but it is still not easy…

It has been a long road filled with watchfulness, fear, anxiety, and learning how to live with those feelings and emotions and cope with them… In order to still live life well, but differently. To continue to choose joy.

And so, 2 days after launching this blog and going public with it, it is not coincidence, my friends, that our son was hit with sickness and then fever…the son we fear for when he gets sick and watch closely… We have been healthy for the last year. The last year mind you. The timing is not coincidence friends. Satan didn’t want my blog to prosper. Or for me to have the energy to write and proclaim God’s goodness in the midst of the difficult in our life.

Following my son getting it, every single person in our family succumbed to this vomiting illness over the course of the week. 8 days of it in our home as one by one we got sick. Bedsheets being washed in the laundry, night after night. Ice chips. Popsicles. Gatorade. Being laid up. Our normal schedule completely set aside- Thankfully my husband and I got it separately so we could take turns caring for everyone… 

Satan likes to hit us where it will hopefully level us and take away all our energy… Where has Satan tried to attack you, friend, in the past? Does he still attack you in those same ways today? In your thoughts? with health? In some other way? Do you know the areas you are susceptible to his attacks in? Is it with fear? worry? anxiety?
What have you done to try to combat his attacks? Do you recognize the attacks when they come or are you caught unaware? Satan wants you to be exhausted and weary physically, so he can also get to you emotionally and spiritually. Thankfully, this time, it did not level me, level us. We were exhausted but able to come out of it. That period of illness and watchfulness is over.

Yes, Satan likes to attack. He doesn’t want us to put God’s glory and strength on display in the midst of brokenness, pain, grief, and health diagnoses…He wants to thwart God’s plan, and he certainly doesn’t want you magnifying and praising God to the multitudes. Satan doesn’t want for that to prosper. 

As John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” ESV 

You see, we are in a spiritual battle. It is real. Satan is after each one of us and doesn’t want for you or I to proclaim the name of Christ. He has come *only* to steal, kill, and destroy. That’s his focus, his plan. He doesn’t want you to live sold out for Jesus. 

But, what does Jesus offer instead though? Jesus offers ABUNDANT LIFE for us… I want to live life abundantly, don’t you? We don’t have to do it on our own though, thank goodness. Jesus can help us live our life, abundantly, in Him, through the Holy Spirit working in us.

Our enemy, Satan, on the other hand… He wants you in the bondage of fear, anxiety, or anything else that will take your focus off Christ and without the energy to follow Christ. 

Satan even attacks with seemingly innocuous things like laziness, comfort, and lulling you into complacency (Hello binge watching Netflix over and over again- I’ve been guilty before!). Now hear me– watching shows isn’t wrong. Neither is being comfortable or having lazy, restful days… What is wrong though is if it takes your focus off following Jesus that day and being responsive to His leading… if it causes you to dull your senses and just live that day for yourself, not asking God what He would have you do that day for Him. 

As simple, and difficult, maybe, as responding with loving and patient responses to your children that day when they aren’t interacting well toward you at all… I definitely speak to myself as well as you, friend. 

This last week, our energy was taken out by a stomach virus going through our entire family over 8 days. We dealt with fear and watchfulness over our son who has seizures. It was an exhausting week. 

Rest and restoration is needed after a time like that. But don’t allow that rest time to enter into complacency. And, friend, don’t allow your period of fear or anxiety or struggle to keep you there long-term. Ask Jesus for His help. Pray. Listen to truth filled songs and cling to the words as you pray them over yourself… Open to the Psalms and find solace and comfort in those words.

Choose to push forward and persevere and ask God to help you rise up out of that time- To refocus & find strength and hope to continue in what God is calling you to. Jesus has offered life and He wants you to have it abundantly.

Keep pushing on, regardless of what comes your way. Don’t let Satan take you down and keep you there. Keep your focus on Christ and be restored, each day, to persevere… 

To continue in what He is calling you to. 

Be encouraged today, friend!