Signs of a Spiritual Attack: Discouragement and Doubt

There are demons of depression, discouragement, doubt, and many more evil spirits that affect us spiritually. In my last few articles, I show how a spiritual attack begins with desolation and then moves into an overwhelming depression. Now I want to talk about discouragement and doubt. It seems logical that doubt and discouragement would come next, but the methods that the devil uses to attack people don’t necessarily come in chronological order. It isn’t like you suffer each symptom separately for a determined amount of time, that isn’t the way it happens. You just slip into them without any real awareness. The devil is stealthy and attacks relentlessly. He wants to wear you down by destroying your confidence and creating an atmosphere of doubt and hopelessness. He does this by placing harmful thoughts in your mind.

Discouragement is a lack of confidence. It is a tactic the devil uses to oppress people and keep them from moving forward in life. He attacks the way a person sees themselves and also the way they believe others see them. These thoughts invade like soldiers invade an enemy’s camp. The soldiers here, represent demons, and their task is to annihilate you. There is a multitude of demons, and each one has a specialty. With discouragement, the devil or his demon’s whisper all kinds of destructive thoughts into a person’s mind: you’re useless, don’t bother, you can’t do it, you’ll never get that promotion, you’re not good enough, etcetera. These are just a few of the thoughts or phrases they use to attack you. These thoughts are constant, they never stop. You wake up with these negative thoughts in your head, they assault you all day long, and by the time you go to bed, you feel like a loser. And then you get up the next day, and it starts all over again.  As these lies assault you, you begin believing them. The confidence you once had is now gone. You feel like you can’t accomplish anything, and you don’t even want to try. There is a sense of hopelessness, and now you begin to doubt everything and everyone, including yourself.

“But my trust is in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.”

Psalm 31:15-16

Doubt is uncertainty, so that means you hesitate on everything. Making the simplest decision is difficult because you no longer trust yourself to know what is right. This leaves you insecure and questioning your ability to accomplish anything. Relationships suffer because you can’t trust other people. You wonder to yourself, is this person safe? And contemplate whether or not they will hurt or betray you. This causes you to stop engaging with anyone unless you are forced to. You avoid people and conversations and retreat into a life of solitude. Family relationships also suffer because the person you were, has been replaced with a stranger. And no one knows why, not even you.

“For his angels he has given command about you, that they will guard you in all your ways.”

Psalm 91:11

As long as these evil spirits can keep you in the dark, then they have an advantage over you. This is a terrible way to live. I know, because I lived that way for years. I know God allowed it, and I know He had a specific reason for it. He does for you too. I also believe that if I would have been able to find any information that could have helped me understand what was happening to me, it would have given me some hope and encouraged me to fight sooner. This is why I am writing about these things. It isn’t easy for me to be so transparent. But if I can help those people who are suffering become aware of the reality of evil and the power it has to affect their lives, then I must do it. The Lord sends His angels to surround and protect you. You are going to be okay. Remain in a state of grace to limit the enemy’s power over you, and never stop believing that the Lord is with you. He will save you in time.

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