Know your adversary

[Heart2Soul]

I know this a topic that most people avoid talking about but is it scriptural to be ignorant of your enemy?
Most everyone is familiar with Ephesians 6:10
Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 6:10-20 - New International Version
So here we are taught 1. We have an enemy that comes against us daily...and 2. Our Father has given us spiritual armor to defend ourselves with.
So how do we recognize the enemy and when do we engage in spiritual warfare?

So at this point I will allow some responses and let's learn from each other.

 

[Enoch111]

So how do we recognize the enemy and when do we engage in spiritual warfare?

1. The primary weapon of the enemy is DECEPTION.

Therefore Christians must be solidly grounded in God's truth -- not man's ideas or philosophies. And the only way to know God's truth is to know the Bible thoroughly, and then to rightly divide (interpret) the Word of Truth. And that is why it is called the Sword of the Spirit, and is one of the two offensive weapons of Christians against Satan and all his evil spirits. All Satanic deception can be countered with Scripture (see Matthew 4).

2. Engaging in spiritual warfare includes two things (a) standing firm and (b) driving back or resisting the enemy.

A. DEFENSIVE: For standing firm God has provided:
(1) the girdle of truth (God's truth and our truthfulness)
(2) the breastplate of righteousness (Christ's righteousness and our daily righteousness
(3) shoes of the Gospel (our Gospel witness and adherence to the true and full Gospel)
(4) the shield of faith (trusting and believing God, Christ, and Scripture)
(5) the helmet of salvation (a saved and renewed mind, saturated with the Word of God, and with the assurance of salvation)

B. OFFENSIVE: For driving back and resisting the enemy through the Spirit:
(1) The Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God yielded by the Spirit of God through us)
(2) Prayer (Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints)

Satan uses the things of the world and its lusts to trap Christians and cause them to stumble. Therefore John tells us: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15-17).

 

[Heart2Soul]

1. The primary weapon of the enemy is DECEPTION.

Therefore Christians must be solidly grounded in God's truth -- not man's ideas or philosophies. And the only way to know God's truth is to know the Bible thoroughly, and then to rightly divide (interpret) the Word of Truth. And that is why it is called the Sword of the Spirit, and is one of the two offensive weapons of Christians against Satan and all his evil spirits. All Satanic deception can be countered with Scripture (see Matthew 4).

2. Engaging in spiritual warfare includes two things (a) standing firm and (b) driving back or resisting the enemy.

A. DEFENSIVE: For standing firm God has provided:
(1) the girdle of truth (God's truth and our truthfulness)
(2) the breastplate of righteousness (Christ's righteousness and our daily righteousness
(3) shoes of the Gospel (our Gospel witness and adherence to the true and full Gospel)
(4) the shield of faith (trusting and believing God, Christ, and Scripture)
(5) the helmet of salvation (a saved and renewed mind, saturated with the Word of God, and with the assurance of salvation)

B. OFFENSIVE: For driving back and resisting the enemy through the Spirit:
(1) The Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God yielded by the Spirit of God through us)
(2) Prayer (Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints)

Satan uses the things of the world and its lusts to trap Christians and cause them to stumble. Therefore John tells us: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15-17).

Excellent...
One of the ways he begins deceiving us is through our thoughts...one example is to plant seeds of doubt, insecurity, fear, worry.

When we don't take immediate action against these thoughts casting down every vain imagination that exalts itself against the word of God then these thoughts begin to grow in strength and soon enters our heart

Out of the abundance of our heart the mouth speaks....death and life are in the power of our tongue and we eat the fruit of it....our words have power and manifest according to what we speak.

Without action our words of death affect our emotions, health and spiritual walk.

So in time our whole being is afflicted....and it all started with our thoughts.

Job said "that thing I feared the most has come upon me"....so it is evident he thought on terrible disasters coming against his family and possessions....

 

[amadeus]

@Heart2Soul
Looking at this another way, consider these verses:

"But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:2-5

It would seem obvious that we should know very well the shepherd of the sheep, if we are of his sheep, but as for the "stranger" we are not even to know his voice. It does not say to get to know him better. If we know the
Shepherd and improving our knowledge him, what more need we know about that stranger?

