When we experience a spiritual attack as Christians, we need a plan to deal with it as well as to recover from any injury that we may have sustained.

R.I.C.E is an acronym used for treating physical injuries:

• Rest
• Ice
• Compression
• Elevation

Here is a strategy for dealing with spiritual warfare that I have developed for our training using the R.I.C.E acronym.

R = RECOGNISE the Battle 1 Peter 5:8

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The first step in dealing with spiritual warfare is simply to recognise that it IS spiritual warfare.

This might sound very simplistic, but in reality, this is half the battle! Remember, the enemy likes to operate under cover, in darkness. (Eph 5:8-13)

You may be drowning in discouragement, pain or condemnation. And the accuser will make sure that you think it is just YOU, that you have done something to deserve it.

Once you recognise the signs that you are experiencing spiritual warfare, you are on the way to winning the battle.

I = IDENTIFY the Enemy’s Strategy

There are three things it is helpful to identify when you are experiencing a demonic attack:

1. MEANS:

Isa 54:17

No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

What, or who is the enemy using to fulfil his purposes?

Is it personal? It may be something physical such as a health issue, or it could be an internal, soul issue such as a personal weakness or pain from your past.

Or is it a circumstance or person external to you, such as a work colleague, family member, or even the weather or traffic!

If it’s something external that you cannot change (except by addressing it through prayer), remember that you can control your RESPONSE.

2. MANDATE:

2 Cor 2:11

… in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Where there is a battle, there is BOUNTY. If there is warfare going on, you know that the enemy will be after something. It may be helpful to identify what that is.

What is he after? Does he want to compromise or destroy your ministry call, your sanity, your health, your marriage or family relationships? Is he after your peace with God, your joy, or does he want to steal away a word God has spoken to you?

3. MESSAGE:

Gen 3:1

Now the serpent… said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

When under pressure, ask: what is the message Satan wants me to BELIEVE?

What is he saying – identify any battle going on in your MIND. What are the ‘tapes’ that are playing there?

The enemy usually wants us to give up. You might recognise these examples:

• I can’t do it!
• It’s hopeless!
• Someone else could do this better than me!
• Did God really say that / call me /heal me? (Doubts)

Note that the enemy often speaks in the first person—we think it is us!

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In the next post, I will look at the last two parts of the RICE strategy, the proactive ways we can enter into the victory Jesus’ has won for us on the cross. These keys to overcoming in spiritual warfare are:

C = Combat, and

E = Enlist Help

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Related posts:

12 Signs of Spiritual Warfare

Responding to Spiritual Warfare Pt 2: Time To Engage

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Your Prophetic Word And Spiritual Warfare

© Helen Calder   Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

For many months I blithely walked around my favourite local park, enjoying the gardens, the scenery, and my time out, oblivious to any dangers that might be lurking in the shrubbery.

Then one day I read a newspaper article about a boy who had been bitten by a snake in the same park just a few days before, and had been taken to hospital.

We are Kiwis living in Australia. We don’t have snakes in New Zealand. We can walk in the bush in our ‘jandals’ without a care in the world.

On my next visit to the park, I was on high alert. Tense, and on edge, I watched the path and was alerted by every rustle in the bush. There seemed to be an awful lot of rustling! I did not enjoy the walk that day.

Sure enough, I soon settled down and was back to taking pleasure in my walks. However I took some basic precautions; not veering off the paths and ensuring that I had my mobile phone with me if I was walking alone.

Balance in Spiritual Warfare

In Luke 10:19-20, Jesus said,

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Like my response to snakes in the park, there are two errors that we can fall into with regard to spiritual warfare. One is to ignore it altogether (2 Cor 2:11) and at the other extreme, to make too much of it.

Balance requires us to always step back and discern whether what we are experiencing is spiritual warfare, or just something happening that is physical and emotional, or a combination of both.

