Spiritual warfare. Do you believe it? There has been an increasing amount of spiritual warfare happening in the world. Many walk around completely oblivious to spiritual warfare. This post is here to help you be aware of what’s going on around you. You’ll walk away with strategies for dealing with spiritual warfare.
For starters, look at movie trailers that pop up on TV. How many horror films are there compared to PG-rated films at the theaters? Video game violence looks normal, social bullying is the norm, and swearing in music is standard. These negative vibes are forced down our throats not to entertain, but to numb us and transform us to think that darkness is normal and okay. STOP! Get a handle on what’s happening around you and choose to change the course of your day immediately! If you take anything from this post, I hope it is this: experiment by blocking out the dark things and experience the Light it will have on you. First things first, let’s learn some strategies for dealing with spiritual warfare right now. Claim your life back today!
What is Spiritual Warfare?
Spiritual warfare is the invisible war between good and evil. Wikipedia defines it as, “…the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces.” In the Bible, Ephesians 6:12, Paul says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
So how do we “manage” spiritual warfare? How do we know we’re being affected by it? Is it really true? These are all great questions. Let’s get started on answering them.
Is this real?
Yes, spiritual warfare is real. Please don’t be oblivious to this. There is Light and Darkness in this world. There is a world of lies, falseness, separation, self-focused, and scarcity….all lies. And there is a world of truth, peace, contentment, forgiveness, community, and healing….true love. Think about this: light overcomes darkness every time. Love releases a superpower in us to defeat fear every time. Jesus is light and love.
Jesus, the son of God, defeated Satan after dying on a cross and then 3 days later rising from the dead. This is Truth. And Satan is still pissed off about it. So what does Satan do? He messes with us (God’s children) to throw us off course and feed us lies in a slow, sneaky, and twisted way. Be on alert.
And yes, there is a heaven and a hell. Satan exists along with other fallen angels. And no, I’m not a crazy person. The depth of the spiritual realm is beyond my comprehension, let alone my being able to explain it in simple terms. I HIGHLY recommend Jennie Allen’s study The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe. She goes into depth that is critical for your freedom. Make sure you have a Bible handy, she’ll guide you and show you some mind-blowing connections. Let’s keep going.
Strategies to Claim Your Life Back
In no particular order, these strategies can help you manage spiritual warfare and claim your life back.
Strategy 1
The first strategy I have personally taken is to physically clean out my home of any objects that may have been subjected to evil doing. I know this sounds silly, but if objects can be blessed like a prayer shawl, objects certainly can be cursed too. Knowing this, be careful in the things you collect, including books; some of you might not like what I’m going to say, but it’s time to get rid of the Harry Potter books and Pokémon stuff…both are dealing with witchcraft. I’ve heard it more than once.
Also, be watchful of gifts you receive or have already received. Most things are probably fine, but if you question anything that may have been cursed or made with the hands of witchcraft or a religion that goes against Jesus, get rid of it. I know this sounds whacky, but remember who you’re dealing with…don’t entertain the enemy or test him.
Strategy 2
This strategy in spiritual warfare is beyond knick-knacks. I personally went deep…into my old journals. Digging out my journals from high school, college, and my twenties was an eye-opener for me. First off, journaling is super healthy. It’s great to journal lessons you have learned, to write down prayers, to journal about great things and dreams, and to write about positive memories.
It’s also great to vent on paper; it’s better to beat up a pencil and notebook than to take it out on a person. Write it out. Don’t hang on to anger. Vent. Process. Then pitch it. Physically throw the journal entry away or burn it. When we keep our old journals, the ones filled with darkness and distress, in some way or form, our minds are still hanging on to them. Destroy those entries full of complaining, anger, bitterness, and foul language. Who are you saving those journals for? Why would you ever want to reread those things, ever? Get rid of that darkness.
What motivated me to destroy these entries was that I didn’t want my family to ever read them or for me to read them again. Toxic. I have no idea why I hung on to them for so long! So…I tore out the bad stuff and burned them. Yep! I burned them in our portable fire pit, kind of like breaking up with a boyfriend and burning his things. It was so liberating! I didn’t want to remember that junk, so again, why was I hanging on to it?
Strategy 3
This strategy is huge, again these are in no particular order. This isn’t legalism. Repent of your sins. I wanted all negative ties broken. Asking for forgiveness for all my wrongs was humbling. You may think it’s no big deal, but to have a fresh start, this needs to happen, and happen daily. In the past, I had asked God for forgiveness, but this time I was more thorough, and I continue to this day to ask the Lord if there is something I missed for Him to bring to my attention. I don’t want any sin holding me back from what God wants to do through me. Again, this is a daily practice, I sin all the time without even knowing it!
In Psalm 139:23-24, David asks, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This is a GREAT verse to add to your prayers.
Check out Psalm 51, too. This is when David is asking God for forgiveness after the whole Bathsheba deal. However, this isn’t just about adultery; you can use this passage for your own sins, big and small.
Strategy 4
Take a deep breath. This strategy is critical for your freedom. Let’s get to it. Forgive anyone who has wronged you, including yourself! Let me clarify, I didn’t say forget, and I’m NOT saying the offense was okay, not at all! Jesus said to forgive. I am not a Bible scholar, nor am I trying to be one, but I do know that you must forgive those who hurt you…yes, this includes everyone.
In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus says, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” As hard as it is to forgive, do it for your own sake. Again, I didn’t say forget; give this person to God and let God deal with them. What they did to you is not for you to carry. It doesn’t define you, it doesn’t rule over you, it has no authority over you. Give them to Jesus. And forgive daily as many times as you need!
