Will the Bible protect me from spiritual attack?

"People do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." —Deuteronomy 8:3 (NLT)

Spiritual warfare is when our enemy, Satan, and his demons fight against us and God on a spiritual level. One of the most powerful weapons we have against these attacks is reading, meditating on, and memorizing the Bible. God's Word contains all the information God wants us to have about our spirituality and relationship with Him. Some of the primary truths we learn in the Bible are what God promises, who our Heavenly Father is, and why He makes these promises to His children.

The Bible is true and reliable (John 17:17), and as we study God's word, the Holy Spirit transforms us—our beliefs, thoughts, and actions (John 16:12-15). Through Scripture, our minds become aligned with the mind of God so that we want to obey Him (Philippians 2:13). And He fills us with a peace only He can bring (Psalm 119:165).

"I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." —Psalm 119:11 (NLT)

The Bible is Our Sword

"Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." —Ephesians 6:17 (NLT)

Jesus gave the perfect example of how to use the Bible against spiritual attack. Every time Satan tempted Him, Jesus began His rebuttal with, "The Scriptures say..." (Matthew 4:1-11, NLT). Jesus knew the Scriptures well and trusted them, so He easily stood up to Satan's lies.

In the Bible, God lays out His truth and promises to us. God promises to be with His followers through any hardship (Psalm 23:4). We don't have to fear circumstances or other people (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). God promises to help us with temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13). The Holy Spirit reminds us of God's truths so we can counter the enemy's lies (John 14:26).

God promises to hold us secure (John 5:24). The enemy may lie to you, saying, "You're too terrible. God will never forgive you!" But the Bible says that those who trust in Christ are not condemned (Romans 8:1). The Bible promises the end of the story will be good. Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire, and we who belong to Jesus will be with Him forever (Revelation 20:10; 21:3-4). These are just a few of the promises the Bible reminds us about.

God is On Our Side

"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." —Romans 8:28

The Bible also reminds us about who God is and why He makes these promises. He is all-powerful and fully trustworthy (Job 42:2; Lamentations 3:22-23).

"God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" —Numbers 23:19 (NLT)

Yes, the Bible can help protect us before and during experiences of spiritual warfare. God's Word can heal us in the wake of a spiritual attack. Scripture reminds us that God fulfills His promises because He loves us. Satan lies, saying that the world can give us greater things than God (Genesis 3:1-5). But the Bible tells us God wants the best for us. He protects us, supports us, and graciously forgives our sins (John 3:16-17).

"Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." —Romans 15:4 (NLT)

ALSO SEE:

• What is spiritual warfare?
• What is the full armor of God?
• What is the sword of the Spirit?
• What is the Bible?
• Is the Bible a fairy tale?
• Where should I start reading the Bible?
• What are some different ways to study the Bible?
• What are some good ways to memorize Bible verses?
• What does the Bible say about obedience?
• How much power does Satan have?
• Are demons real?
• What do demons do?
• How do I silence the hateful voices in my head?