"The entrance of thy words giveth light (Psalm 119:130)."
When Satan Gets a Foothold—Part 1
(Temporary Footholds)
The war has been won. By accepting Jesus as your Savior, you now have a place reserved for you in heaven. However, every day, we are in spiritual battle. Sometimes Satan gets a temporary foothold—or exercises a existing foothold—and we suffer. Common experiences include anxiety and depression. The most common causes are unforgiveness, fear, worrying and dwelling on negatives.
Anytime you are unable to stop thinking about negatives, there is a spiritual foothold in play. Usually, whenever you are experiencing anxiety, there is a spiritual foothold in play.
To prevent footholds from becoming established, you need to discipline your thought life. Resist the devil.
Some suggestions follow.
Trust & obey. Trust God and obey God.
Affirmation: "I'm not receiving that." This is easy to use and effective.
Pray when you come under spiritual attacks.
Recite relevant Scripture, out loud. "For the Word of God is living and active . . ." {Hebrews 4:12 NASB}
Monitor your self-talk. Your self-talk is your interpretation of circumstances and spiritual attacks. Your words have power. Self-talk should always be rational and comforting.
In order to use, or benefit from this article, it is necessary to first get saved.
It is recommended that you also read the following before continuing:
It is strongly recommended that you read all three parts of the series. The last two parts are short—but they provide vital information you that you will use often.
The article was written for adults. However, it can be used with adolescents and children as well.
This article does focus on anxiety and depression. However, the principles mentioned can be used with other issues as well.
A checklist is provided at the end of this article. The checklist can be used whenever you experience anxiety and/or depression.
The checklist should be especially helpful for beginners.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE CHECKLIST, CLICK ON THIS LINK.
When Satan does get a foothold, address the foothold as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the longer it will take before you feel better.
Here's what I suggest.
First, immediately bring the problem to God in prayer.
When you pray, first establish the basis for successful prayer:
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." {Psalm 100:4 NIV}
Approach God with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving.
Don't treat God like a vending machine. He's much less likely to answer your prayers—especially if you're not a new believer.
Second, ask for guidance—and listen.
Only God really knows what is going on and how you should respond.
Don't expect to hear an audible voice. Rather, respond to impressions from the Holy Spirit and use your experience.
If you're not getting anything, and feel you need guidance, praying with another Christian is recommended.
Third, address anger issues.
Anger at God, yourself or others, results in a spiritual foothold which gives power to the devil.
Fear that you can't break free of the unforgiveness also gives power to the devil.
The usual result is anxiety and/or depression.
Review the following Scriptures.
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV).”
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." {Matthew 5:44 NIV}
Notice that you have three responsibilities:
- To love God.
- To love yourself.
- To love your neighbor.
Unforgiveness toward others is especially concerning since this results in emotional torture. To avoid this, it is necessary to forgive others from your heart. {Matthew 18:21-35}
Your three responsibilities:
First, love God. Two suggestions: 1) Be obedient. 2)Thank God for adversity, as well as blessings.
If you are obedient, God will cause all things to work together for your good (Romans 8:28). You can learn, and grow stronger, from the trials you experience. Or you can become bitter. This is a choice.
Second: Love yourself. This is a command. It is necessary for emotional strength and peace.
Two things that will help:
- Don't take things personally; that is, don't internalize the negativity of others.
- Forgive yourself.
"Also do not take to heart everything people say,
Lest you hear your servant cursing you.
For many times, also, your own heart has known
That even you have cursed others." {Ecclesiastes 7.21-22 NKJV}
If someone makes it clear that they believe something negative about you, it will be very difficult or impossible for you to forgive them unless you choose to, from your heart, disbelieve their perspective. This is something you can do.
You have to correct demonic lies and all negative thoughts.
Affirmations are recommended.
General affirmations:
- God loves me.
- I love me.
- I accept myself.
- I forgive myself.
- I don't care what he (she) thinks.
Correcting self-critical and other negative thoughts:
- I am not (blank).
- Or, say the opposite.
Choose to love and accept yourself—otherwise, it will be difficult, or impossible, to forgive other people.
Third, love your neighbor. It is essential that you forgive others regardless of what they said or did.
"Jesus never said the work of forgiving would be easy. When he commanded, 'Love your enemies,' the Greek word for 'love' does not mean 'affection' but 'moral understanding.' Simply put, forgiving someone isn't a matter of stirring up human affection, but making a moral decision to remove hatred from our hearts."1
Here are five suggestions that will help you to forgive others. They are used when thoughts of offenders come up.