Strategy 5
This strategy is to renounce, refuse, and reject any lies or fears that are holding you back. The Enemy is sneaky; he only wants to hurt you. When you hear a lie like, “You’ll never succeed at this.” Get on top of it immediately and say, “That’s a lie Satan. I am complete in Christ!” In Ephesians 6, we are given the armor of God, and one vital piece of that battle gear is the Sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Philippians 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Memorizing has been a powerful experience for me. Granted, I only know a handful right now, but when I use them, I can feel it. Fighting off the Enemy is a daily thing, along with repenting my sins and forgiving others. Just remember that in John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Here is a site that is full of scriptures to memorize and use to fight spiritual warfare: hopefaithprayer.com
As for putting a layer of protection over your home, read aloud Psalm 91. Read it aloud in every room if you want. Invite the Holy Spirit to come into your home and thank Him for His protection.
Strategy 6
Super critical! What am I putting into my mind daily? Am I listening to gossip? Depressing music? Lies in the news? Am I watching trashy TV? What are my conversations full of? What am I watching on YouTube or what video games am I playing? How are these horror shows and movies going for you?
I’m not perfect, I have temptations, but I do have a mind. And if I want to live a life of joy and peace, I am going to try my best to control the things I put in my mind. Did you hear that? “What we put in our minds is in our control.” We have a choice here. No one is forcing you to watch The Silence of the Lambs. The Bible teaches us what to put in our minds and Philippians 4:8 gives us an idea: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, what is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”(NIV)
Play praise music in the background all day long, put the Bible on and have it speaking, or listen to things that are pleasing to Him. Be careful of what you listen to AND what your family listens to. As a parent, you are responsible for your kids and raising them.
Side note: Nightmares
Nightmares are deliberate spiritual attacks. Some stem from an open door in a horror movie/tv show, books, music, people, or unexplainable things. When you or your child has a nightmare, get up out of bed, go to the bathroom, or walk around for a minute. Immediately name what’s going on, command it to leave now in the Name of Jesus, say this out loud. You can also say, “Stop it! In the Name of Jesus. Leave me now!” Simply saying, “Jesus. Come. Help me.” Sometimes I keep saying, ” Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.” Pray over your child. Pray over yourself. Teach your child what to do when a nightmare happens.
Strategy 7
This strategy is a massive one. Pray. I’m not just talking about prayers of “God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for our food.” Prayers for protection, love, and to do His will have power behind them. The Lord wants to hear from you, He wants to talk with you, and He wants to bless you. But the first step is to pray.
Prayer is the MOST important part of your life! Let me reiterate, prayer is SO incredibly important. It is a gift that Jesus gave us when he resurrected. The more you know God personally, the better your prayer life will be.
Pray before a crisis happens, pray in the morning before your day starts, and pray at night before your body, heart, and mind rest. Stand firm in Christ.
When you pray, know that it is a weapon against the Enemy. Find a place that is your secret place to pray, where there are NO distractions, and a place where you can be your total and true self. Your prayer place is a place where you can cry, sob, yell, and sing without the world looking at you and judging you.
More Prayer Tips
Play instrumental music in the background. Invite the Holy Spirit to come and guide your prayer.
To close your eyes or keep them open? It doesn’t matter. I do both. The Bible doesn’t say you have to close your eyes.
Memorize scripture and recite it back to God in your prayer. This is so powerful and impactful.
The Lord’s Prayer is a great example of how to pray. You can find it in Matthew 6:9-13. Although any prayer without format works! When I pray, I like to go in this kind of order:
- Praising God and telling Him how great He is.
- Thanking Him for everything big and small that comes to mind.
- Confessing my sin and asking for forgiveness, getting right with God.
- Asking for the Holy Spirit to come into my heart.
- Asking for protection over the Enemy, and using God’s armour to stand firm next to Christ.
- Other prayer requests, praying for people, situations, and myself according to His will.
- Asking all in Jesus’ name. Sealing the prayer in and through Jesus. For instance, I end the prayer something like this… “thank you Jesus, I ask all this in your name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Sometimes, on challenging days, I simply talk to Him, I lament, cry, and get it all out. He is full of truth, love, mercy, and hope. He is the only One. Pour into Him, trust Him. Ask Him. Love Him. He is the ONLY living God who loves you back.
Resources
Along with reading the Bible (Ephesians 6:10-18 is a good start), I also recommend these books.
Battlefield of the Mind, Joyce Meyer
The Invisible War, Chip Ingram
Moving Mountains, John Eldredge
The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe, Jennie Allen
Wrapping up Spiritual Warfare for now
Whether you are dealing with physical pain, relationships, weird moods, nightmares, or just feeling off, I hope that you’ll take a step back and see WHO is really at fault here. By all means, don’t discount your medical professional; just add some spiritual fighting power to cover your bases. I recommend going through these strategies so you can get clarity in your everyday life and fight spiritual warfare like you mean it! This isn’t a one-shot deal; it should be done as often as you need.
The Enemy wants to distract us and interrupt the line of communication between God and us. Let’s remain diligent and focus on God. I hope that you’ll understand more about this spiritual warfare stuff, so you know how to recognize it and fight it off! Blessings to you.
Before you go, check out these other great posts:
How to Have a Happy Family: 3 Revolutionary Steps
Benefits of a Garden: One Huge Reason to Take Up Gardening
5 Valuable Ways to Manage Mental Health in You & Your Kids
How to Get Unstuck In Life: 5 Essential Tools to Break Free
By CT Copyright © 2026 Do More Than Exist. All Rights Reserved.