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Rom 8:31

Apparently we already know more than enough about our adversary and we even know that strangers are not to be followed. Why should we learn more about any adversary or stranger instead of investing our time and efforts to assure that we are the sheep of the Shepherd and that we do know His voice?

For a natural army a commander should know his enemy, but this is not a natural army and the Shepherd will win any battle in which he engages. All that is necessary for us is to always be on His side.

 

[Heart2Soul]

@Heart2Soul
Looking at this another way, consider these verses:

"But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:2-5

It would seem obvious that we should know very well the shepherd of the sheep, if we are of his sheep, but as for the "stranger" we are not even to know his voice. It does not say to get to know him better. If we know the
Shepherd and improving our knowledge him, what more need we know about that stranger?

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Rom 8:31

Apparently we already know more than enough about our adversary and we even know that strangers are not to be followed. Why should we learn more about any adversary or stranger instead of investing our time and efforts to assure that we are the sheep of the Shepherd and that we do know His voice?

For a natural army a commander should know his enemy, but this is not a natural army and the Shepherd will win any battle in which he engages. All that is necessary for us is to always be on His side.

Yes and this is how it should be with Christians but without proper teaching and equipping as a young Christian we fail to apply ourselves to adhere to these truths.
But then we read stories like Job and ask why God would remove His hedge of protection to allow Satan to afflict him....and so we now wonder if He might do this to us....( get it...fear and worry).

 

[amadeus]

Yes and this is how it should be with Christians but without proper teaching and equipping as a young Christian we fail to apply ourselves to adhere to these truths.
But then we read stories like Job and ask why God would remove His hedge of protection to allow Satan to afflict him....and so we now wonder if He might do this to us....( get it...fear and worry).

What was the difference between Job and his "supposed to be" three friends? The three were looking for the adversaries or obstacles or failings that they were certain were within Job himself. But they only presumed they were there because they had had experience with such adversaries likely within themselves in their own walks and perhaps even in what they had heard some man of God preach or teach. They presumed Job faced the same problems and failed in the same way. Job made it through to the end without the hedge because he loved God more than the rewards and protections God might offer but which were not visible to Job [faith is the substance of what? Heb 11:1]

Young and inexperienced "Christians" [followers of Jesus] need proper teaching and equipping, but should not the teachers teach them how to move forward in faith in God even when they do not understand nor even really have a clue as to why God would remove His protecting hedge?

We want to protect the innocent, but the innocent especially need to love God and to know that he loves them and that He is on their side while they remain on His side even when they cannot understand it or see Him. A natural mother embraces her young child in times of unexplained and perhaps unexplainable danger. Can we always do more than that in the face of spiritual danger? Go back to what Solomon wrote a thousand years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Prov 3:5-6

Do not expect the paths to be without stumbling blocks and painful stones which trip us and cut without mercy our bare feet! Our reward is NOT in the world of men although at times God may reward us here. What reward did Stephen the first martyr described in Acts receive in this world? Was he rich? Did he have a beautiful family? Did he have a life in the flesh without pain and suffering? We may not all have to go the way of Stephen or of Job, but we should always be prepared for the worst and teach young inexperienced all of the Truth we know... not only the parts which are most pleasing to our flesh.

There are adversaries but the most important thing to know about them is that we are our worst adversary... but if we are on God's side we do not need to worry.

 

[Heart2Soul]

What was the difference between Job and his "supposed to be" three friends? The three were looking for the adversaries or obstacles or failings that they were certain were within Job himself. But they only presumed they were there because they had had experience with such adversaries likely within themselves in their own walks and perhaps even in what they had heard some man of God preach or teach. They presumed Job faced the same problems and failed in the same way. Job made it through to the end without the hedge because he loved God more than the rewards and protections God might offer but which were not visible to Job [faith is the substance of what? Heb 11:1]

Young and inexperienced "Christians" [followers of Jesus] need proper teaching and equipping, but should not the teachers teach them how to move forward in faith in God even when they do not understand nor even really have a clue as to why God would remove His protecting hedge?