First:
- Affirmation: "I choose to forgive him (her)."
- "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." {Philippians 4:13 NASB}
Second:
- Affirmation: "I have the mind of Christ." {1Corinthians 2:16}
- Forgive with the mind of Christ.
Third:
- Affirmation: "I am strong in the Lord." {Ephesians 6:10}
- This affirmation also makes it easier to forgive.
Four:
- Trust & obey.
- Fully trust God
- Forgive from your heart.
Five: Pray for your enemies.
Some commentary follows.
It's easier to forgive by trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, you simply can't forgive in your own strength.
Affirming that you have the 'mind of Christ' or are 'strong in the Lord' also makes it easier to forgive.
Fear, including the fear that you can't forgive, gives power to the devil—a lot of power.
"Trust in Him at all times . . ." {Psalm 62:8 NASB}
Again, your self-talk should be rational and comforting.
Praying for your enemies makes it easier to forgive. Think of this as a moral obligation to keep your heart right with God.
More information is available on this website. If you're struggling with unforgiveness, I recommend that you read the article entitled How to Forgive.
Fourth, confess your sins to God.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." {1 John 1:9 NIV}
"He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." {Proverbs 28:13 NKJV}
To confess means to agree with God that what you have done is wrong. Any sin is wrong because God says it is. Period.
Confessions need to be genuine. And it follows, therefore, that you will try not to repeat the sin in the future.
Sins related to anger issues are especially concerning.
Again, forgive from your heart.
Also, if you've negatively judged another person's worth or taken pleasure in their calamity, real or imagined, these are additional examples of sins that give the devil a foothold and adversely affect your emotions. Confess your sin to God. And stop doing these things.
It is stupid to unnecessarily prolong your suffering by neglecting to authentically confess your sins.
Fifth: Sometimes, it may not be clear who you are angry at—or even if anger is the problem. The best way to deal with this is to simply ask God to reveal the names of anyone you need to forgive. If you don't hear anything, try forgiving various people and see if the amount of distress you feel diminishes.
Once you've made an effort to forgive, and confessed your sin of unforgiveness, the anxiety or depression you feel will often diminish. If doesn't, what follows are some things to consider.
First, you may be trying to forgive the wrong person.
A favorite trick of Satan is to deceive you as to which person you need to forgive.
Second: You are dwelling on negatives.
Another favorite trick of Satan is based on compulsions: You feel compelled to keep thinking about past offenses. Even if you accompany such thoughts with forgiveness, you will still experience emotional distress. Dwelling on negatives gives power to the devil.
Remember:
- ". . . whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right . . . think about these things." {Philippians 4:8 NASB}
- "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." {Philippians 4:13 NKJV}
Success requires that you both forgive offenders and avoid dwelling on these things.
Third, the spiritual attack may be based on fear, including the fear that you can't forgive someone.
Fourth, other steps may be needed to break free.
Continue reading.
Sixth: Deal with fear issues. Satan will create thoughts and/or emotional distress, at strategic times, with the objective of getting you to react with fear. Relevant Scriptures follow.
" . . . do not be frightened " {1 Peter 3:14 NIV}
" . . . fear involves torment." {1 John 4:18 NKJV}
Fear give power to the devil—a lot of power.
Instead of giving in to fear, trust in the Lord:
"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever." {Psalm 125:1 NIV}
"Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble." {Psalm 119:165 NKJV}
"Trust in Him at all times . . ." {Psalm 62:8 NASB}
It is necessary to trust God at all times with all things.
Especially with what you're most afraid of.
Three simple exercises that will help:
First: Recite and apply Scripture. Example:
- "Be anxious for nothing . . ." {Philippians 4:4 NASB}
- Be anxious for nothing.
Second: Affirmation combined with faith:
- "Lord, I'm trusting you with (specific issue)."
- Trust God.
Third, use affirmations based on Scripture:
- "I am strong in the Lord." {Ephesians 6:10}
- "I have the mind of Christ." {1Corinthians 2:16}
And believe what you are affirming.
Seventh: Fourth, use prayer affirmations. An example follows:
"I am strong in the lord. I demolish this foothold by Your strength. In Jesus' name. Amen."
I've used this to break free of anxiety footholds.
Eighth: The following is a similar, effective exercise.
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." {John 14:27 NKJV}
Two steps:
- Do what you know to do to reduce negative emotions.
- Claim God's peace.
I once had an anxiety foothold that would simply not give way. I did everything I knew at the time—I even prayed with my accountability partner. Nothing was working.
However, after praying with the accountability partner, God revealed an idea that I tried—and this did work.
I simply said to God: "You said 'my peace I give to you.' I believe it." I chose to believe this, despite the disturbing emotions I was experiencing.
The spiritual attack ceased immediately.
Ninth: Address demons directly.
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons . . ." {Mark 16:17 NKJV}
"Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." {Luke 10:17 NKJV}
Two things to do:
- Declare truth to demons.
- Cast out demons.
Declaring truth:
- "Satan, you have no power over me!"
- To demons: "I'm not afraid of you."
Often, this is all that is needed.
Casting out demons:
- "Satan, I command you to leave in Jesus' name!"
- Forcefully rebuke the devil, out loud, in the name of Jesus. Command the demons to leave. Five to ten sentences long.
Speak with confidence and authority; you will have more success that way.
Sometimes a forceful rebuke of the devil is necessary.
The word "Satan" works just fine; you don't have to also say demons.
Once you've dealt with sin issues, Satan usually has to depart if you do this.
Recognize that fear, including fear of demons, will sabotage your efforts.
Do not try any of this unless you are saved; that is potentially dangerous (Acts 19:13-17).
More information on this topic is included in my article entitled How to Cast Out Demons.
Tenth, cast your burden on the Lord. Casting burdens—including strictly emotional burdens—on the Lord provides a supernational benefit; you will experience more peace.
"Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (Psalm 55:22 NASB)."
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-8 NKJV).”
You cannot be certain as to what is causing your emotional distress. What you can be certain of is that God knows. Surrender the problem to Him. He can carry your emotional burden—and provide you with any guidance you may need. Or, if there is nothing for you to do now, He can simply lighten the load and enable you to experience more peace as you trust in Him.
To cast a burden:
- Surrender the issue to God.
- Trust & obey.
- Be willing to do whatever God says to do or not do.
- Wait until it becomes clear what to do.
- Don't dwell on the issue.
Dwelling on a problem, unnecessarily, amounts to taking the burden back—with predictable negative emotional consequences.
An important thing to remember that will help you to not dwell on negatives is that you've put the issue in God's hands—and you will do whatever God says to do or not do—whenever He makes this clear.
God may tell you to do something different at the last moment.
In casting a burden on the Lord, it is important to humble yourself before God. Make it clear to God that you need Him and that you trust Him.
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." {James 4:10 NIV}
"Trust in Him at all times . . . (Psalm 62:8 NASB)."
Sometimes this is what you need to do. Sometimes nothing else will work.
It is recommended that you review the series entitled How to Cast a Burden.
Eleventh, use prayer to break free of the foothold. Sometimes, only prayer will work (Mark 9:29).
Scriptures follow.
“Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you (Mark 11:22-24 NASB)."
"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him (1 John 5:14-15 NASB)."
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-7 NIV).”
Template:
- Pray, in faith, without doubting, to break free.
- Recite Scripture, claim biblical promise(s).
- Believe your prayer has been answered.
- "It is gone." {Affirmation}
- Thank God.
- Do not follow this by asking yourself "Did this work?"
Some closing points:
For we live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV)."
You will need to exercise resolute faith when praying—especially when circumstances and emotions seem very much out of control.
"The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me." {Psalm 16:6 NKJV}
Don't make things too complicated. Simplicity will make your prayers more effective.
Reciting Scripture, out loud, and claiming scriptural promises, out loud, will also make your prayers more effective.
Don't forget to pray with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving.
Twelfth, consider the following Scriptures:
"Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus." {1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 GNT}
" . . . the joy of the Lord is your strength." {Nehemiah 8:10 NIV}
Joy provides you with strength—especially the 'joy of the Lord' which is not dependent on circumstances.
Three suggestions:
- Recite Scripture: " . . . the joy of the Lord is your strength." {Nehemiah 8:10 NIV}
- Affirmation: The joy of the Lord is my strength.
- Be joyful.
A quick way to be joyful is to select a Christian hymn and sing. If you don't know the words to the hymn, you can simply sing praises to God in your own words.
You can hum if other people are around.
Being joyful can eliminate a stubborn foothold all by itself.
Sometimes, this what is needed.
Thirteenth, stop thinking about the problem for 1/2 hour. Focus on something else. Do this even if you continue to feel muscle tension and/or emotional distress. The foothold may be gone. The distress you still feel may be residual tension from the trauma you've experienced. It will go away if you don't focus on it. Usually, this will resolve the problem.
