Ever feel like life is more than just what you can see?
One minute you’re doing fine, and the next, it feels like everything’s coming at you. Things like doubts, distractions, discouragement, or full-on anxiety attacks. It’s easy to feel like you’re just being overly dramatic—until you realize that the Bible talks about a very real challenge: spiritual warfare.
Yeah, it sounds weird. Like something straight out of a fantasy novel. But if you’ve ever felt like something deeper is going on behind the scenes of your struggle, you might well be right.
There’s a real spiritual battle happening. But here’s the extremely good news: Jesus is stronger than any spiritual enemy, and He’s with us as we fight our daily battles. So if you’re not sure what to pray or how to even start, the spiritual warfare prayers below are for you.
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How Do I Know if I’m Under Spiritual Attack?
Have you ever asked yourself …
- Is this spiritual warfare, or ordinary emotions?
- Is this a spiritual attack, or do I need a nap and a snack?
- Is this a spiritual battle, or am I overthinking?
Those are great questions, and the kinds of questions we should be asking. Because honestly, sometimes the answer might be that you’re dealing with ordinary challenges like lack of sleep, sadness, or differing mental health.
Not Everything Is a Spiritual Attack
We’re wise to take care of our minds and bodies and take steps to get healthy. But we’re unwise to explain every negative or oppressive feeling, experience, or emotion as simply a natural cause and effect.
Because, yes, we face natural, biological challenges that have nothing to do with spiritual warfare, but the enemy can use those pre-existing challenges to add spiritual pressure to our faith.
What’s the answer? How do we know if we’re under spiritual attack or if we just need a snack?
Well, there’s no quiz to tell you for certain. Spiritual attacks rarely manifest in the kind of full-blown nightmare fuel you might see in horror movies. Instead, they often appear in more subtle, though still potentially devastating ways.
3 Questions to Help You Identify Spiritual Warfare
Here are three guiding questions for you to prayerfully discern the source of your challenges.
1. Is this drawing me closer to God or pulling me away?
Spiritual warfare often aims to disconnect you from God through distraction, despair, or deception. If your struggle is isolating you from prayer, Scripture, your Jesus-following friends, or your church, it may be more than just emotional fatigue.
2. Is this persistent, oppressive, or unusually intense?
Spiritual attacks often feel relentless or disproportionate to the situation. If you’re experiencing a heaviness that doesn’t lift with rest, relational support, or time, it may be spiritual in nature.
3. Have I ruled out physical, emotional, or mental health causes?
God gave us minds and bodies that need care. If you haven’t yet explored natural causes—like stress, trauma, or health issues, it would be wise to do so. But if those have been addressed and the struggle remains, it may be time to pray with spiritual discernment.
If you’ve asked these questions but still aren’t sure, then pray anyway! No matter what you’re going through, God wants to hear about it. So if you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, or any other negative thoughts, don’t overthink it, just pray.
There’s no harm in praying against spiritual warfare, even if the cause of your pain isn’t actually a spiritual attack.
What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Warfare?
Want a simple summary of what the Bible says about spiritual warfare?
- We have a spiritual enemy who seeks to distract, disrupt, and discourage followers of Jesus (1 Peter 5:8).
- Spiritual warfare is real. It’s our enemy’s attempt to diminish our love for God and our neighbors (Ephesians 6:12).
- God is infinitely stronger than any spiritual force, including Satan (1 John 4:4).
- Jesus and other biblical figures affirm the reality of spiritual threats and God’s power to help us overcome them (John 10:10).
- We’re called to put on the full armor of God to stand firm in spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:11).
- Prayer is a powerful weapon in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:18).
- The Word of God is our spiritual sword against the enemy’s lies (Hebrews 4:12).
- God gives us “divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
- When we submit to God and resist the devil, our spiritual enemy must flee (James 4:7).
There are spiritual forces at work that want to keep us stuck, distracted, and defeated. But God doesn’t leave us defenseless.
Scripture tells us that our problems aren’t always due to bad luck or annoying circumstances. There are spiritual forces at work that want to keep us stuck, distracted, and defeated.
But God doesn’t leave us defenseless. He gives us spiritual armor and spiritual blessings through Christ Jesus. For more on the armor of God, check out this simple guide.
When you feel attacked, overwhelmed, or anxious for no reason, know this: You’re not powerless. You have everything you need to stand firm through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.
5 Spiritual Warfare Prayers and Verses
Here are five spiritual warfare prayers for everyday battles you might be facing. Let them guide your heart and strengthen your prayer life today.
Download the spiritual warfare prayer mobile wallpaper.
1. A Prayer for Victory in Spiritual Warfare
Lord God, You’ve already won every battle I’ll ever face. But right now, I feel weak. I feel like I’m in the middle of a fight I don’t understand. I ask for Your strength and clarity. Help me resist the enemy. Please be my strength and shield. I submit myself to You, the one true God, Creator of the whole universe. You are my King. I stand in Your truth and walk in Your victory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Anchor Verse: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NIV
2. Prayer for Protection from Evil
Heavenly Father, cover me and my loved ones with Your divine protection. Shield us from every evil thing that might be working against Your will for us. Please guard my mind, my heart, and my home. I trust You to defend me at all times, both in what I can see and in the invisible realm of spiritual attacks. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
Anchor Verse: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 NIV
3. Prayer to Break Strongholds
Dear God Almighty, there are things in my life that feel too heavy to carry—thought patterns, addictions, and fears. I know they don’t come from You. So I ask You to break every stronghold, in Jesus’ name. Tear down anything that’s keeping me from experiencing all the fullness of life You offer. Help me take back and stand firm in every part of my life that Satan wants to claim through spiritual attacks. Set me free, Lord God. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Anchor Verse: The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV
4. An Armor of God Prayer
Dear God, please equip me with Your spiritual armor today. Wrap me in truth like a belt. Guard my heart with righteousness. Ground my feet in the peace of the gospel. Strengthen my faith to extinguish all the fiery darts of the enemy. Protect my mind with the helmet of salvation and arm me with the sword of the Spirit, Your living Word. Help me stand strong in every spiritual battle, especially when the spiritual attacks feel nonstop. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Anchor Verse: Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11 NIV
5. Prayer for Peace in the Battle
Lord Jesus, I feel the weight of this battle, and it’s wearing me down. But You’re not just the God who fights—You’re the God who gives peace. Give me a sound mind and a calm spirit even when everything feels chaotic. Remind me that in You, I’m secure. In You, I have eternal life. Let me rest in Your victory. In Your all-powerful name, Jesus, amen.
Anchor Verse: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith … 1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
You’re Not Alone in This Battle
Spiritual warfare might sound intense, but you don’t have to fight it alone. The true and living God is with you and He’s for you. Every time you pray, you invite the power of God into your mind and body.
So today, take a next step. Maybe it’s sitting with God in prayerful silence. Maybe it’s starting a Bible Plan on spiritual warfare or texting a friend and asking them to pray with you.
We’d love to pray for you, too. Share your prayer request today, and our prayer team will reach out, pray with you, and offer helpful next steps.
Whatever you do, don’t stay silent. You don’t need perfect words, just a willing heart. God hears you. And in Him, all the victory is already yours.