We want to protect the innocent, but the innocent especially need to love God and to know that he loves them and that He is on their side while they remain on His side even when they cannot understand it or see Him. A natural mother embraces her young child in times of unexplained and perhaps unexplainable danger. Can we always do more than that in the face of spiritual danger? Go back to what Solomon wrote a thousand years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Prov 3:5-6

Do not expect the paths to be without stumbling blocks and painful stones which trip us and cut without mercy our bare feet! Our reward is NOT in the world of men although at times God may reward us here. What reward did Stephen the first martyr described in Acts receive in this world? Was he rich? Did he have a beautiful family? Did he have a life in the flesh without pain and suffering? We may not all have to go the way of Stephen or of Job, but we should always be prepared for the worst and teach young inexperienced all of the Truth we know... not only the parts which are most pleasing to our flesh.

There are adversaries but the most important thing to know about them is that we are our worst adversary... but if we are on God's side we do not need to worry.

We are our worst adversary because we do not apply His Word in our lives as we should.

 

[Heart2Soul]

We are our worst adversary because we do not apply His Word in our lives as we should.

However, this is not what scripture teaches us about what we wrestle with....not flesh and blood but against evil (you know the scripture).
My point is we can be innocent in any wrong doing and be attacked from the enemy out of nowhere.
This happened on my 17th birthday....I was with my friends from church and we were playing volleyball behind the church. The pastor showed up and called all my friends into the study hall and asked me to wait outside. Before long one of my friends came out and told me I was kicked out of the church. (The pastor called someone from my old church who said I was a drug user and caused others to do them as well)....I never touched drugs...I was always holding bible studies at lunch while my other classmates were off smoking or whatever.
I loved church and God was my anchor through many years of abuse. So when this happened I lost it! Where do I go for refuge now?....2 weeks later I was given an apology but I never went back....3 years later I am full of anger and bitterness and serving anything but God.
But that was a long time ago...so answer this...was this a spiritual attack or just an unfortunate event and I became my worst adversary? Remember I just turned 17....still learning the basics.

 

[Nancy]

However, this is not what scripture teaches us about what we wrestle with....not flesh and blood but against evil (you know the scripture).
My point is we can be innocent in any wrong doing and be attacked from the enemy out of nowhere.
This happened on my 17th birthday....I was with my friends from church and we were playing volleyball behind the church. The pastor showed up and called all my friends into the study hall and asked me to wait outside. Before long one of my friends came out and told me I was kicked out of the church. (The pastor called someone from my old church who said I was a drug user and caused others to do them as well)....I never touched drugs...I was always holding bible studies at lunch while my other classmates were off smoking or whatever.
I loved church and God was my anchor through many years of abuse. So when this happened I lost it! Where do I go for refuge now?....2 weeks later I was given an apology but I never went back....3 years later I am full of anger and bitterness and serving anything but God.
But that was a long time ago...so answer this...was this a spiritual attack or just an unfortunate event and I became my worst adversary? Remember I just turned 17....still learning the basics.

I'm so sorry to hear. How hurt you must have felt it could have been a spiritual attack we KNOW that was NOT of God...and there is only one other that WOULD orchestrate that. You were young and growing closer to God. Satan HATE'S that. It's easy to see how a weaker person would have never looked back while walking away. As you did nothing wrong in this event, I understand your hurt and anger towards them. BUT...you worked through all of that and...is there anything you think you learned from that experience, that you could remember?

 

[Heart2Soul]

I'm so sorry to hear. How hurt you must have felt it could have been a spiritual attack we KNOW that was NOT of God...and there is only one other that WOULD orchestrate that. You were young and growing closer to God. Satan HATE'S that. It's easy to see how a weaker person would have never looked back while walking away. As you did nothing wrong in this event, I understand your hurt and anger towards them. BUT...you worked through all of that and...is there anything you think you learned from that experience, that you could remember?