Our goal in spiritual warfare is not to draw or pay attention to what the devil is doing. It is to focus on God and pay attention to what HE is doing—and not put up with less than His best.

12 Signs you may be Experiencing Spiritual warfare

Here are some signs of a spiritual battle taking place. Being alert to these can help you weigh up whether or not a situation is being affected by spiritual warfare.

1. Changes for the worse (especially sudden or severe) in areas of health, finances, relationships

Important note: When we are sick or when bad things happen to us, it is not always the devil that causes it
·It may be just physical
·Sometimes it is just life
·Sometimes (e.g. financial or relationships) it is others’ or our own wrong choices.

2. Temptation to sin—beyond the normal

Temptation originates with our own weakness and ungodly desires (James 1:13-15) but the enemy can use situations and people around us, to apply extreme or sudden pressure on us in these areas.

3. Pattern of recurring negative events

Note that this can also be indicative of a curse in operation.

4. Atmosphere – of pressure or oppression

In Rom 14:17, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Kingdom of God consists of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. When we are robbed of these things, we need to pay attention. What happened?

5. Severe discouragement

We need to particularly pay attention when the first signs of discouragement strike. Discouragement or confusion should be like an orange flashing light, alerting us to the possibility that we are in a spiritual battle.

According to Rick Joyner, the progressive ‘sting of witchcraft’ is: discouragement, confusion, depression, loss of vision, disorientation, withdrawal and despair leading to defeat. These are the signs we need to pay attention to when on the alert for spiritual warfare in our personal lives and ministry [1]. One example of this in operation is Elijah’s response after he was threatened by Jezebel. (1 Kings 19)

6. Crippling condemnation

The conviction of the Holy Spirit is specific and brings conclusion through repentance, but condemnation is cloudy.

7. Intimidation and Fear (I Can’t)

This is especially so when the fear is pressuring you to stop moving in the direction of God’s revealed will for your life, or that of your family, ministry or church.

8. Confusion

The enemy thrives in confusion. We think it’s us. Everything gets hazy. Confusion is often an attack on our minds, but it can also be apparent in relationships where communication becomes distorted, perverted and misrepresented.

9. Anything that brings pressure to bear AGAINST God’s revealed will for your life

10. Pressure (beyond the normal) on important relationships

11. Battle in the mind – negative ‘tapes’ playing

Our mind (and that of others) becomes a central battleground (2 Cor 10:5), where the enemy tries to sow messages that are contrary to the word God has spoken to us or revealed in the Bible underscoring feelings such as failure, fear, condemnation, hurt, or even attack and accusation of others.

12. Distinct start time,

With spiritual warfare, there is usually a distinctive time of onset. If you have an ongoing history in one of the above areas, e.g. fear, relational or sin issues, it is probably not warfare. It may be personal ‘baggage’ that you need to deal with.

The Battle Won

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, [Christ] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 2:15)

The good news is that Jesus has won the battle for us on the cross. We can apply the authority He has given to us and enter into His victory.

In the next blog post I will begin exploring some ways to deal with spiritual warfare once you have discerned it taking place in your personal life, church or ministry.

If you have any ideas about other signs of spiritual warfare or personal experiences, we would love to hear your response in the comments section of this post.

Snakes Alive!

My first real-life encounter with a snake came later, in another park. The Hunk and I were exploring a trail when we came across a poisonous brown snake barring the way to our destination.

My intrepid husband crept closer to the snake doing his best Steve Irwin impression (‘Crikey! Isn’t it a beauty?)

I, on the other hand, dug my heels in and refused to progress any further, even when the snake veered off into the undergrowth. What if it was there again when we returned?

It seems that some things never change!

[1] Rick Joyner, The Surpassing Greatness Of His Power, 1996, Whitaker House:New Kensington

Related Posts:

Responding to Spiritual Warfare Pt 1

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Your Prophetic Word and Spiritual Warfare

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare In The Church

© Helen Calder Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries