7 Ways to Maintain Your Spiritual Focus

Are you fighting your spiritual warfare?

Have you ever felt there was a spiritual battle being waged for your soul? Do you feel spiritually protected right now? Do you realize our biggest battles in life are in the spiritual realm?

We Christians today live in a paradoxical culture that is both skeptical – or oftentimes hostile – and open to any and all sorts of beliefs and philosophies. So, one should not wonder to know that disbelief pervades even traditional Christian communities. On many college campuses, even ‘Christian’ ones, professors teach that religious belief, or at least belief in God, is passé, while students explore ‘alternative religions’, including witchcraft and neo-paganism.

Christians face the great danger of becoming caught up and trapped in a spiritual quagmire. Some Christians focus so much on the power and activities of the devil – without even knowing it – that they live in a state of uncertainty and fear – and blame anything and anyone but themselves for their shortcomings. Other Christians live their lives with little or no reliance on God, thus failing to make a difference in their communities.

In short, their faith has been laid wasted and God rendered useless and powerless. Just like the Israelites, they did not focus on God’s promises but rather on what their eyes saw and their ears heard. They did not have focus.

In Gregory Fetherson books of Deep Within, the author stressed out the importance of focus when fighting spiritual warfare. “The obstacles you’ll face daily is part of your schooling that you’ll be receiving from God. The wise thing to do is stay focus on God at all times, because your faith will be tried and tested to a point that you may decide you had enough.”

He added, “This is not the time to quit but it’s the time when you need to dig deeper within yourself and get all the help you’ll need.”

So, the question: How can you maintain – and increase – your spiritual focus?

1. Pray fervently. Ask God to help you resist temptations and eliminate distractions to your spiritual life. Pray with faith and confidence, and believe God hears and will answer your prayers. Whatever you ask in Jesus’ name, He will do (Mark 11:24, John 16:24).
2. Read your Bible. Open your Bible, read it, and live by the Word of God contained in it. The Lord is righteous and all His laws are right and fully trustworthy (Psalm 119:137-138). “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart,” Psalm 119:1-2.
3. Lean on the Lord’s strength. You cannot fight the devil with your own strength. Without the Lord, you are no match for the devil. Instead, lean on the Lord to fight your battles, as well as lift your burdens. If you surrender your strength to Him, He will bless you with a strength only He can provide. Let Him renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31). “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might,” Ephesians 6:10.
4. Put on the ‘armor of God’. You do not actually wear armor but seek God and His righteousness above everything else (Matthew 6:33). You put on the ‘armor of God’ to withstand the devil’s attacks, including faith, righteousness, truth, prayer, the Word of God, and salvation (Ephesians 6:14-18).
5. Seek the support of loved ones. Christians do not have to talk just to their church leaders. Sometimes, you need the support of your loved ones. When you begin to feel like losing your spiritual battle, seek support and guidance from family and friends, neighbors, colleagues, or anyone spiritually trustworthy you can share your concerns and issues. “For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors, there is safety” Proverbs 24:6.
6. Live courageously. The devil is intent in destroying your faith both through obvious attacks (1 Peter 5:8) and temptations (2 Corinthians 11:14). But never fear, for the grandest truth of all is that God’s spirit, who is in you, is greater than the devil, who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
7. Surrender every part of your life to God. Acknowledge God before, after, and during every situation of your life, particularly when you have to make a major decision.You cannot fight your spiritual battle on your own strength, intellect, or cleverness. You have to trust in Him with all your heart, and he will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Give yourself completely to God and the devil will run from you (James 4:7-8).

When you face temptations or feel that your spiritual life is under attack, have faith in God’s promises to protect you (James 4:7), deliver you from evil (2 Timothy 4:18), and strengthen you (2 Thessalonians 3:3).