2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
From the book All of Grace by C.H. Spurgeon:
I have heard someone say, “I am tormented with horrible thoughts. Wherever I go, blasphemies steal in upon me. Frequently at my work a dreadful suggestion forces itself upon me, and even on my bed I am startled from my sleep by whispers of the evil one. I cannot get away from this horrible temptation.”
Friend, I know what you mean, for I have myself been hunted by this wolf. A man might as well hope to fight a swarm of flies with a sword as to master his own thoughts when they are set on by the devil.
I do not wonder you feel that you are without strength to stop these hideous and abominable thoughts which Satan pours into your soul; but yet I would remind you of the scripture, “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).
Jesus saw that we could not overcome the prince of the power of the air; He knew that we should be greatly worried by him; but even then, when He saw us in that condition, Christ died for the ungodly. Cast the anchor of your faith upon this. The devil himself cannot tell you that you are not ungodly; believe then that Jesus died for you. – end of quote
Lately, I have seen comments on YouTube of people suffering from unwanted, intrusive, blasphemous, and spiritual-attack thoughts. Some seem to worry that they either must not be truly saved or have committed the ‘unpardonable sin.’ For about 5 years now, I too have suffered from such spiritual attacks and have learned since then that scripture is our greatest weapon and defense!
It is a comfort to know that even the ‘Prince of Preachers’ endured such battles during his time here as well. Throughout this article, I will share excerpts of what the great Charles Spurgeon had to say concerning this ‘daunting issue’ among Believers.
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
When these intrusive and blasphemous thoughts started happening, I remember being upset, mortified, and worried that there was something ‘spiritually wrong’ with me! There were times I would confess these thoughts to others in tears because I never want to be displeasing to my Lord Jesus Christ! After doing extensive Christian Research on this topic, I came to realize that Prayer and God’s Word truly help to dispel these attacks; even if the attacks inevitably came back, still, it worked for that day or hour!
First off, if these are ‘unwanted thoughts,’ acknowledge that they are ‘not your thoughts’! Second, Pray “I submit unto You Lord God and resist the devil; please make all evil flee!” It also helps to ‘reinforce your stance’ to rebuke, renounce, and reject all blasphemous, evil, and spiritual-attack thoughts in Jesus Christ’s Name! Also, to ‘acknowledge your allegiance’ to Almighty God and to emphasize your ‘all-out spurious rejection’ of any adherence or allegiance to the enemy!
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
From the book, All of Grace by C.H. Spurgeon:
These thoughts, if you hate them, are none of yours, but are injections of the Devil, for which he is responsible, and not you. If you strive against them, they are no more yours than are the cursings and falsehoods of rioters in the street. It is by means of these thoughts that the Devil would drive you to despair, or at least keep you from trusting Jesus. The poor diseased woman could not come to Jesus for the press, and you are in much the same condition because of the rush and throng of these dreadful thoughts. Still, she put forth her finger and touched the fringe of the Lord’s garment, and she was healed. Do you the same.
Jesus died for those who are guilty of “all manner of sin and blasphemy,” and therefore I am sure He will not refuse those who are unwillingly the captives of evil thoughts. Cast yourself upon Him, thoughts and all, and see if He be not mighty to save. He can still those horrible whisperings of the fiend, or He can enable you to see them in their true light so that you may not be worried by them. In His own way He can and will save you, and at length give you perfect peace. Only trust Him for this and everything else. – end of quote
From gotquestions.org: Intrusive Thoughts
Question: “Are intrusive thoughts sin? Are spontaneous violent, sexual, or blasphemous thoughts sin?”
Answer: Nearly everyone, at some point or another, has been subject to intrusive thoughts. These involuntary, unwanted images, phrases, or impulses are extremely common. Spontaneous and intrusive thoughts of violence to children or animals, inappropriate sexual contact, and blasphemy can be extremely disturbing and even cause some to question their salvation. But are they even sin?
God has given us tools to fight intrusive thoughts. Psalm 139:23-24 encourages us to submit our hearts and thoughts to God. He can determine if there is anything harmful in us that needs to be dealt with. If the thoughts truly are unbidden and spontaneous, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 explains what to do next:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Blasphemous, harmful, and deviant thoughts and inclinations are part of spiritual warfare, and we need God’s help to fight them. By studying Scripture, reaffirming the truth in our minds, and Bible memorization, we can greatly diminish or even vanquish intrusive thoughts — “When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul” (Psalm 94:19). – Source
Ephesians 6:16 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
Although the spiritual attacks do not seem to fully go away, they have become more manageable the more I have grown in Christ. His Word is like a ‘healing balm and a rock of defense’ to the worn out and weary. Sometimes the attacks come in the middle of the night, sometimes as soon as I wake up, sometimes even during a normal conversation with another person. The devil is relentless and will throw his ‘fiery darts’ upon us at will. That is why it is so important to perpetually have on our Full Armor of God at all times!
Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
We do this through Prayer! Remember, like Paul said, we are to Pray without ceasing! Praying at all times means not only to Pray, but to also ‘keep our minds fully on Christ and His Word’ as much as possible! This can be done by listening to sound preaching from True Ministers of Truth, or by singing Praise Songs and Hymns, or by talking to others about the things of God. Let all we do be for Him and His Glory!
1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
From the book, All of Grace by C.H. Spurgeon:
Personally, I could never have overcome my own sinfulness. I tried and failed. My evil propensities were too many for me, till, in the belief that Christ died for me, I cast my guilty soul on Him, and then I received a conquering principle by which I overcame my sinful self. The doctrine of the cross can be used to slay sin, even as the old warriors used their huge two-handed swords, and mowed down their foes at every stroke. There is nothing like faith in the sinner’s Friend: it overcomes all evil. If Christ has died for me, ungodly as I am, without strength as I am, then I cannot live in sin any longer, but must arouse myself to love and serve Him who hath redeemed me. I cannot trifle with the evil which slew my best Friend. I must be holy for His sake. How can I live in sin when He has died to save me from it? – end of quote
Romans 5:6 “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Our God is a God like no other! He is mighty to save; He is our Rock and Redeemer! Christ died for the ungodly; there is no greater love than this! He is our Hiding Place! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah to the Lord God Almighty! All Honor, Glory, Power, and Praise to our Deliverer!
Trust fully in Jesus Christ; Yahweh; Emmanuel; Adonai; Elohim; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; our Lord; God; King; and Savior! Thank You, Lord, that at the ‘Powerful Name of Jesus’ all evil must bow and flee!
Philippians 2:10 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.”
Acts 16:18 “And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”
Luke 10:17 “The seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”
Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.”
The final admonition for those suffering from this battle is that we are not to talk directly to the demons. Instead, we are to Pray (James 4:7), submitting unto God and resisting the devil by asking God to make all evil flee in Jesus Christ’s Name! By fighting this war in this manner, you will find ‘relief and deliverance’ for your mind through the Name of Jesus!
Until next time… Maranatha!
(JESUS = THE WAY, THE TRUTH, & THE LIFE!)
Jesus Will Come!