How to Stand Against the Onslaught

Are you in an onslaught?

I have received call after call and message after message from friends in the onslaught. They have been hit with financial challenges, relationship challenges, health challenges, most which don’t make sense, because with everything within them they are doing everything they know to do to serve the Lord.

Now as the end of the month nears fear has gripped them as once again bills are due and decisions need to be made. And yet, all the while they have been serving the Lord, walking free from offense, tithing, praying, etc. And you have asked, “Why, Lord?”

This onslaught is also against our president, our Christian beliefs and our families and it has been relentless. Many of you have been under such attack and duress that it is hard to see past your own personal situations to be able to take hold and stand for our president and nation or with others, because it is all you can do to hold on.

This is a word for you. How to stand in the onslaught.

This is about the Church united. That is the call for this hour that as believers, no matter denomination, race, gender, that we stand together…one nation, one people under God.

What does the onslaught look like?

As I was praying this morning, I was alerted to an article and from “Elle” magazines in which Michael M. Hughes stated, “Starting at midnight on Friday (February 24), witches around the country are calling for a mass spell to be cast on Donald Trump every night of a waning crescent moon until he’s driven from office.”

Then there was the action last week by the Washington State Supreme Court which passed punishment against florist Barronelle Stutzman for peacefully operating her business consistently with her faith when she declined to create floral arrangements for a gay customer’s wedding even though she had served him for 20 years with all other orders. If something doesn’t change, she will lose her business, her home, her livelihood—everything–because she has chosen to stand by her religious beliefs.”

The Lord spoke to me, “strife of tongues.”

Even as I sat to share this, a dear missionary friend called from Cambodia for prayer. She and her sister have been taken to court by their own brother regarding their family’s inheritance. He had taken cattle that belonged to them all and sold it, refusing to give them their portion and was now taking them to court to take even more of the inheritance—and it seemed logical and just to him. As my friend shared with me, she explained that her brother’s actions regarding the inheritance were actually totally out of character for her brother who now seemed bent on the destruction of his sisters.

All of these possess the same root and looking on from the outside are crazy. There is no logic behind such crazy responses. 

I was then reminded again of the words, “strife of tongues.” It was what the Holy Spirit had spoken to me two years ago.

For two days that phrase rolled around in my spirit until I found the verse (listed below).

Not long after, I received a call from a lawyer (the husband of one of my client’s). In that call he threatened to take me to court over my work for his wife. I was stunned. There had been some hiccups in the project due to one of my staff had been out with an emergency, but I had even refunded some of the money on the project due to the inconvenience. Now the lawyer was telling me they were going to sue. “Can you tell me over what?” I asked. “For your attitude,” the lawyer responded.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. First I had no attitude. I truly loved and honored my client (his wife) and had worked diligently in what was a hard situation. I sincerely had no attitude.

But even if I had, I had to shake my head wondering in what court of law “attitude” would be accepted by a judge for reason of judgement against someone. This man was a lawyer and understood law and yet was acting and talking as if no logic was present. There was only pride and deception.

We must recognize that where a spirit of deception is present, THERE IS NO LOGIC.

SEE ALSO: Infected: How to Stop the Global Spread of Rage, Deception and Insanity. 

You cannot reason with a spirit. You can only pray that the stronghold will be broken.

This is the word the Lord reminded me of in this hour. For those who have asked, “Lord what can we do? How can we see this end?” “How can we pray for our president, our nation, our families? We pray His word regarding the strife of tongues.

 “Let the lying lips be put to silence, who speak arrogantly in pride and contempt against the righteous. Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have done for those seeking refuge in You before people! You will hide us in the secret of Your presence from conspirators; You will keep us secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous lovingkindness in a fortified city. For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes.” Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to You. Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints, for the Lord preserves the faithful, but amply repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and He will strengthen your heart, all you who wait for the Lord.”

(Psalm 31:18-24)

There are many things we can learn from this scripture:

1. Recognize the root.

The attacks are from those who speak arrogantly with pride and contempt.

Pride is a deceiver. It is a strongman spirit which opens the door to deception. Those under its influence truly believe they are operating for God, but are in fact operating in deception.

Pride is a costly and dangerous place, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) And without question those operating under its influence will experience the effects. Pray for their release.

2. Strife and anger are indicators.

The phrase “strife of tongues” in the verse above refers to: controversy, contention between individuals, lawsuits, quarrels and disputes. The reason for the ungodly and unreasonable lawsuits and quarrels (if you are truly walking free from offense and wrong action on your part) comes from pride, deception and strife. “For where there is envying and strife, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16). Rage is often attached to this. Do you see unreasonable anger and rage coming at you? It is an indicator that there is a spirit in operation behind these acts. (Learn more about the indicators of rage here.)

3. He will hide you.

While it is easy to step into fear during these times, do not. For He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). He said He would hide you under the shelter of his wings (Psalm 91) and that His name is a strong tower in which we can run and be safe (Proverbs 18:10).

4. He will show you His kindness in a fortified (besieged) city.

When a city was besieged in days of old, the attacking army would surround it to prevent food from being brought into the city from the outlying fields. If the attacking army couldn’t penetrate the walls of the city, they would wait it out to starve the inhabitants out of their fortified city. But the Lord said He will show you His goodness. God’s goodness is His love expressed to us in the form of mercy, honor, and blessing. His goodness is on its way to you now in your fortified city so that you will not be “starved out.”

5. The Lord preserves the faithful.
   Verse 23 of Psalm 31 says, “O love the Lord, all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful.” Remain faithful to the Lord in this season. Do. Not. Give. Up.

This is a time to persevere, press in and take back the land. Remember that when the people of Israel went in to take their promised land, they had to fight for it. Although it was given to them from the Lord, they had to take action and fight to take it.  (Read more on how to take the land in “Two Kinds of Blessings.”

6. Be strong and take courage.

The end of the chapter is his admonishment to us in this time, “Be strong and let your heart take courage all you who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31: 24).

Hope is the anchor of our faith. We must continue to hope in the Lord that He is our strong tower and refuge. He will deliver. He is well able and we must take hold together to stand side by side, arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder against this onslaught.

It is there we will see His deliverance for the nations—and for ourselves.
“Then I will change people from other nations so that they can speak the language clearly and call out the name of the Lord. They will all worship me together, shoulder to shoulder, as one people (Zephaniah 3:9 ERV).

Lord, I pray for my brother and sister who are now facing an onslaught against them. They are weary. They are frustrated and they seek You. Father, you said you would deliver us. That could run under your shelter and be safe. I pray for them for safety and protection in your arms. For restoration to their health, homes, finances and relationships. I pray that they can be free from the present destruction so that they can turn their eyes to join together for our nation, our president and for the world around us that together we can see revival break forth and healing to come. In Jesus’ name. 

If you need prayer for your present situation, or if you have seen deliverance from the onslaught. Please let me know. Together we can encourage and pray for each other. I am standing with you.