SPIRITUAL WARFARE 2: Obsession, oppression, infestation oh my!

Satan works in the imagination and memory of our minds. He can place thoughts into our psyche that distort our perception of a situation or relationship, of our own identity, beauty and worthiness, or tempt us towards the bad then inflame with shame for having the thought. He can also flood the mind with thought attacks, which are ideas that just won’t stop. Separately, or along with these, he can create a sense of doom or desolation that overwhelms like a smog. Whether subtle and ordinary or more extreme as in obsessions, in practical terms these are commonly experienced hand-in-hand.

He also can work in our bodies (such as causing pain or illness) and with objects around us by making objects move or hit us, or be a ‘spook in the wall’ sliding and making noise. All of these are examples of oppression and infestation as their target is first outside the mind. In the psyche he may simultaneously instill a paralyzing sense of fear or doom. 

There are many good books explaining spiritual warfare. However (by the nature of these attacks involving the mind), when under attack a person easily forgets everything they have read or have been told by a priest or spiritual director. In that particular moment, Satan is causing a thought pattern out of which it is difficult to escape. What you need is to have on hand frontline defense strategies so you can quickly and efficaciously turn to God. First, however, you need to understand the battlefield itself.

(Keep an eye open for our next post from Kick Butt! The Quick Guide to Spiritual Warfare: Frontline Defense Strategies for Everyday Life.)