Thursday, May 3, 2018

The Danger of Blaming "Spiritual Attack"


I have perceived an unsettling component within evangelicalism that blames Satan and “spiritual attack” for what is actually life simply not going our way.

See, when Christians fall into the delusion that just because they want something then God must certainly want it for them too, then, when they don’t get what they want, they blame Satan for attacking them.

Or when the normal ups and downs of life—common to all—happen, such as sickness, the car breaking down, or not having an offer-to-purchase accepted on their dream home, these same Christians believe they are being specifically singled out and persecuted by the devil.

Did you ever meet folks who, when you ask them how they are doing, consistently answer that they are under “spiritual attack?” It can go on for years: the loss of a job, difficulties with co-workers, a struggling marriage, a teen child’s drug use—all of it is automatically attributed to “spiritual attack.” And this form of spiritual attack is always worse for them than for anyone else.

With this mindset, people become un-accountable.

They fail to see their own culpability in why life may have taken the turn that it has, and are blind to their own faults (and when it comes to their offspring, they may disregard poor behavior by attributing it to Satanic attack). Satan becomes a simplistic and pat explanation, letting folks off the hook to ever having to mature or work with God on the purification of a corrupt heart.

In short, they can be the Christians in shining armor who are always right and everyone and everything else is always wrong.

The website Gotquestions.org sums it up beautifully:

“The devil is absolutely worthy of blame for much of the evil in the world, but using the devil as a scapegoat for our own sinful choices is counterproductive to achieving victory over sin.”

And what about those times that we don’t get what we desire simply because that’s the way life goes? That our sin, per se, had nothing to do with it? To what do we attribute that if it isn’t Satan?

Well, it could be a result of someone else’s spiritual immaturity. Or it could be a result of natural occurrences, such as weather or illness. It could be that another candidate for the job we are applying for is simply more qualified or a better fit for the company than we are—no sin is involved; that’s just the way it is.

Same for missing out on the dream home: another buyer has fewer contingencies so they get the house. No one is out to get us—it’s just a fact that when there is one job and many applicants, or one house and many offers, only one person can be the receiver.

If we come away from these life experiences self-righteously convinced we are under “spiritual attack,” we are demeaning others (concluding they are unworthy of what they have received) and promoting ourselves above them.

Scripture would advise,

“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for you own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1-4).

Scripture gives the reason why we selfishly allow our own personal interests to take precedence, leading us into unrealistic or untrue assessments of other people and situations:

“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust” (James 1:14).

Do we get this?

Do we see how futile it is to take everything in life that doesn’t go our way as a personal affront and coming at the hand of the devil himself?

We may indeed be worthy of something, but so might others; we might be a wonderful person for a job, but so might others; we might want to own that home, but so might others.

As Christians, we must take our defeats—our not getting what we want, our worldly losses that are other peoples’ wins—in grace. To do otherwise—to play the ceaseless casualty of Satan—is to lift him above God.

Scripture is clear:

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

copyright Barb Harwood






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