It was many years later that I learned satan is the accuser of the brethren and he had no problem using those you trust to be the vessels through which he operates...the ultimate stab was my pastor.
Through my healing years as I grew so very close to my Father I did look back and in ignorance I esteemed a pastor way to high on the pedestal....I considered them to be like right next to Jesus! ... the Holy Spirit said men will always fail keep yours on me...I will never fail you.
My ignorance was my downfall....

So becoming full of His Word and His Spirit is how I became a spiritual warrior.

 

[Heart2Soul]

20 years later the Holy Spirit told me to call this pastor and forgive him. It took a couple of calls but I was able to get his number. I called and he answered...asked if he remembered me...he said yes....I told him how devastating that was to my life and how I fell away from God...but this isn't the reason I called...I just wanted to say I forgive you.....
He started crying and crying...and finally composed himself and said this is no accident you called today. I am at a week long Pastors Conference and the very subject the speaker spoke on was how the pastor's can cause a sheep to go astray.
He said I was immediately reminded of you...and here you call. THAT is GOD!
It was beautiful and sad but a door that had so much hurt and pain in my life was finally closed.

 

[amadeus]

However, this is not what scripture teaches us about what we wrestle with....not flesh and blood but against evil (you know the scripture).
My point is we can be innocent in any wrong doing and be attacked from the enemy out of nowhere.
This happened on my 17th birthday....I was with my friends from church and we were playing volleyball behind the church. The pastor showed up and called all my friends into the study hall and asked me to wait outside. Before long one of my friends came out and told me I was kicked out of the church. (The pastor called someone from my old church who said I was a drug user and caused others to do them as well)....I never touched drugs...I was always holding bible studies at lunch while my other classmates were off smoking or whatever.
I loved church and God was my anchor through many years of abuse. So when this happened I lost it! Where do I go for refuge now?....2 weeks later I was given an apology but I never went back....3 years later I am full of anger and bitterness and serving anything but God.
But that was a long time ago...so answer this...was this a spiritual attack or just an unfortunate event and I became my worst adversary? Remember I just turned 17....still learning the basics.

What is it they say about hindsight?

But, I cannot really answer your questions on this. God had a reason, but what was it? When we read Job we get a lot of details, but still how many different lessons and point of views have you heard on Job? Probably many, or even most, of those different lessons and points of views are teaching someone something.

In your case, I will say that look at where you are now. All of those bad experience taught you something that is difficult for some to ever learn. Who can we trust? We may have confidence in this friend or that family member, but we know just from the testimonies of people on this forum that ultimately the only One we can always trust is God. Young children are very vulnerable until they have learned...sometimes the hard way or even too late... that even the ones they trusted the most were unworthy of such trust.

Again in the hate and bitterness you had at that time look at where are you now.

So then considering where you are now in spite of the pain, the anger and bitterness, why are you serving God now? The answer to that for yourself may be one answer to your question. Just recently you probably read the testimony of @Mayflower … Will her testimony help someone who hears it now? Will yours? Consider that question regarding yourself and where you are today because of God for what reason? Then consider the way Jesus answers his disciples here:

"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." John 9:1-3

For what purpose were you born on planet Earth and have to suffer as you have? God knows, but you also should know that you have a testimony that could change some person's life...

Is that the only reason for your suffering? Again God knows.

The evil each of us wrestles with is mostly within ourselves. Call it demon or devil or spirit, the result for you is still up to you. God will help you, but don't expect your road to be changed to one roses without thorns. It could happen, but don't expect it and of course of whom would you demand it? Of God?

Then again I have now stopped to read your final posts prior to this about the apology you rendered to the pastor who had hurt you so badly... and his response. That also would be part of your answer.

 

[Nancy]

20 years later the Holy Spirit told me to call this pastor and forgive him. It took a couple of calls but I was able to get his number. I called and he answered...asked if he remembered me...he said yes....I told him how devastating that was to my life and how I fell away from God...but this isn't the reason I called...I just wanted to say I forgive you.....
He started crying and crying...and finally composed himself and said this is no accident you called today. I am at a week long Pastors Conference and the very subject the speaker spoke on was how the pastor's can cause a sheep to go astray.
He said I was immediately reminded of you...and here you call. THAT is GOD!
It was beautiful and sad but a door that had so much hurt and pain in my life was finally closed.

