Let me be clear: Christian families everywhere are under spiritual attack. Whether you know it or not. there is a battle for your very soul. Today, I am sharing five ways your family could be in the crosshairs and how to combat the assault.
But first, we must ask: who is the enemy? The enemy is God’s fallen angel, Satan. God has allowed him to roam and to rule a kingdom of his own on this earth. His job is to eternally separate you from God and he does this in your daily life by leaving you in a state of confusion, feeling worn out and run down. By causing torment, worry, doubt, and fear. Look out for ways that the enemy wants to separate you and your family from God’s design plan for all Christians.
Christian Marriages
One of the ways the enemy has reared his evil head is by breaking up the family unit. The family unit has the potential to be one of the most powerful of all human institutions. A marriage, for instance, takes two people coming together and becoming one (Genesis 2:24). Ultimately, God’s design is for them to be in unity and to die to their own selfish desires. Your spouse’s concerns and hurts are now yours too, and vice versa. You grow to want to help your husband or your wife. However, there are many worldly issues that can cause disharmony, such as finances, spending too much or not enough time together, communication issues, conflicting ideological positions, and so on. The enemy—who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)—will have spouses so wrapped up in the issues of the world that they overlook the need of godly love for each other.
The seed of life
When a couple starts to have children, the enemy may once again be out to steal their joy. From the moment you find out you’re carrying a new life, there is an attack on the seed. Corrupted by unseemly fears, doubts, and confusion, what is supposed to be a happy joyous time may leave you feeling in a state of constant fear and worry. The enemy intends to leave you so depleted that you can’t focus on the precious gift of your new child. However, those who abide in Christ can stand firm on the Church's teachings, which tell us that the seed we carry is to be raised up in the faith to become the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
Children in the education system
Turn on any news channel and you will see that our American education system is physically under attack. School shootings and other forms of violence against children, teachers, and staff are rampant. Moreover, a spiritual attack is evident in the confusion that lies within the educational system. Schools around the country have been a prop in the enemy’s agenda that says it’s OK to question or change your physical makeup altogether. What's more, children are just forming their identities as popular societal perceptions intervene with pontifications about not just transgender issues, but same-sex marriage and LGTBQA+ ideologies as well. Even if parents are not in agreement with these ideas, some schools are pushing this agenda with the aim of making their environments more inclusive—often with disastrous results. When God creates a person, he doesn’t make a mistake. He creates us as a gift of love to the world (Psalm 139:13-16).
On fathers
As a married woman, I see how the enemy has blinded the eyes of men to their spiritual potential. Many men, though not all, are unaware of their own greatness in God. God so greatly designed the man as the head of his family, to cover his wife and children under the headship of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3). If a man doesn’t know his ultimate family role, how is he to rise up in spiritual matters? The enemy wants to have men distracted with anything he can so that the man forgets about his creator and his purpose. The man ends up failing to remember to seek the Lord in all things and, as a result, falls out of line with what God really wants for his family.
On mothers
The attack on mothers is much the same as on their counterparts. The enemy wants us wound up and distracted, with our focus on anything other than honoring God. The enemy knows we are strong and have God’s power within us. When we grasp who we really are in Christ, the enemy doesn’t stand a chance. Our job as women is to remain focused on the creator (1 Peter 3:6). Because he formed you, he knows every detail about you and how you operate. So, Mama, keep your eyes focused on the creator. Remember our Blessed Mother Mary’s example of motherhood and know that you are not alone in your ministry.
What can be done?
So what can be done to win the spiritual battle that could be at play in your family's life right now? Above all, know that you are one of God’s chosen. That you are divine heirs of his love, grace, and mercy. Once you know whose you are, you can be grounded in who you are in Christ.
Create a prayer practice and delve deeply into a relationship with the Father. Allow yourself to be continually transformed by him with the renewing of your mind. It all starts with your mind and what you allow your mind to dwell on. Don’t give the enemy any access point. That means always being armored up, focused on what is good, lovely, and just (Philippians 4:8). Remember, you are the gatekeeper of what you allow into your spirit.
Take a spiritual stand against the enemy by putting the Word of God into practice. God is love and with the love that he shows us, we are to show others the same. In daily life, that looks like feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, and talking to the crowd you may feel uncomfortable around because they don’t believe what you believe. It means putting on the breastplate of faith and love daily and letting God lead you in what he wants you to say and do (1 Thessalonians 5:8).
The only way God’s truth can spread is if you stand up for what is right before God. When we do this in a loving way, doors open, conversations can flourish, and Christians can plant seeds. Then we can be the ambassadors for Christ that He is calling us to be. I encourage you today to combat the enemy by finding out what God is calling you to take a stand on—and act accordingly.
Sara Chinakwe is a wife, mother, teacher, and children’s ministry leader. She encourages women and children to pursue God’s purpose and embrace their God-given identity. Sara’s deep love of teaching and decades-long career in education was shaped at California State University Stanislaus. Since then, she has used writing as a medium to propel God’s followers forward as they journey with Him.
