Battle for Your Soul

Powerful warriors have lost the battle for their mind even after winning great victories. Here are 9 strategies to win when the battle is in your head.

In 1 Kings 18 & 19 we find an account of a powerful victory... and a brutal spiritual battle that takes place afterward for the prophet Elijah.

Elijah (walking in the spirit in surrender to God) saw a great victory on Mount Carmel. The Lord poured fire from heaven that consumed the sacrifice, stones, and water Elijah had prepared opposite of the altar that had been prepared by Queen Jezebel's priests of Baal and Asherah. The altar to Baal remained untouched as a testament of Baal's impotence before the One True God.

A lightning-struck tree

Jezebel was not happy. Unfazed by the glaring failure of her god to do anything at all, she was angry that after this supernatural event, the people destroyed her group of priests and turned their hearts back to the One True God. "Not happy" is an understatement. Her already deep hatred of Elijah reached a new depth. She sent him an email saying, "I'll have you dead in 24 hours... I guarantee it with my life. Ta ta Mr Prophet of God!, Sincerely, Queen Jezebel"

When Elijah receives her message, scripture says, "Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life..." 1 Kings 19:3a (ESV). The clues in this passage are in the original language. The words for "afraid" and "life" literally mean "see" and "soul." - In other words, Elijah SAW what Jezebel said, and because of what he saw, he got up and ran for his SOUL.

Elijah allowed Jezebel's threat to capture his mind. He was seeing her people capture him and imagining all the horrible things she would do to him as she made good on her promise. Elijah was no longer operating in his spirit in surrender to God. Instead he was living from his soul. Your soul is your mind, your will, and your emotions. Elijah's mind, will, and emotions had been captured and Elijah had surrendered to his soul to Jezebel's control instead of remaining focused in his spirit on the One True God.

This happens pretty often. It's happened to me. It's happened to you... perhaps even right now. Something you fear captures your thought to such a degree that it becomes difficult to see anything else. Fear like this often has the facts in its favor. For Elijah, Jezebel had an army and a track record of killing prophets of the One True God. For you, the enemy will also be reminding you of facts.

.... But God.

I encourage you to read the story for yourself. Find it in your Bible in 1 Kings chapters 18 and 19.

Here are 9 strategies for dealing with this type of spiritual attack. The first two strategies are the two that Elijah doesn't use. If Elijah had started here, the story would have read differently. The other 7 strategies are listed in the order they appear in Elijah's story.

Repent - Ask the Lord to identify sin in your life... and get rid of it. Sin gives the enemy influence over you. (Romans 6:16 - you are slaves of the one you obey; Acts 3:19 - repent so times of refreshing can come; Psalm 24:3-4 Ascend the mountain of God... with clean hands and a pure heart.)

Worship - Choose to worship God anyway. True, God focused, worship is warfare against the enemy. You won't feel like expressing thanksgiving and worship. Do it anyway. (Psalm 23:5 - You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies)

Take a Nap - and eat something. When you're under stress be deliberate to take care of your body. (1 Cor. 6:19-20 - your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit) If the Lord leads you to fast, then do it... but don't disregard the body the Lord has gifted to you as inconsequential to your spiritual life.

Stay Connected - Talk to people that speak truth and encouragement to you. Resist the strong temptation to isolate yourself. Spend time with your mentor, your pastor, and your encouraging friend. (Prov. 15:22 - with many advisers, they succeed.)

Go Meet with God - Elijah went to the mountain of God (1 Kings 19:8). Where do you meet with God? Go there. Often.

Take Every Thought Captive - Align yourself with truth. What does the Bible tell you is true? Stand on it. (2 Cor. 10:4-5 - Our weapons aren't carnal, take captive every thought to Christ)

Resist the Devil - Contend for your own freedom and freedom for others. Spiritual warfare is real, so take it seriously. Scripture says that if you resist the devil that he will flee. (Eph. 6:10-12 - Be strong in the Lord. Put on the full armor of God)

Keep Obeying God - If you're going through hell, for heaven's sake... don't quit! Many times, freedom, healing, and victory come as we continue to press on. (Gal. 6:9 - Continue doing good, you will reap a good harvest) The voices of fear will drive you to sit down under the mirage of futility. Don't quit! The fog you are in may end only a few yards further on... but you won't see that until you are back in the sunshine. Keep moving forward.

Walk in the Spirit - Surrender your soul (mind, will, emotions) to your spirit.. and your spirit to the Lord. (Gal. 5:16 - Walk in the Spirit so you don't fulfill the lust of the flesh.)

Jesus has authority and victory... in Christ, you have it too. Don't quit. Don't quit. Don't quit.

Your victory isn't just about you.

...Not one should be lost. (John 6:39)