Wow, that was definitely God! And, how we can be blessed when we forgive ♥

 

[Heart2Soul]

Wow, that was definitely God! And, how we can be blessed when we forgive ♥

Yes. And I believe that lesson is the most valuable.

 

[Mayflower]

It was many years later that I learned satan is the accuser of the brethren and he had no problem using those you trust to be the vessels through which he operates...the ultimate stab was my pastor.
Through my healing years as I grew so very close to my Father I did look back and in ignorance I esteemed a pastor way to high on the pedestal....I considered them to be like right next to Jesus! ... the Holy Spirit said men will always fail keep yours on me...I will never fail you.
My ignorance was my downfall....

So becoming full of His Word and His Spirit is how I became a spiritual warrior.

Even the ones we love most will let us down, but God will never let us down. What a beautiful testimony. God really has worked in your life and used you. All these heartaches in life only draw us closer to the Comforter of our souls, and one day we will reap the rewards of following Him and overcoming the enemy. God bless you, Patty. I know how bitterness can be a cancer that eats you inside out. Forgiveness just heals and restores.

 

[brakelite]

However, this is not what scripture teaches us about what we wrestle with....not flesh and blood but against evil (you know the scripture).
My point is we can be innocent in any wrong doing and be attacked from the enemy out of nowhere.
This happened on my 17th birthday....I was with my friends from church and we were playing volleyball behind the church. The pastor showed up and called all my friends into the study hall and asked me to wait outside. Before long one of my friends came out and told me I was kicked out of the church. (The pastor called someone from my old church who said I was a drug user and caused others to do them as well)....I never touched drugs...I was always holding bible studies at lunch while my other classmates were off smoking or whatever.
I loved church and God was my anchor through many years of abuse. So when this happened I lost it! Where do I go for refuge now?....2 weeks later I was given an apology but I never went back....3 years later I am full of anger and bitterness and serving anything but God.
But that was a long time ago...so answer this...was this a spiritual attack or just an unfortunate event and I became my worst adversary? Remember I just turned 17....still learning the basics.

You may be still asking yourself, why? Why did God allow this to take place? Why did God allow the devil and his accomplices to seemingly achieve such a (short term) victory?
According to your above testimony, you were young, no doubt still quite impressionable, yet having a heart toward God and seeking His will. Remember Romans 8:28? Can you apply that to this experience? That the whole thing was for your own good? Regardless of the fact that it hurt, and you fell away, (all very understandable...been there/done that) , God allowed that situation to play out because He knew the end from the beginning. I am sure you have learned several invaluable lessons from that experience, and have been able to apply them to other situations? and shared them as an encouragement with others? And of course the resulting growth and maturity that eventuated.

 

[Heart2Soul]

You may be still asking yourself, why? Why did God allow this to take place? Why did God allow the devil and his accomplices to seemingly achieve such a (short term) victory?
According to your above testimony, you were young, no doubt still quite impressionable, yet having a heart toward God and seeking His will. Remember Romans 8:28? Can you apply that to this experience? That the whole thing was for your own good? Regardless of the fact that it hurt, and you fell away, (all very understandable...been there/done that) , God allowed that situation to play out because He knew the end from the beginning. I am sure you have learned several invaluable lessons from that experience, and have been able to apply them to other situations? and shared them as an encouragement with others? And of course the resulting growth and maturity that eventuated.

Yes @brakelite all the evil that followed that event in my life has been defeated through turning back to God and applying His Word....it did turn out for good.
I don't ask "why" anymore because I use Paul's attitude in life....counting it all joy when I go through a trial or tribulation knowing the outcome will turn out for good and God is glorified in the testimony it gives me.
Amen!

 

[Heart2Soul]

What is it they say about hindsight?

