12 Signs of Possible Spiritual Attack on Individuals

In this article in our series of articles on spiritual warfare, I want to suggest some anecdotal signs of attack I’ve seen on individuals. None of these signs is a guarantee of direct spiritual attack, but I’ve learned that they are suggestive—particularly, if not primarily, on those Christian leaders who are taking steps of faith to get the gospel to a lost world.:

1. Unusual marital and family conflict. I’ve seen some of the healthiest homes face surprising strife when they take strong steps of obedience. Marriages are particularly a target, as they have been since the Garden of Eden. There, Eve was God’s special gift to Adam in Genesis 2, but she became the problem Adam blamed in Genesis 3—and the difference was the influence of a serpent.

2. Recurring and uninvited temptations. We’re ultimately responsible for our wrong choices, but the tempter delights in setting traps for us. For example, the man who has lived in purity for decades is sometimes shocked by past images that suddenly erupt in his head when he is under spiritual attack. Uninvited, the attack is nonetheless powerful.

3. Returning, controlling sin. The enemy particularly wants us to return to actions of our “old self” (Eph 4:22) so we begin to question the power of the gospel to transform. Battles won long ago now become returning sites of defeat as the enemy looks for any place of vulnerability to attack.

4. Strong discouragement and defeat. One day, hope and faith resound; the next day, disbelief and struggle reign, at least temporarily. We unexpectedly lose our hope for the work of the gospel. Nothing has changed in our lives, however, except that the enemy is now attacking. 

5. Crippling doubt. We may have been moving in faith for some time, but we begin to hear messages like, “God is not going to use you any more. You’re not going to make much difference.” I’ve even seen strong believers allow doubt about the gospel to grab them. The enemy’s goal is to get us to quit.

6. Evangelistic apathy. This happens when we focus more on ourselves and our situation than on others and their spiritual condition. If the enemy entices us toward personal recognition and hardens our hearts toward lostness, he’s gained some ground. If you want to read more about warfare and evangelism, check out my article on this site, “Tying Together Prayer and Evangelism.”

7. Team disunity. From the Garden of Eden (as we saw above), Satan has sought to turn people against each other. Even the next story in the Bible after the fall of Adam and Eve is about a brother turning against a brother (Gen 4). A divided team doesn’t pose much threat to the enemy—and believers fighting against each other won’t be much committed to evangelism.

8. Personal isolation. I’m an introvert, so I’m already susceptible to this possibility. Under attack, though, even extroverts will sometimes withdraw in the battle. The problem is that leaders who fight battles alone most often lose. When we forget that God said from the beginning that it is not good for us to be alone (Gen 2:18), we put ourselves in the crosshairs of the enemy’s weapons.

9. Prayer struggles. Sometimes, the leader who has always prayed diligently finds prayer surprisingly difficult as he moves into the front lines. Distractions abound. Busyness gets in the way of intercession. Doubt develops with every delayed response to prayer. Prayerlessness equals powerlessness, and the enemy knows that fact—so he strives to keep us off our knees.

10. Physical persecution. It happens around the world, even if we don’t face this reality today where we live. I’ve known believers who taught in places where they had to move their location regularly because of the threat of opposition. Our enemy, who is bent on destruction (see Rev 9:11), wants to destroy the work of God by destroying the people of God. Even the fear of this potential can be crippling.  

11. Reading distractions. The Word of God is the sword we use in the battle (Eph 6:17). Indeed, every piece of the armor of God in Ephesians 6:13-17 is directly connected to the Word of God, so the enemy would strongly want us to stay out of the Bible. Distractions that keep us from our devotional reading and study—including the “good” work of ministry at times—can be a tool of the enemy.

12. Demon hunting. This one might be a surprise to you, especially given the topic of this article and this entire series. But, if you come out of this reading and find a demon behind every rock—a demon that’s causing every issue you face—you’re likely under attack. That’s especially the case if you deny responsibility for your own thoughts and actions because you think you’re under attack. Satan often distracts us by claiming more power and influence than he really has. 

So, what do you do with this article? Prayerfully consider your general walk with God first. You might already be living in such disobedience that the enemy’s regularly winning in your life. If so, start with genuine repentance. If, though, you are walking in obedience, evaluate whether you are facing any of these possible attacks listed here. If so, turn to God quickly, lean on Him, and find your victory in Him. Don’t let the enemy win.