Missile Attacks on the Mind

It started about a week ago. A barrage of calls from numbers my phone didn't recognize started coming in at various hours of the day. Grateful for caller ID, I continued my habit of letting my voicemail take any messages that might be important and tried to simply ignore the constant communication. Thankfully I quickly learned to keep the device muted, but even the frequent vibrations of the phone in my pocket was an annoyance. The long and short of it was that my peace was continually disturbed.

Suddenly it seemed that my service provider had gotten wind of the problem and was stepping in to help. The stream of random phone numbers I didn't recognize when a call came in were now replaced by the words Alert: Telemarketer, Spam Risk, and Fraud Risk. While the calls still kept coming in, it helped to know that somebody was on to the caller's game and working to stop it. 

And then just as suddenly as the episode started, it ended. The dozens of unwanted calls I was getting a day dwindled back down to the usual two or three.

I know hackers are everywhere these days, and that with the wonders of easy communication and advanced technology come risks that we may never have had to deal with before. It is encouraging to know that security systems are likewise stepping up their efforts to thwart the actions of those intent on harm. The battle is ongoing, but it helps to know we don't fight alone.

I liken this recent situation with my smartphone to what has happened spiritually to me recently with my mind. Like everyone else, I have life issues to deal with, and I am used to fending off the occasional attempts of the enemy to speak doubt and distress into situations that I know in my heart are covered by the Blood and the love of the Lord. But sometimes it seems that the enemy is able to hack in to my thinking, sending a barrage of messages that speak darkness into corners of my life that were once filled with light, overwhelming my defense mechanisms by their sheer numbers and spiraling me downward into hopelessness and despair over the outcome. The Bible says that without revelation and a vision of the future, the people perish. Clearly the devil has read this passage, too, and is working to achieve it.

Thankfully we don't fight alone. The Holy Spirit inside of us rises to our defense, and starts sending messages of His own to our control center in the brain. He starts identifying the source of the incoming calls, directing us in how to respond to each thought that comes in, wanting to take up residence. Suddenly we hear, “Don't answer that.” “That's the enemy speaking and it's a lie. God's Word says this on that...” “Hang up the phone.” ...and my personal favorite: “Why do you believe that?” With God as our Guide, suddenly the security breach to our thought processes is closed and we return our thoughts to whatsoever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of a good report, as the Bible directs. And amazingly, when resisted in such a manner, the enemy flees to fight another day in another way. How comforting to know that no matter what tactic he comes up with, the Holy Spirit within us is ready for the attack and to arm us accordingly. In times of war, the peace of God is our weapon of choice.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NKJV)