But, I cannot really answer your questions on this. God had a reason, but what was it? When we read Job we get a lot of details, but still how many different lessons and point of views have you heard on Job? Probably many, or even most, of those different lessons and points of views are teaching someone something.

In your case, I will say that look at where you are now. All of those bad experience taught you something that is difficult for some to ever learn. Who can we trust? We may have confidence in this friend or that family member, but we know just from the testimonies of people on this forum that ultimately the only One we can always trust is God. Young children are very vulnerable until they have learned...sometimes the hard way or even too late... that even the ones they trusted the most were unworthy of such trust.

Again in the hate and bitterness you had at that time look at where are you now.

So then considering where you are now in spite of the pain, the anger and bitterness, why are you serving God now? The answer to that for yourself may be one answer to your question. Just recently you probably read the testimony of @Mayflower … Will her testimony help someone who hears it now? Will yours? Consider that question regarding yourself and where you are today because of God for what reason? Then consider the way Jesus answers his disciples here:

"And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." John 9:1-3

For what purpose were you born on planet Earth and have to suffer as you have? God knows, but you also should know that you have a testimony that could change some person's life...

Is that the only reason for your suffering? Again God knows.

The evil each of us wrestles with is mostly within ourselves. Call it demon or devil or spirit, the result for you is still up to you. God will help you, but don't expect your road to be changed to one roses without thorns. It could happen, but don't expect it and of course of whom would you demand it? Of God?

Then again I have now stopped to read your final posts prior to this about the apology you rendered to the pastor who had hurt you so badly... and his response. That also would be part of your answer.

So much wisdom in your posts...thanks amadeus...may God continue to use you here to impart His wisdom to others.
God Bless

 

[GTW27]

Excellent...
One of the ways he begins deceiving us is through our thoughts...one example is to plant seeds of doubt, insecurity, fear, worry.

When we don't take immediate action against these thoughts casting down every vain imagination that exalts itself against the word of God then these thoughts begin to grow in strength and soon enters our heart

Out of the abundance of our heart the mouth speaks....death and life are in the power of our tongue and we eat the fruit of it....our words have power and manifest according to what we speak.

Without action our words of death affect our emotions, health and spiritual walk.

So in time our whole being is afflicted....and it all started with our thoughts.

Job said "that thing I feared the most has come upon me"....so it is evident he thought on terrible disasters coming against his family and possessions....

I have found that our walk is a walk of constant repenting and regrouping. What I mean by this is, when we are under attack, and the seeds are planted, they are easily removed by prayer. In the same way our sin is removed, so can the seeds be removed, and instantly I might add. "Lord restore my soul" is a prayer David used to pray, and if you pray that, The Lord will do it, as He is Faithful. With me, I absorb(Pick up) from all people, including thoughts of the heart, intentions and illnesses. In other words, I bare all of these things from others which means my walk has to be close to The Lord, because only He can restore me. If a spiritual attack is in person(face to face) then the full armor of God comes on automatically. Most spiritual attacks are not face to face so they can blindside us. And when this happens just take it to The Lord and pray. He is a loving Father and is quick to act on out behalf.

 

[Heart2Soul]

I have found that our walk is a walk of constant repenting and regrouping. What I mean by this is, when we are under attack, and the seeds are planted, they are easily removed by prayer. In the same way our sin is removed, so can the seeds be removed, and instantly I might add. "Lord restore my soul" is a prayer David used to pray, and if you pray that, The Lord will do it, as He is Faithful. With me, I absorb(Pick up) from all people, including thoughts of the heart, intentions and illnesses. In other words, I bare all of these things from others which means my walk has to be close to The Lord, because only He can restore me. If a spiritual attack is in person(face to face) then the full armor of God comes on automatically. Most spiritual attacks are not face to face so they can blindside us. And when this happens just take it to The Lord and pray. He is a loving Father and is quick to act on out behalf.

Yes!!! I have a discerning gift as well and this happens to me as well. But I have never looked at it like this and at times find myself caught up in that spirit operating....especially an angry spirit.
Thanks for sharing your testimony!