If the foothold is gone, doing a task that requires focused mental concentration will be especially effective.
You can also just focus on positive things (Philippians 4:8-9). I've sometimes been amazed at how anxiety simply disappears when, at this point, I simply start thinking about good things.
One simple technique that may help is to think about ten things you can thank God for.
Often, the foothold will have disappeared if the steps, just mentioned, are completed.
If you're not sure if the foothold is gone, at any point in this process, one thing you can try is to pray for God to make the demon manifest. If the result is an increase in emotional distress (e.g. growling), continue trying different things until you break free.
Fourteenth: Pray with someone. Praying with another Christian is much more effective than praying alone. This can also be done over the phone.
Another effective suggestion is to text someone, when you're struggling, and ask them to pray for you.
When you do this, one of two things almost always happens:
- The foothold diminishes.
- It soon becomes clear what you need to do to break free.
In regard to the second instance, there might be a temporary increase in emotional distress: the demon is manifesting.
Fifteenth: Sometimes, a simple, directly biblical approach works faster and better. For more experienced Christians, you may want to try this first: Be sure to read When Satan Gets a Foothold—Part Two. Another link is provided at the end of this article.
Finally, if the problem remains, that means the foothold has more power than usual. This often happens when you procrastinate on resolving the issue and/or when you are dealing with a long-standing problem.
In this case, I suggest the following three items: 1) Stop trying to figure out the problem. You will only make things worse. 2) Keep your focus on God (Isaiah 26:3). 3) Keep yourself and your mind busy. I want to comment on each item.
First, stop focusing on the problem. Trying to figure out any emotional problem at this time is counterproductive. You are emotionally overloaded—your mind needs a rest.
Second, keep your focus on God. Do this until you feel better. The best way I know to do this is to listen to Christian music. Christmas music also works well. Listening to soft Christian music, while engaging in an activity that involves focused mental concentration, can be especially effective.
Another very good option is to listen to an undramatized version of the Bible. I've found that this works well even while reading something else.
Prayer will also help—if you do it right. Prayers, at this point, should consist primarily of praise, the giving of thanks and prayers for others. Prayers for yourself must clearly, forcefully and repeatedly express your unwavering faith in God. Praying for yourself, in the context of fear, is another form of worrying—and will make things worse.
Pray continually, allowing interruption only as needed for work or routine tasks.
Do not repetitively pray about your problems. Anything that focuses your mind on negatives gives power to the devil.
Do be alert for impressions from the Holy Spirit—and act on them. Sometimes, something you've tried before, without success, will work when God's timing is right.
Third, this is the time to be productive. Try to stay busy. Just identify one productive task at a time—and do it. If what you're doing doesn't require your full attention, listen to Christian music or listen to an undramatized version of the Bible while you work.
Never make important decisions when you are stressed.
Actually, anything that keeps your mind occupied on things other than psychology and emotional problems will be helpful. However, focusing on God, in my experience, works faster and better: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV).”
If you have nothing to do, you can just keep on listening to Christian music until you feel better.
Pastor Daniel Lucas stated that he broke free of a prolonged period of depression by simply choosing to worship God until he was able to break free.
Dr. Charles Stanley, in one of his excellent sermons, talked about Satan getting a foothold which is "invisible but very, very real." And he explained that persisting in prayer is the way to break free.
When Satan has a foothold, it is difficult to think clearly. That's why you may need a plan, written down, that you can refer to. There is no one plan that is right for everyone. Devise an individual plan based on what you're struggling with. And what you need to be reminded to do. Make sure to have a copy available whenever you might need it. I refer to this plan as a Spiritual Foothold Checklist.
Use as many items on the list as is necessary.
An example follows.
1) Bring the issue to God with praise and thanksgiving.
2) Ask for guidance—and listen. Be sensitive to impressions from the Holy Spirit. And use your own experience.
3) Confess sin—especially in regard to unforgiveness.
4) General affirmations:
- "I am strong in the Lord." {Ephesians 6:10}
- "I have the mind of Christ." {1Corinthians 2:16}
- Believe these things.
- Trust and obey.
5) Prayer affirmation: "I am strong in the lord. I demolish this foothold by Your strength. In Jesus' name. Amen."
6) Address anger issues (1): Adjust your attitude.
General affirmations:
- "God loves me."
- "I love me."
- "I accept myself."
- "I forgive myself."
- "I don't care what he (she) thinks."
7) Address anger issues (2): Correct negative thoughts:
- "I am not (fill in blank)."
- Or, say the opposite.
If someone makes it clear that they believe something negative about you, you need to disbelieve, from your heart, their perspective. This is something you can do.
Otherwise, it will be difficult or impossible for you to forgive them.
8) Address anger issues (3):
- "I choose to forgive him (her)."
- "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." {Philippians 4:13 NASB}
Forgive, from your heart, and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you to forgive.
9) Address anger issues (4):
- Pray for your enemies.
- Pray for what God would want for the person.
The foothold will often diminish once you've done this. If it doesn't, consider the following:
- Look for others you may need to forgive. A favorite trick of the devil is to deceive you as to whom you need to forgive.
- The spiritual attack may be based on fear issues.
- Other solutions may be needed.
- Continue with the checklist.
10) Anger checkup:
- Love God.
- Love your neighbor.
- Love yourself.
Note: Choose to love God—and give thanks to Him—regardless of what is going on.
11) Address fear issues (1):
- Recite Scripture: "Be anxious for nothing . . ." {Philippians 4:4 NASB}
- Be anxious for nothing.
12) Address fear issues (2):
- "Lord, I'm trusting you with (specific issue)."
- Trust God.
"Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge (Psalm 62:8 NIV)."
Trust God at all times with all things.
Make sure your self-talk is rational and comforting.
13) Address demons directly:
- Forcefully rebuke the devil, out loud, in the name of Jesus. Command demons to leave. Five to ten sentences long.
- "Satan, you have no power over me!"
- Speak with confidence and authority; you will have more success that way.
- To demons: "I'm not afraid of you."
14) Cast your burden on the Lord: {Psalm 55:22}
- Surrender the issue to God.
- Actively trust God.
- Trust & obey.
15) Pray to break free. Recommendations follow:
- Pray, in faith, without doubting, to break free.
- Recite Scripture, claim biblical promise(s).
- Believe your prayer has been answered.
- "It is gone." {Affirmation}
- Thank God.
- Do not follow this by asking yourself "Did this work?"
Reciting Scripture out loud and claiming scriptural promises out loud will make your prayer more effective.
16) Claim God's peace.
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." {John 14:27 NKJV}
"Lord, You said 'my peace I give to you.' I believe it. I believe I have Your peace."
17) Praise and thank God for ten things.
18) Be joyful:
- Recite Scripture: ". . . the joy of the Lord is your strength." {Nehemiah 8:10 NIV}
- Affirmation: The joy of the Lord is my strength.
- Select a Christian hymn. And sing praises to God.
19) Set the timer for 30 minutes. Stop thinking about the problem—or anything related to the problem. Also, do one or more of the following:
- Try doing something that requires focused concentration.
- Stay busy doing routine tasks.
- Listen to Christian music or a reading of the Bible.
- Listen to the radio or read something distracting.
- Pray to God, giving thanks for the blessings in your life.
- Just think about good things.
20) (If the foothold remains) Call someone to pray with you. Or, text someone to pray for you.
21) (If the foothold remains) Use a direct biblical approach: Go to When Satan Gets a Foothold—Part Two.
Return to this checklist if necessary.
22) (If the foothold remains.) Continue as follows:
- Force your mind off of problems.
- Pray whenever your mind is not constructively occupied.
- Conversational prayer, with God, is a good idea; God wants a relationship with you.
- Prayers should focus on praise, the giving of thanks and prayers for others.
- Prayers for yourself must clearly, forcefully and repeatedly express your unwavering faith in God. Praying for yourself, in the context of fear, is another form of worrying—and will make things worse.
- Listen to Christian music or an audio version of the Bible.
- Worshiping God is a very good idea.
- Do one routine job after another.
- Do not make any important decisions.
- Do not repetitively pray for a solution to your problem all day long. This is harmful. Anything that focuses your thoughts on negatives gives power to the devil.
- Be alert for impressions from the Holy Spirit—and act on them.
- Keep your focus on God.
- Trust God & obey God.
- Do this until you feel better.
So that's it. This is what I recommend. Start by making a copy of the plan above or make your own individualized plan. Keep a copy readily available.
You can also simply access this article online. There is a link to this checklist at the beginning of the article.
And use this the next time Satan gets a spiritual foothold.
Note: Once you've become more experienced, you will need to use a checklist less often, or not at all—you will know how to deal with different spiritual attacks. And a simple, directly biblical approach, may work faster and better. Be sure to read When Satan Gets a Foothold—Part 2.
1 http://davidwilkersontoday.blogspot.com/2009/09/forbearing-one-another.html
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